Old-Fashioned Fudge Nut Bars
Fudge Nut Bars are straight from my great grandma’s recipe box. You get buttery oatmeal layers, a thick fudgy middle, and just enough crunch. Don’t be surprised if they disappear from the pan faster than you planned.
Servings 24
Equipment
Ingredients
Oatmeal Bottom and Top
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups quick oats
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease 9x13 glass baking dish.
- Cream butter (1 cup) and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla (2 teaspoons) until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking soda, and salt (1 teaspoon). Stir in quick oats.
- Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in small amounts. Mix in between until all of the flour mixture has been added.
- Use a double boiler to melt chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, butter (2 tablespoons) and salt (½ teaspoon).
- Stir walnuts and vanilla into fudge mixture.
- Spread 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture into greased glass pan. Spread fudge mixture evenly over the top, completely covering the oatmeal layer. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining oatmeal mixture on top of the fudge layer.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until light brown.
- Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.
Notes
Helpful Tips
Don’t overmix the oatmeal dough
Mix just until everything comes together so the layers stay tender instead of tough. Press the bottom layer firmly
This helps create a solid base so the fudge layer spreads easily and the bars hold together when sliced. Melt the fudge slowly
Keep the heat gentle and stir often so the chocolate stays smooth and doesn’t scorch. Use slightly damp hands for the top layer
If the oatmeal mixture feels sticky, lightly damp hands make it easier to drop or crumble over the fudge. Let them cool completely before cutting
The fudge sets as it cools, so patience here means cleaner slices and neater bars. Line the pan if you want easy removal
A sling of parchment paper makes it simple to lift the whole batch out for cutting.
Mix just until everything comes together so the layers stay tender instead of tough. Press the bottom layer firmly
This helps create a solid base so the fudge layer spreads easily and the bars hold together when sliced. Melt the fudge slowly
Keep the heat gentle and stir often so the chocolate stays smooth and doesn’t scorch. Use slightly damp hands for the top layer
If the oatmeal mixture feels sticky, lightly damp hands make it easier to drop or crumble over the fudge. Let them cool completely before cutting
The fudge sets as it cools, so patience here means cleaner slices and neater bars. Line the pan if you want easy removal
A sling of parchment paper makes it simple to lift the whole batch out for cutting.