NOTES: I prefer the texture of quick cooking oats in this recipe. If you're using regular rolled oats, you can pulse them in a blender or food processor for 10-15 seconds to chop them into smaller pieces.
-1 Preheat the oven to 350 F.
-1 In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, oat flour and salt and mix together.
-1 Add in the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla and begin working the wet ingredients into the flour mixture with your hands to create the crumble. Its best to do this with your hands so that you don't over mix the dough.
-1 Line an 8 x 8 baking dish with parchment paper and press 2/3 of the mixture down into the pan to create the base layer. I like to flatten the mixture using a rubber spatula or wet hands. Save the remaining crumb mixture for the top of the bars.
-1 Add the chocolate chips and coconut milk to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring in between, until the chocolate chips are melted. You can also warm it in a small saucepan over a low/medium flame.
-1 Once the chocolate is melted, add in the vanilla extract and salt and whisk it together until its thick and smooth.
-1 Pour the chocolate fudge over the oat base. Take the remaining crumble mixture and sprinkle it over the top of the bars.
-1 Bake for 22 minutes, then remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
-1 Stick the pan in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into bars. The pan may still be hot, so I like to lay it on a dish towel in the fridge.
-1 After two hours, remove the bars and cut them into 16 squares using a sharp knife.
-1 Store the bars in an air-tight container at room temperature for about 1 week, or refrigerate them for up to 3 weeks. I prefer the texture at room temperature, so I like to leave a few bars on the counter and take them out of the fridge as needed!
