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Home » Desserts » Oatmeal Bars

Published: Feb 28, 2020 · Modified: Oct 16, 2021 by Kathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Oatmeal Bars

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Four oat bars stacked with a piece of parchment paper between each bar.

Oatmeal Bars with an applesauce filling are easy to make and delicious for snacking. These bars are always a hit with even the pickiest of eaters! Made with an oatmeal crust and an oatmeal crumb topping. 

Perfect served as an after-school snack or dessert!

A stack of four oatmeal bars with an applesauce filling.
Table of Contents
Delicious oat bars
Key ingredients
Steps by step directions
Tips for making
What if I don't have a food processor?
Recipe Faqs
More great desserts
Oatmeal Bars

Delicious oat bars

I started cleaning out my pantry last weekend. I found several jars of homemade applesauce I canned two years ago.

My kids don't eat nearly the amount of applesauce they used to eat. I decided to make applesauce oatmeal bars to use up some of that extra applesauce. 

A glass baking dish filled with an oatmeal dessert.

These easy oatmeal bars were a huge hit in my house. They disappeared before I even knew it! I think I'm going to have to start hiding my creations so they last a bit longer. Three teenagers can go through food like crazy! 

I also used up some of my homemade applesauce in this Applesauce Cake!

Other versions of these bars are Raspberry Jam Bars and Blueberry Bars. They are super delicious too! The raspberry jam bars use jam as the filling and are just as easy and as delicious as these applesauce bars. The blueberry bars use fresh or frozen blueberries in the filling! 

Key ingredients

Small bowls filled with brown sugar, oatmeal, cinnamon and butter.

Ingredients

This section reviews the best ingredients and substitutions for this recipe. For an exact list of ingredients and quantities, check the recipe card below.

  • Butter - salted butter
  • Brown Sugar
  • Flour
  • Oats - old fashioned oats
  • Applesauce - sweetened or unsweetened works fine

You can use any type of oatmeal you have on hand. I prefer to use old fashioned oats in these bars rather than instant or one-minute oats. The old fashioned variety is thicker and adds great texture to the bars.  

Steps by step directions

How to make it

In this section, I share step-by-step photos, cooking methods, techniques, and a general overview. For detailed instructions, temperatures, and timing, check the printable recipe card below.

  • Place butter, flour and brown sugar into a food processor. Pulse until mixture becomes coarse crumbs.
  • Add oats and cinnamon. Pulse just until mixed. The mixture will be dry and crumbly.
Butter and flour in a food processor bowl.
Oatmeal added to a food processor bowl.
  • Add half the mixture to the bottom of a greased pan. Press down firmly with your hands
  • Mix additional cinnamon with applesauce. Add on top of flour mixture in pan
  • Sprinkle on the remaining flour mixture.
A flour mixture in the bottom of a glass casserole dish.
Applesauce topped with a crumbly mixture in a glass baking dish.
  • Bake in a 325° oven for 40-45 minutes
  • Allow bars to fully cool before slicing

Tips for making

  • Use salted butter that is softened. The butter should be soft enough to spread easily on a slice of bread
  • Use old fashioned oats, which are a bit thicker than a quick oat. 
  • Allow bars to cool before slicing
  • Store any leftover bars in a covered container

What if I don't have a food processor?

I mixed this crust in a food processor, but if you don't have one I have a few options for you:

  • First, you can place the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix using a mixer with beaters. Make certain the butter is very soft, but not melted.
  • Second, you could mix with your hands. Place ingredients in a bowl and use your hands or your fingers to mix. This may be a bit messy, but your hands are really a great kitchen tool. Simply use your fingers to mash butter into the flour and oat mixture. 

Recipe Faqs

How long will these applesauce bars last?

The bars will last for 2-3 days. Store covered at room temperature.

What type of applesauce do I use?

You may use any type of applesauce in these bars. I use my homemade applesauce but store-bought works great too. Use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce.

More great desserts

  • Peach Crumb Bars
  • Apple Bundt Cake
  • Chocolate Cupcakes
  • Chocolate Mousse
Oat bars stacked on a white plate.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Check out all my baking recipes!

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A stack of four oatmeal bars with an applesauce filling.

Oatmeal Bars

Kathy
Delicious layers of oats with an applesauce filling. 
4.95 from 149 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12 people
Calories 324 kcal

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • 9 x 13" Baking Dish
  • Measuring Cups
  • Measuring Spoons
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup butter (cut into small pieces)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 cup oats

Filling

  • 1½ - 2 cups applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325° and spray a 9 x 13" baking dish with a non-stick spray .
  • In a food processor bowl, add butter, brown sugar and flour. Pulse until mixture forms small, pea sized crumbs. 
    1 cup butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 cups flour
  • Add cinnamon and oats. Pulse just until incorporated. 
    1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon, 1 cup oats
  • Place half the oat mixture into prepared baking dish. Press mixture down with your hands. 

Filling

  • In a small mixing bowl combine applesauce and cinnamon.
    1½ - 2 cups applesauce, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pour filling on top of oat mixture. Spread evenly over oat mixture.
  • Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over applesauce. 
  • Bake in a preheated 325° oven for 40 - 45 minutes.
  • Allow bars to fully cool before slicing into 12 equal pieces.

Notes

Tips for making
  • Use salted butter that is softened. The butter should be soft enough to spread easily on a slice of bread
  • Use old fashioned oats, which are a bit thicker than a quick oat. 
  • Some people prefer not quite as much applesauce filling. You can use 1 ½ cups instead of the 2 cups.
  • Allow bars to cool before slicing
  • Store any leftover bars in a covered container
If you don't have a food processor:
  • First, you can place the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix using a mixer with beaters. Make certain the butter is very soft, but not melted.
  • Second you could mix with your hands. Place ingredients in a bowl and use your hands or your fingers to mix. This may be a bit messy, but your hands are really a great kitchen tool. Simply use your fingers to mash butter into the flour and oat mixture.

Nutritional Disclaimer:

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1BarCalories: 324kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 3gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 141mgPotassium: 105mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 485IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1.5mg
Keyword oat bars, oatmeal applesauce recipe, oatmeal bars
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @BeyondTheChickenCoop or tag #beyondthechickencoop!

This recipe was originally posted in February 2018. 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Heather says

    July 15, 2023 at 8:20 am

    5 stars
    Household favorite now!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      July 15, 2023 at 9:06 am

      Hooray!!! Thanks 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jan says

    June 07, 2023 at 9:00 pm

    Usually I follow a recipe but my husband has this thing about apple sauce so I was wondering if I could put in some chopped apple and some walnuts along with the apple sauce. Those he will eat. I hoping with the chopped apple and nuts he want notice the apple sauce.
    Thank you
    Have a great day

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      June 08, 2023 at 4:49 am

      Hi Jan,
      I haven't tried adding apples or nuts, but if you cut the apples small enough it should work. You could also use apple pie filling instead of the apple sauce. I also have another recipe that is very similar but it uses jam instead - Raspberry Bars.
      Let me know what you do and how it turns out!
      Kathy 🙂

      Reply
  3. Vickie says

    November 16, 2022 at 6:12 am

    Could you replace flour will all purpose gluten-free flour?

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 16, 2022 at 6:44 am

      Hi Vickie,
      Yes, as long as it's a 1:1 flour, like Bob's Red Mill.
      Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Heidi says

    November 09, 2022 at 1:29 pm

    5 stars
    These are so much better than I was anticipating, just because recipes with oats tend to be hit or miss with us. These are definitely a hit! I'm so glad I decided to give them a try. I'll be making them again! Thanks for the recipe! 😊🤤

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 09, 2022 at 1:34 pm

      Thank you!!! I'm so glad they were a hit! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Vickie D says

    November 09, 2022 at 9:38 am

    Made this for a play date with my daughter's friends. Kids loved it! My husband thought it too plain. Next time I'm going to add some chopped apples on top of the applesauce and then add some chopped walnuts, a little more cinnamon (he likes extra cinnamon in everything!) and a dash of nutmeg to the remaining top mixture before sprinkling it on. This is a great dish for potluck, family parties, etc.!!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      November 09, 2022 at 1:35 pm

      Thank you for your suggestions! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ashley says

    October 26, 2022 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    Sooo good and easy!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      October 27, 2022 at 5:03 am

      Thanks! So glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  7. Jane says

    October 12, 2022 at 7:29 am

    5 stars
    Super easy recipe with wonderful results! My husband and I delivered them to several people we thought needed cheering. We had many requests for this recipe. Thank you for sharing Kathy!

    Reply
    • Kathy says

      October 12, 2022 at 12:56 pm

      Thank you so much! How wonderful for you to spread cheer! They probably enjoyed the company as much as the treat! 🙂

      Reply
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Four oat bars stacked with a piece of parchment paper between each bar.
The author holding a chicken.

I'm Kathy, a busy working mom who loves to cook from scratch, grow a garden, and raise farm animals. Take a look around and find all my recipes, gardening tips, and country living antics.

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