by 
These Applesauce Oatmeal Bars are a delicious easy-to-make dessert. With more than 150 Five-Star reviews and 200,000 shares on Pinterest, these oat bars are one of my most popular recipes.
Delicious Homemade Oatmeal Bars
This recipe first came about when I had a surplus of my home canned applesauce in my pantry. I adapted a favorite recipe for raspberry oat bars and used the applesauce instead of raspberry jam. The result is a delicious apple pie tasting bar!
My kids have always been my official taste testers and I know I have a winning recipe when they keep coming back for more. These bars disappear in no time at all.
Oatmeal Bars Recipe 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.
How to make Baked Oatmeal Bars
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.
3. Add half the mixture to the bottom of a greased pan. Press down firmly with your hands
4. Mix additional cinnamon with applesauce. Add on top of flour mixture in pan
5. Sprinkle on the remaining flour mixture.
6. Bake in a 325° oven for 40-45 minutes
7. Allow bars to fully cool before slicing
Oatmeal Bar Recipe Tips
- 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.
Oatmeal Bar Recipe FAQs
The bars will last for 2-3 days. Store covered at room temperature.
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.
Yes, these can be frozen. However, the bars are soft so it’s best to cut the bars and remove them from the pan. Then layer them in a freezer-safe container with sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper between each layer. Best used within 3 months.
More great desserts
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Oatmeal Bar Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (cut into small pieces, at room temperature)
- 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
- 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
- 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
This recipe was originally posted in February 2018.
Amanda says
Are there any alternatives for using a food processor that would have the same result? Mine isn’t big enough. Thanks!!
Kathy says
Hi Amanda,
You could place all the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands. The butter needs to be soft and just massage the butter right into the oats and sugar. This will take a bit longer but will work just fine!
Happy Baking!
Kathy
Wendy says
Instead of a food processor could we use a blender? I have a Ninja. Or possibly a handmixer for a stand mixer? Would any of those work as well?
Kathy says
Hi Wendy,
I would use a hand mixer. Make certain your butter is very soft so it can be easily mixed into the oats and flour. Let me know how they turn out!
Kathy
Wendy says
Thank you for the quick response! Trying to make today on this rainy day in FL!
Katie Borkowski says
has anyone tried freezing these?
Thanks!
Kathy says
Hi Katie,
I have not tried freezing these.
Kathy
Lisa Milazzo says
So easy and so good!!. Something sweet during quarantine. I’d love to make these a little healthier.
Kristi says
How do you store them? Refrigerate?
Kathy says
Hi Kristi,
I store the bars at room temperature. You could refrigerate them too if you wanted.
Kathy
Steph says
I only have coconut flour and almond flour on hand...could I use either one?
Kathy says
Hi Steph,
I'm afraid I've never cooked with either of those flours so I don't know how they'd be in this recipe.
Eunice Walach says
Beautiful Recipe ❤️made These as a Golfers snack that He can take for a long day on Course.I don’t have food processor,I had no issues with 2 knives,I did Add a product I keep in freezer,Paradise Meadow Bakeing Cranberries, With , Walnuts👌👍Thank You
Kathy says
So glad you made this work for you! Hope the golfing went well!!!
Byenia says
Made a half batch of this recipe tonight (in a glass 8x8 dish) and adore it! So good! Enough to where I'm seriously thinking of making this again in a couple days to share with others. Thanks for this terrific recipe!
Kathy says
Thank you for your wonderful comment! I am so glad you love this recipe as much as we do! 🙂
Madison says
I made this recipe today with a few adjustments (instead of 2 cups of applesauce I did 1 cup of applesauce and 1 cup of apple butter and I added chopped pecans) and I’m absolutely obsessed! They turned out so good!
Kathy says
Thanks, Madison! I love the changes and addition of nuts! 🙂
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
I would most definitely enjoy these for dessert, a snack or even breakfast! They look super yummy Kathy!
David @ Spiced says
These sound delicious, Kathy! And the recipe is super easy, too. Robbie loves oatmeal and apple sauce...so it stands to reason that these bars would be a hit here, too. I'll have to make him a batch - and Dad might have to "steal" several bars first. You know, for quality control and all. 🙂
Jennifer says
Looks delicious, instead of flour, how about 1:1 baking mix? I know it has a nice nutty flavor. Definitely about to try!
Kathy says
Hi Jennifer,
I'm afraid I haven't tried using a 1:1 baking mix so I'm not certain how it would work in these muffins.
Kathy
Jennifer says
I am going to give it a try, I will let you know! I think the nutty flavor will go perfect with these!
Kathy says
Keep me posted! I'd love to hear how they turn out! 🙂
Christy says
Hello- if I double this recipe do I use one or two 9x13 pans?
Thank you
Kathy says
Hi Christy,
If you double the recipe, I'd put it into two pans.
Enjoy! 🙂
Christy says
Thank you 👍
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
Suzanne says
This looks so good! It is nice to have other options than apple pie when you want to whip something up quickly to bring for dessert!
Nav says
Hi, which flour do you use use in these please?
Kathy says
I use all-purpose flour.
Ti says
Totally love this recipe. I added a little more cinnamon but it was delicious it's a definite keeper. I also did not have a food processor and I used my hands oh, of course with gloves to mix it up.
Kathy says
Thanks! These are one of our favorites. A little extra cinnamon adds so much flavor! Good job on figuring out a way to make without a food processor!
Linda says
I don't own a food processor. Can this be made without one to pulse as per directions.
Kathy says
Hi Linda,
You could make this without a food processor. You could use two butter knives, a pastry blender or your fingers. You just want to get the butter and flour and oatmeal into pea sized pieces. Let me know how it turns out!
Kathy
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Love all the cinnamon in these Kathy! Teenagers can eat a lot! I remember those days!
David @ Spiced says
Oh my gosh, I can't imagine how fast 3 teenagers would destroy a recipe like this one! I love a good oatmeal bar, and I'm totally going to have to keep this one in mind for next apple season when we have homemade apple sauce coming out of our ears. Literally. (Well, maybe not literally...but close to it...haha) Looks delicious, Kathy!!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I started to clean out our pantry this past weekend too and there was stuff there I totally forgot about! You certainly put that apple sauce to good use with these oatmeal bars 🙂 Delish!
allie says
Hi Kathy - these bars look fabulous. I would never find a jar of homemade apple sauce just sitting around in my pantry... you are so good about making homemade. The bars look fantastic and no wonder they disappeared fast. I've been freezing small portions of treats like this to make sure that Jon and I get some! Four boys in the house - you get the picture...
Kathy says
Four boys! Yep, I'll bet you can't keep anything around for long at all! I'll need to try popping a few in the freezer! Good idea!
Juliana says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet but would you be able to put these in the freezer to save for a later date/time?
Kathy says
Hi Juliana,
I freeze a lot of foods, but I have not tried freezing these bars. My instincts say they should freeze just fine, but I haven't actually tried it. Please let me know if you do!
Thanks 🙂
Katie says
Is it possible to make this without a food processor?
Kathy says
Hi Katie,
Yes, this can be made without a food processor. Here are the two methods I suggest:
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.
Enjoy!
Kathy 🙂