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.
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.
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!
Another recipe I make using applesauce is this Applesauce Cake!
Key ingredients
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Cinnamon
- Oats
- Applesauce
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.
You don't need to have homemade applesauce to make these oatmeal bars. Any type of applesauce will work. You just need two cups for the recipe.
Another version of these bars are Raspberry Jam Bars and these 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!
Steps to make
A complete list of instructions is available below! Just scroll to the bottom!
- 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.
- 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 remaining flour mixture.
- Bake in a 325 degree oven for 40-45 minutes
- Allow bars to fully cool before slicing
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.
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
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Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
Filling
- 1½ - 2 cups applesauce
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees 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.
- Add cinnamon and oats. Pulse just until incorporated.
- 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.
- Pour filling on top of oat mixture. Spread evenly over oat mixture.
- Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over applesauce.
- Bake in a preheated 325 degree 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.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally posted in February 2018.
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 👍