Applesauce Oatmeal Bars – a red hot recipe!

Homemade applesauce sweetened with red hots (cinnamon imperials) creates a rosy red filling that is sandwiched between a buttery oat streusel—another seasonal recipe using seasonal produce. Of course, you can make it with purchased applesauce, too. A quick and easy dessert!

Applesauce Oatmeal Bars   Yield: 9”x9” square pan

Streusel Crust

1 stick butter cut into small pieces

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup old fashioned or quick oats

1/2 to 3/4 cup walnuts

Filling

1 1/4 cups homemade cinnamon applesauce (or add 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon to purchased applesauce)

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease or spray a 9”x9” baking pan. Pan can also be lined with parchment (that is sprayed with pan release) for easy removal of bars for the pan.
2. Crust: In a food processor bowl, add butter, brown sugar and flour. Pulse until mixture forms small, pea sized crumbs. 

   
3. Add walnuts; pulse to bread up nuts into coarse pieces. 
4. Remove bowl from food processor and mix in oats.

   
5. Place half the oat mixture in prepared 9”x9" baking pan. Press mixture down with your hands. 

6. Filling: Pour applesauce on top of oat mixture. Spread evenly over oat mixture.

   
7. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over applesauce. 

8. Bake in a preheated 325°oven for 40 minutes.

9. Cool before cutting. 

   

Recipe without photos . . .

Applesauce Oatmeal Bars   Yield: 9”x9” square pan

Streusel Crust

1 stick butter cut into small pieces

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3/4 cup old fashioned or quick oats

1/2 to 3/4 cup walnuts

Filling

1 1/4 cups homemade cinnamon applesauce (or add 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon to purchased applesauce)

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease or spray a 9”x9” baking pan. Pan can also be lined with parchment (that is sprayed with pan release) for easy removal of bars for the pan.
2. Crust: In a food processor bowl, add butter, brown sugar and flour. Pulse until mixture forms small, pea sized crumbs. 

3. Add walnuts; pulse to bread up nuts into coarse pieces. 
4. Remove bowl from food processor and mix in oats.

5. Place half the oat mixture in prepared 9”x9" baking pan. Press mixture down with your hands. 

6. Filling: Pour applesauce on top of oat mixture. Spread evenly over oat mixture.

7. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over applesauce. 

8. Bake in a preheated 325°oven for 40 minutes.

9. Cool before cutting.