Bars are kind of a ‘thing’ in our house. In truth, I love the idea of being able to eat something with one hand these days as I typically have a baby in the other arm! It’s survival of the fittest, let’s face it.
I made a huge batch of applesauce one day, then thought, what else can I do with it? Applesauce is one of Charlie’s favourite foods. I freeze it in small containers for his lunches, add it to oatmeal or toss it in a Apple Pie smoothie for breakfast (see my 10 Day Smoothie Challenge [1] for the recipe).
BC Tree Fruit [2] MacIntosh apples are the best for applesauce in my opinion, but Spartans can also work well. Some apples cook down better than others!
These apple crisp bars are best served the same day as baking them, but our family had zero issues with eating them the next day. I made a couple of batches when testing them out, and they also freeze well. If you want to turn it into a dessert you could top it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. How’s that for some dietitian advice!?!
Happy Baking! xx
Makes 24 bars
Applesauce Filling:
- 10 c. peeled BC Tree Fruits [2] MacIntosh apples, cut into 1/2″ pieces
- 1/3 c. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 c. water
Place all ingredients in a large heavy-bottomed pot and simmer on medium-low heat until the apples are soft, approximately 45-50 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Base:
- 2 1/4 c. large flake oats
- 1 c. whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 c. brown sugar
- 1/4 c. honey or maple syrup
- 1/2 c. melted butter or vegan butter
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 c. toasted pecans
Topping:
- 3/4 c. toasted pecans, finely chopped
- 1/4 c. brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 c. melted butter or vegan butter
- pinch salt
- 3/4 c. large flake oats
- Prepare a 9×13″ baking pan by lining it with parchment paper, leaving extra at the edge to make pulling the bars out of the pan easier (grease the pan first to let the paper stick). Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have coarse crumbs. The mixture should stick together slightly when you press it between your fingers. Reserve 3/4 c. of the crumb mixture and pat the rest of it in the bottom of your prepared pan evenly and firmly. I use the bottom of a flat drinking glass to smooth it out and get it really pressed down.
- Mix all of the topping ingredients together in a medium bowl along with the reserved crumb mixture.
- Carefully spread the applesauce filling over the top of the prepared base using the back of a large spoon.
- Sprinkle evenly with the topping and bake for approximately 45 minutes until the bars are browned. Remove from the oven and cool completely before removing from the pan using the parchment paper as ‘handles’. Cut into 24 bars and serve.
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A big thank you to BC Tree Fruits [2] for sponsoring this post!