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Apple Oat Bars

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Categories Bars, Sweet Foods

Simple apple oat bars are chewy, sweet, and the perfect treat for packing lunches or serving as an easy but satisfying dessert after any meal.

The chewy texture of the bars is full of hearty oats and juicy apples for a treat that is hard to beat and a bit of caramel frosting truly makes this a decadent dessert.

Old-fashioned and rustic and yet absolutely delightful these oatmeal bars freeze well meaning you can make a big batch and have some for later, too!

A caramel frosted apple oat bar as seen from the side sits on a white plate. In the background sits a board with more bars on it. Text Overlay reads Apple Oat Bars with Caramel Frosting.

Basic Pantry Ingredients

Like all the best foods, there’s nothing super fancy here. Basic ingredients combined well for ultimate flavor and texture. Use the best you can afford.

Apples

Use whatever apples you have on hand or can find locally. There’s no reason to worry to much about variety. Simpy use what you have.

Do make sure to peel and dice the apples finely for best final texture.

A caramel frosted apple oat bar as seen from the side sits on a white plate. In the background sits a board with more bars on it.

Cocoa & Spice

There’s only 1 Tablespoon of cocoa powder in the recipe. These are not intended to be chocolatey, the cocoa is really just a spice here and while it might be tempting to skip such a small amount, don’t. The cocoa adds something that is quite important to the overall flavor.

I used ground ginger and cinnamon as the spices in the bars. However, you could choose to add others based on what you like and have on hand. Apple pie spice would be fine. Cardamom or nutmeg, etc. will all work. Just use up to 2 teaspoons of spice total.

Nuts

I used walnuts in the bars shown in the photos. You could use any other nut or even seed you prefer. Pecans, black walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, truly anything you have on hand would likely work.

Chop the nuts well so that they are about the same size as the diced apples.

A caramel frosted apple oat bar as seen from the side sits on a white plate. In the background sits a board with more bars on it.

The Frosting

I went with a fairly basic caramel frosting because of how well caramel and apples pair togehter. However, you could use a plain vanilla or even spice frosting if you prefer.

Do keep the frosting to a very thin layer. The bars are quite sweet on their own and as it not a soft cake-like texture it simply doesn’t need a thick, fluffy later of soft frosting.

Bar Size

The bars are baked in a 9X13 inch pan. From there you can make the bars as large or small as you prefer or need.

If you’re going to a pot luck or serving as part of a larger dessert buffet, cut the bars into smaller sizes.

For a simple, dessert after dinner cut into larger bars for a quick but satisfying end of meal.

An uncut pan of frosted apple oat bars sits on a wooden cutting board waiting to be sliced. The board is surrounded by a red cloth.

How to Serve

Keep it simple. Serve these bars with tea, coffee, even hot cocoa and call it good.

You could certainly serve with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel for something a bit more over-the-top.

How to Store

Keep uneaten bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

To freeze, for longer term storage, put the bars into freezer containers or plastic bags and place in freezer. Let frozen bars thaw in the refrigerator prior to serving.

Use up any frozen bars within 6 months for best flavor.

A caramel frosted apple oat bar sits on a white plate with a platter of more bars in the background.

Apple Oat Bars

Yield: 12 Large Bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Chewy, sweet, and hearty these old-fashioned apple oat bars are a perfect dessert for the fall season and beyond.

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Unbleached, All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 teapoon Salt
  • 1 Tablespoon Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Cup Rolled Oats
  • 1 1/2 Cup Diced Apples
  • 1/2 Cup Chopped Nuts

Caramel Frosting

  • 1/4 Cup Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Half & Half

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Grease a 9X13 inch baking pan.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until soft and creamy.
  5. Add the eggs and beat until combined.
  6. Fold in the dry ingredients, mixing until almost combined.
  7. Add the oats, apples, and nuts. Mix until completely combined.
  8. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  9. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until an inserted tester comes out clean.
  10. Put pan on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.

Caramel Frosting

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and brown sugar.
  2. Over medium heat, melt the sugar and butter together, stiring frequently until smooth. About 10 mintues for something smooth not grainy.
  3. Add the powdered sugar and 2 Tablespoons half and half. Stirring well until smooth and creamy, add more half and half as necessary to get a smooth consistentcy.
  4. Do spread the the frosting onto the warms while still warm, it gets harder to spread as it cools.
  5. Let frosting harden before slicing into bars and serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 344Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 240mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 2gSugar: 32gProtein: 5g

We try but cannot guarantee the the nutrition information is 100% accurate.

© Kathie
Cuisine: American / Category: Bars
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