Baked Apple and Oat Treats

Baked Apple and Oat Treats

Hooray for a Fall-Spiced Oatmeal and Apple Bars twist on our popular Crumbly Oat and Apricot Bars! We've whipped up a sweet apple compote to layer over the oat and honey crust, which acts as both the base and crumbly topping. Ideal for school lunches, holiday gatherings, or tea time, delight in these bars all season long.

• Servings: 16 squares
• Difficulty: Easy
• Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins, plus 1 to 2 hrs cooling time

Ingredients (11)

For the apple compote:

• 3 small apples, peeled and diced (approx. 3 ½ cups)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water

For the oatmeal crust:

• 3 cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), plus more for coating the baking dish
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter.

For the apple compote:

1. Combine the diced apples, vanilla extract, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over low heat. Cover and simmer for about 20 mins, or until the apples are tender. Mash the apples with a spatula, creating a thick and chunky compote texture.

For the oatmeal crust:

1. Whisk together the oats, flours, and salt in a large heatproof bowl.
2. In a saucepan, melt the butter, honey, and brown sugar over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then cook for 5 minutes while stirring occasionally.
3. Immediately pour the hot butter mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly coated. Allow the mixture to cool slightly so it’s comfortable to handle but still warm.
4. Press half of the oat mixture (about 1 ½ cups) into the prepared baking dish to form the base. Spread the apple compote evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the apple compote and gently press it in with your fingers.
5. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. If you're using a glass or ceramic baking dish, it may take an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing into squares, about 1-2 hours.

Enrichment Data:

Here's a unique take on the standard Crumbly Oat and Apricot Bars with Fall-Inspired Apple Oatmeal Bars. We’ve replaced the apricots with sweet apple compote for a seasonal twist.

Ingredients:

Crumbly Oat and Honey Shortbread Crust

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup honey (or sugar if preferred)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Apple Compote Filling

• 3 ½ cups sliced apples (about 3 apples, e.g., Jazz or Honey Crisp)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider or water
• 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot flour
• The Fall-Spiced Oatmeal and Apple Bars are a twist on the traditional Crumbly Oat and Apricot Bars, incorporating a sweet apple compote into the recipe.
• this recipe yields 16 squares, making it ideal for school lunches, holiday gatherings, or tea time.
• The apple compote is made with 3 small apples, 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup of water.
• To create the oatmeal crust, a combination of rolled oats, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, salt, unsalted butter, honey, and light brown sugar is required.

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