The Ultimate Comfort Snack: Apple Sauce Oat Bars

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Sweet, warm, and perfectly gooey—these Apple Sauce Oat Bars are sure to impress. Whether you enjoy them as a quick snack, a cozy breakfast, or an easy dessert, they totally deliver. They’re versatile, satisfying, and made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand. However you decide to serve them, I know you’ll love every bite!

First off, I want to say a quick sorry for the radio silence these past few weeks. Life has been a little hectic. I’ve been juggling graduation and preparing for a big move back to South Jersey. Things are finally starting to settle down, and I’m so excited to be back in the kitchen creating new recipes to share with you all!

With the move coming up, I’ve been on a mission to use up as much of the food in my pantry as possible. I really try to avoid waste whenever I can, so I got creative with what I had on hand. That’s exactly how these Apple Sauce Oat Bars came to be! A few leftover oatmeal packets, some apple sauce, and a little kitchen improvisation turned into a delicious, wholesome snack that I had to share.

What You'll Need

• Butter: It’s an essential ingredient in this recipe. It acts as the binder that brings the oats and sugar together to form that perfectly chewy, golden “crust.” I used salted butter simply because that’s what I had on hand, and it worked great! If you’re using unsalted butter, just be sure to add a pinch of salt somewhere in the mix to balance out the sweetness and bring out all the flavors.

  
  

• Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is the way to go here. Thanks to the molasses content, it adds a rich, slightly caramel-like flavor that pairs perfectly with the apples and oats. But it’s not just about taste—brown sugar also helps create that soft, chewy texture we’re after. It melts beautifully into the mixture, making these bars extra tender and delicious. Definitely a key player in this recipe!

  
  

• Flour: Flour gives these bars their structure. I used all-purpose flour, and I recommend sticking with it for this recipe. Unlike self-rising or specialty flours, all-purpose doesn’t contain any added leavening agents, which is perfect here, since we’re not looking for these bars to rise. We just want them to hold together with a nice, sturdy bite.

  
  

• Oats: For the oats, I used what I had on hand—a mix of Quaker’s Cinnamon & Spice and Maple & Brown Sugar oatmeal packets. Not only did they help me clear out the pantry, but the pre-added flavors worked perfectly in this recipe! If you don’t have flavored packets, no worries—plain rolled oats will do just fine. Just be sure to add a bit of cinnamon (and maybe a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar) to capture that warm, cozy flavor. That said, I genuinely loved how the flavored packets turned out and would definitely use them again next time.

  
  

• Applesauce: This recipe was also the perfect excuse to use up some leftover applesauce cups. I had a random mix—some with cinnamon, some without—but they all happened to be unsweetened, which didn’t effect the overall flavor. You can use whatever applesauce you have on hand. If you’re using plain, unsweetened applesauce with no added spice, I recommend tossing in a little extra cinnamon to boost the flavor. It’s a flexible ingredient, so don’t stress—just use what you’ve got!

  
  

  How to Make These Delicious Bars

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray a 8 x 8 baking dish with cooking oil. Note: You can use a 9 x 13 baking dish as well. I only had my square baking dish on hand and the bars still turned out great. I’d also take the butter out during this step so that it can get to room temp. 

  
  

  2. Start by cutting your butter into smaller pieces and adding it to a bowl with the brown sugar and flour. This step is where a food processor or blender really comes in handy—you want to pulse the ingredients together until they form a crumbly, sandy texture. I only had a NutriBullet, which didn’t quite do the trick. But if you're in the same boat, don’t worry! I’ve got a trick! I used a potato masher to slowly press everything together. It takes a little extra time, but once most of the butter is worked in, you can start scraping down the sides of the bowl and mixing until the mixture forms soft clumps. That’s when you know it’s ready.

  
  

  

  
  

  3. Next, add your oats into your clump mixture. Mix or pulse until they are combined. Note: If you are not using pre flavored oatmeal, then I would also add cinnamon or whichever other spices you want. 

  
  

  4. Press half of the mixture into your baking dish. Note: You want the mixture to be flat on the pan. Don’t worry about trying to make a crust or push the mixture onto the sides of the dish. 

  
  

  5. Spread your applesauce in an even layer on the crust. Note: Again, if you’re using plain apple sauce you’ll want to mix some cinnamon or other flavors into it. 

  
  
  

  

  
  
  

  6. Add the rest of your mixture to the top. You don’t have to press it down during this step. Just evenly sprinkle it on top of the apple sauce. 

  
  

  7. Cook for 40 minutes and let cool. 

Comment below if you give this recipe a try! Let me know what other variations you add!

Follow me on Instagram @salty_and_sweet_creations for more delicious recipes and to interact with me! 

Apple Sauce Oat Bars

servings: 9 bars

prep time: 10 minutes cook time: 40 minutes

total time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter, room temperature

• 1 cup (238 g) brown sugar

• 2 cups (250 g) all - purpose flour

• 1 cup (80 g) flavored oatmeal packets

• 2 cups (16 oz) apple sauce, see what you'll need

Recipe:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and spray 8 x8 baking dish with cooking oil.

   
   

2. Cut butter into pieces. Add to food processor with brown sugar and flour. Pulse until crumbled mixture forms, see how to make these delicious bars

   
   

3. Add the oats and mix until combined.

   
   

4. Press half of the mixture into the baking dish.

   
   

5. Spread apple sauce and sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top.

   
   

6. Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.

   
   

7. Allow to cool and enjoy!