These Apple & Oat Mix-in-the-Pan Bars are like Apple Crisp grew up and got classy. Still quick to make, full of real food (whole grains, sweetened with maple syrup), and makes the perfect Fall dessert.
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One glorious summer, we lived in a house that had a large field out back with a couple apple and pear trees. The landlord told us we could harvest the fruit. Not one to turn down free food, I carted a big soup pot into the weeds behind the house and spent several blissful afternoons climbing through the branches, relishing the sunlight streaming through the leaves, delighting in the wild rural solitude, and… oh yeah, picking apples.
Climbing the trees made me feel like I was 9 years old, scampering up any trunk I could get my grimy little fingers around. When I ran into the angry snake hiding in the weeds, I bolted back to the house like that 9-year-old. And never returned.
Serpents aside, apples are really fun to bake. They don’t require very much sweetener to cook quickly into sugary goodness.
These Apple Bars
Apples, oats, and cinnamon is a match born for Autumn. And Mix-in-the-Pan Bars were born for a frugal, healthy, quick cook. One small bowl, one small pan, one small spoon. If I’m honest, I use one measuring cup and eye-ball the amounts of ingredients – that’s how forgiving these bars are.
These are a variation from Mix-in-the-Pan Berry Oat Bars and (More Frugal) Vegan, Low Sugar Berry Oat Bars. And they are less expensive! Because berries are expensive, y’all. Apples are not.
They taste like an Apple Crisp grew up, went to the city, and became classy. No need to slop it in a bowl like an apple crisp – just eat it like a bar.
Perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and vegan. You can serve it with ice cream – or vanilla yogurt for breakfast.
This Apple & Oat Mix-in-the-Pan Recipe is:
- Easy
- Gluten-free
- Allergy-friendly
- Dairy-free
- Egg-free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Make ahead
- Real food
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #cheapskatecook and @cheapskatecookon Instagram.
Apple & Oat Mix-in-the-Pan Bars
These Apple & Oat Mix-in-the-Pan Bars are like Apple Crisp grew up and got classy. Still quick to make, full of real food (whole grains, sweetened with maple syrup), and makes the perfect Fall dessert.
Adapted from this gem by Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cups flour, (spelt, whole grain, oat, gluten-free, and almond all work great)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup, (or honey)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 6 tbsp butter, melted, (coconut oil or palm shortening work great)
- 2 cups apples, peeled and diced
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- In an 8x8-inch pan, stir together oats, flour, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon, and melted butter. If mixture seems overly wet, add flour a tablespoon at a time, but no more than a few tablespoons.
- Use your hands to press half the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Reserve the other half (you can just push it off to the side in the pan to avoid dirtying another dish).
- In a small bowl, combine apples and lemon juice.
- Pour the fruit over the oat crust in the pan (scooping reserved oat mixture into the bowl once it is emptied of fruit), then spread it evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle reserved oat mixture over the top of the pan and gently press it into the apples.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes.
- Cool for about 30 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until completely cooled (this helps the crust firm up really well). When cooled, cut into squares and enjoy for breakfast, dessert, snack, or whenever.
Notes
- I like this best with oat flour (rolled oats I just ground up - you can use a coffee grinder, food processor, or I used my Nutribullet dry blade - affiliate link) because they are such an inexpensive whole grain and they are gluten-free.
- If using granulated sweetener (brown sugar, coconut sugar, evaporated cane juice, sucanat, rapadura, etc.), use 1/2 cup.
- If using coconut oil, don't place in refrigerator to cool. They will become too hard to cut.
- If you want the fruit to maintain a little more umph and shape after baking, add 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to the apple/lemon juice mixture. I want to use the least amount of sugar, so I don't. Speaking of which, feel free to decrease the maple syrup, if you like. These are quite sweet in my opinion, and a little less won't hurt them if you want to try.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 9 Serving Size 1 squareAmount Per Serving Calories 194Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 20mgSodium 128mgCarbohydrates 28gFiber 2gSugar 8gProtein 3g
Please note: The actual calories and nutrition of this dish will change depending on what ingredients you use. Nutrition information is not always accurate.
More Desserts Made with Fruit:
Healthier, One-Bowl Banana Bread
Chocolate “Juicing” Muffins (With Carrot Cake Variation)
Mix-in-the-Pan Fruit & Oat Bars
Oat & Berry Bars (More Frugal, Vegan, Low Sugar)
These apple bars look fabulous! What a perfect snack treat.
What a great way to use up orchard apples, My freezer is full. Thanks for this recipe!
These look really delicious. I love that they are quick and easy to make. I will have make these for my niece and nephews.
Apples and cinnamon are one of my absolute flavor combos! These sound delicious and perfect for kids!
I love anything Apple and cinnamon combo.. I Love autumn and you definitely got me Laughing at your ‘9 yr old’ adventurous self.
This was delicious! I used raspberries and pears and gluten-free flour because that was what I had on hand. This was easy and so tasty! Thanks, Steph!
So glad! That sounds delicious!
I made these with applesauce instead of apples and they still turned out great! Thanks!
That’s awesome, Bethany! Now I want to try it with applesauce.
Hi! I made them and they were delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome, Fran! So glad you liked them!