Fruit-Filled Oatmeal Bars

I saw this recipe last week and decided I had to try it!

Fruit-Filled Oatmeal Bars - Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (via the little home on the range blog)



1 C flour
1 C oats
2/3 C brown sugar, packed
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 C butter

2 medium apples, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 T water
1 T lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine apples, water, lemon juice and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling and boil for 8-10 minutes until apples are mushy. Puree in a blender or with a hand mixer if desired.

In a medium sized bow, combine flour, oats, brown sugar and baking soda. Cut in butter until the mix is crumbly. Reserve 3/4 C of mixture for topping and set aside. Press remaining mix into a 11x7 pan.

Spread apple filling over the crust, and sprinkle with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Update: After making them once, I'm going to double the apple filling...! I'm also going to try some new fillings:

Apple-Blueberry Filling
1 C applesauce (chunky)
2/3 C blueberries (or cranberries - dried)
1/2 tps. ground cinnamon
dash of ground cloves

Combine these ingredients and spread over bars.

Blueberry Filling
1 C fresh/frozen blueberries
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1-2 T of flour, as a thickener

Combine and cook over medium heat until desired consistency is reached.

Cherry Filling
We love Pillsbury's cherry ice cream topping... (we haven't tried it with the Brady), so I'm going to modify it and try it as a filling.

1 C pitted cherries
1-2 T orange juice
1-2 T sugar
1 tsp corn starch

Heat in a saucepan over medium heat until mix comes to a full boil; stir constantly. Spread over bottom layer.

This recipe is shared at Grocery Cart Challenge!