I know this may be shocking, but I am not much of a cookie baker. I know right? What self respecting home-maker doesn't like to bake cookies?
I don't know why I don't like it, I think it has something to do with cookies being kind of fiddly. I love to bake breads and pies and pretty much anything else but cookies annoy me. That being said I still do it of course. After all I have four children and I am certainly not going to buy expensive preservative laden cookies.
However I think I have finally found a cookie I can live with. I am naming them Apple Pie Bar Cookies because they taste just like a slice of apple pie with the yummy struesel topping. I am not an apple pie fan, although I make them for my husband because like most men he loves them. I had an unfortunate incident with apple pie and getting violently sick so ever since then I don't like them.
I do love these cookies though. They are apple-ie, buttery, and crunchy all at the same time. And most of all they are EASY! Ridiculously easy! You must try them because you will be rewarded! I'm thinking you could change these up with any fruit jam. Can you imagine how yummy they would be with strawberry, cherry, or peach? I have to make double batches of this because otherwise they are gone in an instant.
Here is the recipe!
Apple Pie Bar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 c flour
- 1 c old-fashioned oatmeal
- 3/4 c light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8 Tbsp butter, melted
- 1 c MUSSELMAN'S Apple Butter
- 1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored, and sliced thin. Only use granny smiths because they hold their shape and have better texture!
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8 x 8 baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line with heavy-duty foil, leaving an overhang on two sides to facilitate removal of bars from pan. Coat foil with cooking spray.
Mix flour, oatmeal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in butter with a fork until well mixed and clumps form, and then spread half the oatmeal mixture over foiled pan bottom, pressing to form a thin crust. Spread butter over crust and then put sliced apples in a single layer across that. Then sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture on top.
Bake until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 min. Cool to room temperature. Use foil “handles” to remove bars from pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Mix flour, oatmeal, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in butter with a fork until well mixed and clumps form, and then spread half the oatmeal mixture over foiled pan bottom, pressing to form a thin crust. Spread butter over crust and then put sliced apples in a single layer across that. Then sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture on top.
Bake until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 min. Cool to room temperature. Use foil “handles” to remove bars from pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Makes 16 servings