super soft + chewy apple oat goodness
October 24, 2010 Sometimes when I read blogs, there are recipes that scream “get in your kitchen and make this now!” That definitely happened when reading Angela’s recent post for her Oat Squares with Homemade Jam. We were off to a fall party this weekend, so I knew this was the perfect opportunity to try it out.
I wanted to go with the fall theme and use a seasonal fruit. I used up the rest of the local apples that Natalie brought me the other day.
They’re so cute + tiny.
Can you believe I didn’t use pumpkin? I was going to make the batch with my pumpkin butter, instead of a fruit topping, but honestly I just couldn’t part with it!! :)
I’ve said this before, but I’m not a big fan of hot, mushy apples.
Cooking these make them soft, but not apple pie soft. Also, there was more of the oat bar than apple mixture and they were served slightly chilled, instead of warm like pie.
There are quite a few steps to the recipe, but it was fairly simple to follow. I decided to jazz up the apple filling with fresh grated ginger and other fall spices.
After the bars were in the oven, I got working on cornbread. For some reason I threw in what was left of our fresh rosemary. I also added garlic powder, black pepper and a little extra salt.
It smelled amazing, but I’m not sold on the savory spice addition with corn flour flavor. Not recipe worthy!
Not bad, but definitely not my favorite.
The oat bars were done and smelled amazing. It took everything in my not to dig in. Okay okay..when I cut them I ate one. Someone has to do the quality control!
Every last bar was scarfed down at the party and everyone raved about them. You can thank Angela!! The oatmeal base is amazing. I love the thick oat texture and the slightly sweet, brown sugary flavor. These melt in your mouth and have a great chew.
I think the apple topping paired perfectly with the rest of the bar.
For the oat base + topping, I followed Angela’s directions exactly. For the apple filling, I followed her instruction, but changed up the ingredients.
Apple Fruit Topping
- 2 1/2c thinly sliced apples
- 3T sucanat [or brown sugar]
- 1T brown rice syrup [or maple syrup/honey]
- 1t fresh grated ginger [or 1/4t dried]
- 1t cinnamon
- 1/4t all spice
- 1/8t cloves
- pinch nutmeg
*Angela used chia seeds to thicken her mixture, but they were not needed for this variation. After simmering for 10min and letting cool for 10min, the mixture had thickened nicely.
*For the oat mixture I used Spectrum [vegan] shortening, instead of Earth Balance. It worked perfectly.
*I used all whole wheat pastry flour, instead of Kamut flour.
I was so very happy with these. They were out of control delicious!! Again, the texture was just perfect. So soft + chewy. Like a thick soft baked oatmeal cookie.
We drove to Denver, to hang out with the usual crowd. So fun to see all of our friends.
The lovely party hosts, Ali + Hovan!! They made 2 different kinds of chili and had all the typical toppings. Ali made a huge pot of all veggie chili, which was so nice, and oh.so.delicious.
This bowl was full of garbanzo beans, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and loads of delicious flavor. Ali does something I’ve never seen and tops giant shell pasta with the chili. I’m sold! It was super tasty. With a side of my funky cornbread and a dollop of sour cream!
All of our friends are such good cooks! Get togethers are always delicious. :)
Hovan is a stellar brew master and tapped his Octoberfest beer for the occasion. He made a delicious pumpkin beer that was smooth and full of spice. I absolutely loved it but kept to it 1/2 a cup, since I was driving home + feeling a bit under the weather. Just couldn’t pass up a taste test though!
Fun day of baking, fun day with friends, busy week ahead, sleep to be had, jumping into bed…goodnight!
<3 ash
Did you miss my Sunday French toast? I’m pretty sure you should check it out now :) Must get more English muffins!!!
Family + Friends, Recipes, oats
Reader Comments (47)
P.S. TJ's British Style Multigrain English Muffins are really good.
Yum. Excellent filling idea! Reminds of almost of a portable apple crisp.:D
Those bars look insanely delicious. Great job!
gahh those look delicious and perfectly delicious for the season! the apples are SO good this season! i just can't get enough
i am not a fan of mushy anything, but inside those bars---well thats a different story
These bars truly look sensational!!! My favorite kind of dessert is a ooey gooey bar slightly under baked and loaded with delicious fruit. So, simply put, these apple oat bars! :)
those squares look insane. yum yum yum.
These bars look fantastic!!
And can you PLEEEASEE remind me to make your frech toast on Saturday? As if you don't have enough to do! :)
Corn hole! WOOOHOOOO! And I definitely thought about making apple oat bars. Will have to try your topping!
The apple oat bars look fantastic and easy enough for me to try. Thanks for sharing.
The recreate of Ange's oat bars looks awesome! I looove apple recipes, so warm, fall-like, and yummy :) The veggie chili looks good too...a recipe I definitely need to perfect!
I wasn't sold on Angela's bars when I saw them...the looked to sweet, but I love love love the looks of your version! The look perfectly sweet, spicy and hearty. I might have to make these very soon!
Wow, those bars look amazing! They look pretty simple, going to give them a try! Thanks for sharing! :)
this sounds like a perfect fall weekend! I need to go make that oatmeal apple chewy goodness!!
These bars look amazing. I have a bunch of fresh-picked apples on-hand, so I might have to recreate this.
i also wanted to try this recipe, i like the twist with apples!!
Haha, I thought the same thing when I saw those oat squares! :)
I love, love, love your first repeating apple photo! How long would you say these bars took to make? They look really good, but I am a bit intimidated by two-part recipes.
The apple bars look great. And I put chili on top of pasta all the time. It's one of the kids' favorite ways to eat chili.
I'm still looking for great friends like that :-) It is hard when you are moving all the time!
Those apple oat bars look fab!
Hmm, these bars look so good. I may have to make these soon.
That chili looks really good too! I've heard of topping chili on top of pasta before, I don't remember where though. It would probably be good on top of spaghetti squash or something, as well :)
Those bars look incredible! I think apples paired with oats is such a fabulous combination. :D
Thanks for posting your version of Angela's bars, they look fantastic!
An OSG recipe with an Edible Perspective twist. How could I not add this to my to-make recipe file?
Your posts always make me miss my Denver family and friends. I booked my Thanksgiving flight yesterday...so excited to get to the mountains.
oh I love that you used apples in tha bar! Yummo!
Yum!! Those look fantastic!
The apple bars look delicious.
Wow those bars look great! Maybe I'll make them this weekend for a Halloween get together. Everyone would love them :D
The food in this post is killing me; I want all of it. The apple photos are superb, too! Oh, and I am a totallllll believer in quality control! Haha, impossible not to.
I love those apple pictures!
Hey! Thanks for your comment on my blog. .so happy to have discovered yours in the process. I can't get my eyes of the apple bars. I so wish I could get some of that for my breakfast now.
Aww, you're welcome!! Thanks for stopping by to say hi :) They would make a great breakfast!! Can't wait to keep reading your blog!
hehehe, of course!! How are you doing?? Baking anything good lately?
Believe me...everyone WILL love them!
heheh love your comment :)
Oh man, that would be insanely delicious. I just love the spaghetti squash crunch!
I totally know what you mean...we only know 1 other couple here in Ft. Collins.
Thanks Alina! Oooh, I probably had them in the oven in 30min. The stovetop part was not difficult and you don't even need a mixer for the oat bars!
Thanks so much! I just wanted to give them a little fall kick. I'm sure the strawberry version is amazing as well...I think the strawberries just looked sweet because they were so bright + shiny :)
Make my french toast SATURDAY! ;)
Not too sweet...great chew..just riiiight :)
No TJ's here! Maybe I'll try them next time I'm home!
Those bars sound like a fabulous way to use up
apples. And I can just imagine the smell of them
baking...now only if I could have a bite! :-)
Love your variation!!! I am thinking about making a fun twist on these today. Maybe we can just keep modifying each others recipes and come up with 100 variations and then make a cookbook out of it? bahaha
[...] by Angela & Ashley's Apple Streusel [...]
I am going to experiment with this apple recipe and turn it into a breakfast bake tomorrow. Very excited!!
Ooooh, great idea!