Apple Spice Bars Recipes

SPICED APPLE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in apple and nuts. , Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars.

APPLE BUTTER SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, combine dry cake mix and 11?2 packets of the cider mix. Add apple juice, 1?4 cup of the apple butter, the oil, and eggs; beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss walnuts and dried apples with the remaining 1?2 packet cider mix; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, the remaining 3?4 cup apple butter, the brown sugar, and flour; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• Remove pan from oven. Pour cream cheese mixture over partially baked cake. Sprinkle walnut and apple mixture on top. Return to oven; bake for 20 to 25 minutes more. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

APPLE PIE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• For the crust, place the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Sift the flour and salt together and, with the mixer on low, slowly add to the butter-sugar mixture, beating until combined. Scatter two-thirds of the dough in clumps in a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and press it lightly with floured hands on the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown, and set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, put the mixing bowl with the remaining dough back on the mixer, add the walnuts and cinnamon, and mix on low speed to combine. Set aside.
• Reduce the oven to 350 degrees.
• For the filling, combine the Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples and lemon juice in a very large bowl. Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Melt the butter in a large (10-inch-diameter) pot, add the apples, and simmer over medium to medium-low heat, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the apples are tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated. Spread the apples evenly over the crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
• Pinch medium pieces of the remaining dough with your fingers and drop them evenly on top of the apples (they will not be covered). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping is browned. Cool completely and cut into bars.

APPLESAUCE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, brown sugar and egg until smooth. Stir in applesauce. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice; stir into the applesauce mixture until well blended. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are golden. Cool in the pan over a wire rack.
• In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and margarine. Stir in vanilla and milk until smooth. Spread over cooled bars before cutting into squares.

BEST APPLE BARS

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten egg and mix well. Add vanilla.
• In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture. Add grated apples.
• Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• For frosting: Bring brown sugar, butter and milk to a boil. Boil only 2 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and add sifted powdered sugar while stirring. Cool slightly and spread on bars. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.
• Cool completely and cut into bars. Store in air-tight container to retain moisture.
• Note: If you prefer sweeter, add 1/4 cup sugar to batter of bars, but remember the apple juice from the grated apples will provide some sweetness. We enjoy it as is because the carmel frosting is sweet. Also, we have had them with no frosting and just a sprinkling of powdered sugar on top. Enjoy!

APPLESAUCE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the sugar, applesauce and oil until well blended. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in raisins. , Transfer to a 13x9-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. , In a small bowl, beat the confectioners' sugar, butter, vanilla and enough milk to achieve a glaze consistency. Spread over warm bars. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

SPICED APPLE BUTTER BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch square pan with foil, leaving 2 inches of foil overhanging at 2 opposite sides of pan; spray foil with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, butter and egg with electric mixer on low speed about 1 minute or just until crumbly. Stir in pecans, using hands if necessary. Reserve 1 cup mixture. Press remaining mixture in bottom of pan. Spread apple butter over crust. Crumble reserved pecan mixture over top.
• Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours. Use foil to lift out of pan. Cut into 5 rows by 4 rows.

APPLE PIE BARS

Steps:

• Make the crust and topping: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch cake pan with foil with overhang on all sides. Lightly grease pan with softened butter.
• Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor with the blade attachment to mix. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse sand. Put 1 1/2 cups in a medium bowl and mix in walnuts, cinnamon and cardamom. Squeeze with your hands to form a solid mass of dough. It's O.K. if a few bits fall off. Cover and refrigerate.
• Pour remaining mixture into prepared pan and spread in an even layer, then press into bottom of pan and 1/2 inch up the sides.
• Bake until golden brown and dry to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Raise oven temperature to 375 degrees.
• While crust bakes, make the filling: Toss all of the apples with the lemon juice in a large bowl. Melt butter in a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom and sizzle for 15 seconds. Add apples and cook, stirring often, until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all liquid releases from the apples then evaporates, 10 to 15 minutes. The mixture should be quite dry and the apples tender, but not sticking to the pan. Remove from heat and cool. (Tip: If you want your apples to cool quickly, spread them on a parchment-lined sheet pan and pop in the freezer for 5 to 7 minutes.)
• Spread apple filling evenly over crust and press down gently to get rid of any gaps between the apple slices. Uncover the reserved walnut mixture and break off pebble-sized pieces. Arrange pieces in a lattice or striped pattern over filling or scatter evenly on top.
• Bake until the topping is golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack. To serve, lift apple pie bars out of pan and onto a large cutting board. Slide bars off foil, then cut into 6 even strips crosswise and 4 even strips lengthwise.