Whole Grain Apple Butter Bars

For this installment of "Cookies in the Cottage" I bring you an easy bar cookie that has some good-for-you sounding ingredients but still taste like you're eating a cookie, plus they work as a really good granola bar, too, for snacks and lunches.

And no, they're not chocolate, but sometimes that's OK.

But only sometimes.

This bar cookie can be done in a variety of ways by changing the fruit in the middle. I've made them with strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry jams and they're equally good. But using my homemade thick and spicy apple butter is really one of my favorite ways to make these.

And in the spring when the rhubarb is coming on, I make a rhubarb filling for these that is so good people who don't like rhubarb will gladly eat them (read: my kids). I'll share that recipe, too, when the rhubarb is ready in a few months.

Here are the ingredients: oats, white whole wheat (or whole wheat pastry) flour, brown sugar (I'm using sucanat here for the first time), salt, baking soda, cinnamon, butter, and a cup of apple butter (or your favorite jam).

Nuts are purely optional, but usually add them as I really like them in cookies. Here I'm using chopped pecans.

Lightly butter a square baking pan, either 8x8 or 9x9 like I'm using here.

(*Ahem*...moving away from the natural light to the mixer area)

Add all the ingredients except the butter and apple butter/jam to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Then mix in the butter until thoroughly combined and all the butter pieces are incorporated.

(Ta-da- back over by the window...)

Press half of the crumb mixture (about 2-1/2 cups) onto the bottom of the prepared pan.

Pour the whole cup of apple butter (or jam) onto the unbaked crust and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the top, covering completely and pressing down lightly.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Being so easy, these would make a great homemade substitute for all those "fruity" (I use the word loosely here) granola bars sold in the stores. You can wrap them individually and even freeze them. If you put them in the kid's lunches in the morning, they will be thawed by the time lunch rolls around.

And you will know every good ingredient in them.

Whole Grain Apple Butter Bars

• 2 c. rolled oats
• 1 c. white whole wheat flour (sometimes sold as "pastry flour")
• 3/4 c. brown sugar or sucanat (which worked great in this recipe)
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
• 3/4 c. butter
• 1/4-1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)
• 1 c. apple butter (or other type of jam)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 8 or 9-inch square pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, soda, cinnamon, and nuts, if using. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or electric mixer until thoroughly combined.
3. Press half of the mixture (about 2-1/2 cups) into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the apple butter evenly over the top and then sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the apple butter, pressing down gently.
4. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned.
5. Cool in pan on a wire rack before cutting into 16 bars (or 12 bars for "granola bar" sizes).

Makes 12-16 bars.

-Jami

This is linked to Ultimate Recipe Swap where you can find other recipes that use flour and the Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.