Super Simple Applesauce Bars

Fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves changing colors, harvesting of delicious fruits and veggies, and baking.  One of my favorite fruits to bake with would have to be apples. Everything from applie pie to these delicious Applesauce Bars. 

I'm incredibly lucky to have my best friend, Bethany. She is always supplying me with all sorts of goodies, including an ample supply of homemade unsweetened applesauce. Last year, she opened my eyes to how wonderful frozen applesauce is. She usually cans some and also puts some in freezer bags. If you let the frozen stuff thaw for a bit, you get this delicious apple slushy. Healthier than ice cream! You should really give it a try. Add a little nutmeg and cinammon for that fall flavor. 

Since I have my yearly supply of Bethany's applesauce, it seemed like a good time to work on some applesauce recipes. I found a recipe tucked away in one of my cookbooks I had purchased from an auction. I am a cookbook junkie (borderline hoarder!). I like to find old family or farmer cookbooks with recipes that have seemed to disappear with the times. Those are the gems of food right there! 

This Applesauce Bars recipe was written on a little piece of paper tucked away in a picnic cookbook. I'm a nostaligic person by heart. I love finding old handwritten notes stowed away in my cookbooks. Those little signs of a recipe that someone once loved or was lucky enough to receive from a friend who thought it necessary to share. Those are the recipes I like to try. 

I'm glad I made these little slices of applesauce heaven. I LOVE carrot cake. It's, by far, one of my favorite cakes and these applesauce bars are really similar in taste. They are moist, really easy to make, and they taste like fall. You simply must give them a try. They won't last long!

Applesauce Bars

I cup unsweetened applesauce (you can use sweetened or cinammon applesauce if you'd like)
1 cup flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening (you can substitute with 1/4 c. of unsalted butter, coconut oil, or more applesauce)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup raisins or nuts (optional)

ICING
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon milk (add more if needed...only a teaspoon at a time so you don't make it too runny)


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9 pan. Mix all ingredients and spread in pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool.

Icing:
Heat 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and blend in powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Beat until smooth. Frost cooled bars when ready.
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There you have it. A quick and easy recipe for some really delicious Applesauce Bars. I hope you give them a try, because they are really good.

Do you have any applesauce recipes you'd like to share? Send them to me in an email to womaninthemancave@yahoo.com, leave an idea in the comments below, or you can drop them off over at Woman in the Man Cave on Facebook.

Take care,
NB