Karen’s Applesauce Linzer Bars (Gluten-Free Variation as well)
Nov 16, 2017, Updated Nov 30, 2023
Tastes like an apple crumb pie in a bar! Perfect for your Thanksgiving dessert buffet – not too sweet with a touch of warm spices. A wonderful weeknight recipe for Fall and Winter.
The mixture (dough) doubles as a topping. Oatmeal, almonds and walnuts in the crust/topping adds a healthy content and fiber.
Attention all you bakers! Make these easy bars for the ultimate Fall treat. Not too sweet with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg in the crumb crust.
Gluten-Free – no problem!! For these bars, pictured above – I have used a gluten-free flour blend… They’re delicious!!
Similar ingredients to Linzer bars – ground nuts, butter, flour and confectioner’s sugar are the main ingredients for the crust/topping. I’ve added rolled oats and warm spices to make them special.
The mixture (dough) doubles as a topping – just sprinkle and bake. Oatmeal, almonds and walnuts in the crust/topping adds a healthy content and fiber.
To Make:
Simply press 2/3’s of the dough on the bottom of your pan.
Smooth homemade applesauce on top (will add some sugar and flour to sweeten and thicken.)
Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 of the dough on top to almost cover.
Bake, cool and cut into squares.
Homemade chunky applesauce is the filling (see my simple recipe) Soft apples; Golden Delicious, Macon and McIntosh are easier to peel, and cook very quickly! It’s fun to make applesauce, especially after apple picking, when you bring home buckets of apples wondering what to do with them! Farmers’ Markets are also a great way to purchase apples, many times organic and super-fresh.
Enjoy these delicious fruity Linzer Bars!
Karen
Applesauce Linzer Bars (Gluten-Free Variation as well)
Equipment
- 1 9" x 13" pan
Ingredients
The Base:
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 1/4 cups flour, gluten-free all purpose flour or regular flour
- 1 cup rolled oats, DIVIDED
- 1 cup nuts, half almonds, half walnuts – chopped finely
- 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or Himalayan sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Middle Layer:
- 2 1/2 cups chunky homemade apple sauce , (see my recipe)
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar, or coconut palm sugar
- 1/4 cup flour , gluten-free all purpose flour or regular flour
Instructions
- Make Karen’s Homemade Applesauce. Can be made a few days ahead for a quick recipe. (See recipe.)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9″x 13″* baking pan with parchment paper, lightly butter, set aside.
- In a stand mixer add first 10 ingredients, butter through almond extract – adding ONLY 1/2 cup of the oats. Mix on low speed until crumbly yet well mixed, about 30 seconds. Press dough down and take out 2/3’s of the mixture and press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a medium sized bowl, add the applesauce, sugar and extra flour, mix well. (Add 1/2 t. some extra cinnamon if you like.) Spread evenly over the uncooked crust.
- Top Layer: Add 1/2 cups of remaining oats to remaining 1/3 dough, mix in with your hands. Top this topping over the applesauce layer evenly, dropping small sized chunks over. Topping will mostly cover, with a little applesauce peaking through.
- Add a sprinkling of your favorite spice on top; I used ground cloves.
- Bake for 35 minutes until the bars feel firm and just starting to become golden on top.
- Cool, cut into 24 squares (or 16 larger squares.)
NOTES:
- These bars have a nice layer of crust and crumb topping that stands up to the applesauce filling. If you want thicker layers, cook in a 9″ square pan instead of the 9’x13′ pan. You will have 16 bars.
- Yes – you can make these up to 2 weeks ahead. Freeze tightly covered, defrost fully on countertop and cut into squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
