Applesauce Spice Bars

Applesauce Spice Bars

Applesauce spice bars are a soft, cake like dessert bar that combines applesauce with the warm flavors of cinnamon, cloves and allspice. These old-fashioned dessert bars are then paired with a with a cinnamon brown sugar frosting. Applesauce spice bars are simple to make and use ingredients you probably already have on hand – they are are perfect for using leftover applesauce and you can also add in raisins or chopped nuts. The applesauce in these bars also makes these bars really moist – they are almost reminiscent of a pumpkin bar. These bars will quickly become your next favorite autumn or winter time treat!

How to Make Applesauce Spice Bars

Applesauce spice bars use unsweetened applesauce; you can use sweetened applesauce if that is all you have on hand although the bars will be a little sweeter. Chopped nuts or raisins are optional add-ins. These bars bake in a 10″x15″ (jelly roll) pan, which yields 36 large bars or 48 small bars.

Ingredients

Bars:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ½ cup milk
• Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts, 1 cup raisins

Frosting:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and granulated sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the applesauce. In a separate mixing bowl, sift or whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Add in raisins or chopped nuts (optional). Pour into a greased 10″x15″ baking pan (jelly roll pan). Bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool pan on wire rack before frosting.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer until the brown sugar no longer feels grainy. Add in the pinch of salt and cinnamon. Add in half of the powdered sugar, followed by half of the milk. Add in the rest of the powdered sugar and milk and beat on high until smooth. Spread on cooled bars.

Tips for Applesauce Spice Bars

• Line the jelly roll pan with foil or parchment paper for easy removal
• Store in an airtight container, refrigerated up to 72 hours
• Freeze in an airtight container up to 45 days

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