Apple butter is something we think of as an autumn concoction, but that is the beauty of the tradition of home-canning. One can take the orchard or the vegetable garden with them into the dead of winter and, wow, what a winter we are having here in the Midwest. Homemade, home-canned butter is a staple for most Amish cooks. The favorite way to use it is to simply spread it on a slice of homemade bread. But apple bars make a great filling for this favorite after-school snack common in Amish kitchens. The bars cut really nicely and the apple butter adds a sweet, but not over-powering, flavor to this favorite. Rachel made some this week and they are quite tasty! The recipe comes to me from an Amish woman in Holmes County, Ohio. Below is the recipe! My only complaint with it - seriously - is that it doesn't make enough. If Rachel makes these again (and I think I'll insist, they were that good:) I'll beg her to double the recipe! The finished product is above and here are some more process pictures:
AMISH APPLE BUTTER CINNAMON OATMEAL BARS
1 cup flour 1 cup old-fashioned oatmeal
¾ cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup Apple Butter (homemade or store-bought)
Preparation Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line with heavy-duty foil, leaving an overhang on two sides to facilitate removal of bars from pan. Coat foil with cooking spray. Mix flour, oatmeal, sugar and salt in medium bowl. Stir in butter with fork until well mixed and clumps form, and then spread half the oatmeal mixture over foiled pan bottom, pressing to form thin crust. Spread apple butter over crust and then sprinkle remaining oatmeal mixture on top. Bake until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Use foil "handles" to remove bars from pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Patty Sines
Hi Kevin. The bars sound wonderful. I'm getting ready to make a batch right now but I'm spotting a couple problems. You are saying to add the apple butter into the flour/oat mixture when I think you want to add the regular melted butter instead. Also, these are called cinnamon oatmeal bars but I don't see any cinnamon listed in the ingredients. I'm thinking 1/2 or 1 teaspoon maybe added to flour/oat mix? I'm off to the kitchen and I'm sure these will be great, but you had me scratching my head for a couple minutes:-)
Patty Sines
Barb
I noticed the butter/apple butter mix up also. I think you're right, Patty, the butter should be mixed in with the oat mixture and the apple butter spread over the crust (as shown in the picture). I think I'll be making a batch this weekend!
Kentucky Lady 717
Hey Kevin,
I think Patty & Barb are right, eh ? But this is not what you said in the recipe above....so are they right ?
Can you please comment on this ? Thanks
Kevin
Sorry for those typos, I corrected them (and added cinnamon!)
Tammy
You need a little more tweaking on the recipe instructions.
You have this
"Coat an 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line with heavy-duty foil, leaving an overhang on two sides to facilitate removal of bars from pan. Coat foil with cooking spray. "
There would be no need to spray the pan before adding Foil on top, that would be a waste.
Rhonda
Hi Kevin.. it looks like the picture had parchment paper instead of foil.. can you tell us for sure which one is used? thanks! can't wait to try this recipe because I love apple butter!!
plainlycovered
Well just to let you know ,I made 2 double batches,for my dear husband to take to work today,and he brought home 2 empty pans.Some thought it was prune[That might be good],but no it was my applebutter dark and rich in flavor,I will make this again blessings LG