CREAM OF THE WEST APPLE PIE BARS

CRUST

• ½ cup butter – room temp
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt

FILLING

• 6 cups apples – peeled diced ½” pieces
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp butter
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¾ – 1 cup sugar – depending on tartness of apples
•  
• TOPPING
• ½ cup Cream of the West Roasted 7-Grain
• ½ cup flour
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 6 Tbsp butter – cold, cut into small cubes

DIRECTIONS

Prepare crust: Line an 8” square pan with parchment, allowing extra parchment to hang over sizes of pan. Lightly mist with baking spray. Preheat oven to 325.

In medium bowl mix softened butter and brown sugar until smooth.

Add flour and salt and mix well. Mixture should hold together when squeezed but somewhat crumbly.

Sprinkle crust mixture into prepared pan. Firmly press into an even layer and prick dough all over with a fork.

Bake 20- 25 minutes, until lightly golden.

Prepare filling: In a large pot melt butter and add spices, stir to combine and cook over medium heat 2 minutes. Add apples, sprinkle lemon juice and cook 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring mixture after a couple of minutes.

Add sugar to apple mixture, stir to combine and cook an additional 10 – 15 minutes until most liquid has evaporated.

Prepare topping: In a medium bowl, combine Cream of the West Roasted 7-Grain, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter cubes and cut butter into mixture until most cubes are pea sized.

Pour apple filling evenly over crust and sprinkle topping over filling. Bake 40 minutes at 325.

Remove from oven when topping begins to brown. I like to toast it under the broiler on high for a few minutes to give it a great crunchy finish.

Enjoy!