Hey everyone! In yesterday’s Five Frugal Things post, WilliamB mentioned making oat squares (promising that they are even easier than my spread-in-a-pan granola!), and multiple readers were wanting the recipe.

Luckily, WilliamB sent it to me in an email last night, so I’m just copying and pasting it here for you guys. By the way, as long as you use gluten-free certified oats, this should be safe for gluten-sensitive people to eat!

Apple Oat Squares (9×13 pan)

The original is from Kitchn. 

I’ve modified it by using honey (or, once, leftover failed apple cider caramels, aka cider caramel sauce) instead of maple syrup, on the theory that the maple syrup flavor wouldn’t shine as it deserves to, and homemade applesauce instead of storebought. I also left off the apple chunks which The Kitchn spreads across the top.

The recipe is dirt easy and not sweet, a good breakfast or snack with staying power. You can top with PB for some protein to go with, or jam for some sweetness.

I found them a little dry so I modified the recipe to make sandwiches. I cut the recipe in half, bake it thin, cut the batch in half, spread PB on one half, top with the other half, squish it down, cut into serving pieces.

This is the halved recipe; for thicker ones, double the below. If you do that, you could add nuts or choc chips for a sweeter version.

160g (2 cups) rolled oats
40 g (1/2 cup) rolled oats, buzzed to flour in a blender
1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 c. applesauce
1 egg
1/4 c. maple syrup, honey, or other liquid sugar
optional peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Mix oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Add the applesauce, egg, and liquid sugar.
Pat evenly into a greased 9×13″ pan.
Bake at 350° F till done. About 10 minutes; one way to tell is that the edges will pull away a bit from the pan, although it’ll be soft to the touch.

optional: make PB sandwiches by cutting in half, spreading one half w PB, top with other half, cut.

Again, if you want to make the full-thickness bars, the original recipe is on The Kitchn.

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And now I’m hungry for something made with oats. 😉 So, I’m including a list of other oat-based recipes for you to try as well.

Oatmeal Recipes

Five Step Fruity Overnight Baked Oatmeal

Super easy, super quick to prep ahead, and good leftover too!

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DIY Microwave Oatmeal for One

A super quick, super cheap alternative to oatmeal packets!

Get the Recipe

One-Serving Dark Chocolate Microwave Oatmeal

These oats take just a few minutes to throw together, and they can be made dairy-free!

Get the Recipe

No-Stir Granola

This granola requires NO stirring during the baking time! Less mess, more even baking, more clumps. Perfect.

Get the Recipe

Orange-Coconut Granola Bars

Healthy? No. Tasty? YES.

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Homemade Granola Bars

This recipe makes hearty bars that freeze and travel well. Super easy, and less expensive than pre-packaged granola bars.

Get the Recipe

Molasses Oatmeal Bread

Soft, sweet, and delicious.

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