Applesauce Cereal Bars Recipe

Ingredients for Applesauce Cereal Bars

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 large egg
• All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Ground Cloves
• Ground Nutmeg
• 3 cups of your favorite cereal (like Cheerios or Rice Krispies)
• Orange Extract

How to Make Applesauce Cereal Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 13x9-inch baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, cream together ½ cup packed brown sugar and ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in 1 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 large egg until well combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients from the small bowl to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
6. Stir in 3 cups of your favorite cereal (like Cheerios or Rice Krispies).
7. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. While the bars are baking, prepare the glaze:
10. In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 2 tablespoons milk.
11. Microwave on medium power in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until the butter and sugar are melted and the glaze is smooth.
12. Pour the warm glaze over the cooled bars.
13. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
14. Optional: Substitute 1 cup crushed pineapple (undrained) for the applesauce for a tropical twist!