I take offense when I hear people assume home baked-goods are just toothanchingly sweet desserts with no complexity. The misconception that restraining sugar in desserts and amplifying the other ingredients is solely a ‘chefy’ way of baking is false. Warm spices, fruit, aromatics, acid, and fat should be treated with the same level of importance as sugar. Home baking used to be balanced; unfortunately, our culture has just relied on mass produced recipes using manufactured ingredients that pour too much sugar into one dish. This recipe is sweet, yes, but not a white sugar level of sweetness. It is sweet with a balance of warmth from spices, nuttiness from toasted oats, and layered with smokiness from dark sugar and pure maple syrup. If you add apple, raisins, or nuts you get even more depth in these bars. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or spiced black tea and remember that baking isn’t only about using sugar. 

Sticky Toasted Oat Bars
Yields 16 bars 

Ingredients
2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground clove
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tablespoon butter, cold
½ cup apple butter or applesauce
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons milk

Optional Add-ins
1 honeycrisp apple, finely diced
½ cup golden raisins
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans 

Directions 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. 
2. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats start to smell fragrant and nutty. 
3. Using a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, apple butter, and brown sugar until combined. Add the egg, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup and whisk together. 
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined. The dough will be thick and sticky. If adding apples, raisins, or nuts, fold into the dough. 
6. Dump the dough into the prepared pan and spread dough evenly using an offset spatula or wooden spoon. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned and set on the edges. Remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, make the icing by whisking together powdered sugar, remaining maple syrup, and milk until smooth. 
8. Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the parchment paper up by the edges and placing on a cutting board. Portion bars into 16 squares. Drizzle icing over the bars twice, letting the first coat dry before adding the second layer of icing. Let set before serving. Store bars in an airtight container for up to 1 week. 

 

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