Applesauce Energy Bars

I couldn't resist making another recipe using applesauce this week.  K-man loves oatmeal stuff and I am on a "healthy' bender with my 7th grade classes.
I kept getting compliments all day when I baked these in school twice today.  So the 'smells' I was putting out in the halls was driving kids and teachers insane.
It was driving me insane.
Look to my notes after the recipe for my slight tweak that I did after making this two times in a row.  You know, I had to make a batch before class to ensure that "TV magic" of pulling out the ready bars after I slipped the ones I demonstrated into the oven!!! LOL
  
Applesauce Energy Bars
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1 cup Mott's Natural Applesauce

3 cups quick oats

1 c. all purpose flour

1 c. sweetened coconut flakes

1 c. dried fruit bits

2/3 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c (1 stick) melted butter, cooled

1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine oats, flour, coconut, fruit bits, cinnamon and baking soda in large mixing bowl.

 

2. In separate bowl, mix together, melted butter, brown sugar, applesauce, and egg. Stir applesauce mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Spread mixture into lightly greased 9X13 pan.

 

3. Bake 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares or bars.

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Baker's Notes:
1.  When I did the first batch, the cookie baker in me did not like how the brown sugar was NOT incorporated with the butter.  I mashed and mashed and stirred the flour mixture and those brown sugar lumps were impossible to break up.  I think those unincorporated sugar blobs encouraged the bars to break apart easier because they were not able to melt and 'glue' itself to the grains in the bar.
2.  I happened to have some pumpkin spice caramel dip left over and did a little drizzle on them to 'jazz' them up.  The kids love any additional sugar!  HA!  I didn't do it for that!  lol
3.  Compared to the tasty Apple Squares I did last time, these were not overly moist or "wet" as the squares were. The whole grain oats really helped absorb the 1 c. applesauce. 
4.  Next time I would add some nuts (almonds are my fave).  The coconut was not overwhelming however I wanted some crunchy bit like from a whole almond.