Apple Butterscotch Bars

Apple Butterscotch Bars are moist and sweet, full of apples and butterscotch chips and topped with crunchy pecans.  Similar in texture to a coffee cake but dense enough to be a cookie bar, these sweet treats make a wonderful dessert served right from the pan or when entertaining friends, dressed up with a scoop of ice cream.   

I've been making these bars for a few years and every time I make them they're a huge success.  People seem to be drawn to them for second and third helpings.  I took a plate of the bars to a church potluck yesterday and didn't have one to take home.  It's a good thing I left a few at home.  Yes, they are very good.    

This also makes a nice dessert served warm.  Cut the still warm bars into larger portions and top each serving with vanilla ice cream. You can also reheat the bars in the microwave oven.  I would have a picture of this but we ate the last two pieces and I forgot to take a picture. 

Of course, at this time of the year I'm using the apples from Nan Gill's tree which makes this dessert not only tasty but economical as well.   The old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" is the perfect excuse to make and eat these rich apple treats.  But don't eat the whole panful.  Share them with family and friends who may do well to also eat an apple a day (or part thereof).  

You can find the original recipe here.  I've adapted a few of the ingredients to better suit my own tastes.

 Printable recipe at end of post.

Apple Butterscotch Bars 

• 3 cups of peeled and diced apples, about 4-6 apples 
• 1¾ cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ½ cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¾ cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray or grease a 9x13 baking pan.

Peel and dice enough apples to make 3 cups.  Lay aside.

In a large bowl, using a large spoon or wooden spoon, mix together sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt  and cinnamon. Mixture will be very thick like a soft cookie dough.  Add apples and butterscotch chips to mixture and stir well. You many need to use your hands. Spread mixture into prepared pan.  Sprinkle pecans on top of batter and lightly press them into the batter. Bake in oven for 40 - 50 minutes. 

Remove from oven and let cool completely in baking dish before cutting into bars or squares.

Makes about 30 bars.  

You will need 4-6 apples to make 3 cups small diced apples.  These are more apples from Nan Gill's apple tree. 

This is such an easy recipe.  Mix the eggs, sugar and oil together.  Stir in the dry ingredients. You will have a very thick batter that will be hard to stir, but persevere.

The batter will be thick as play dough but once the apples are added it will loosen up.   Add the apples and butterscotch chips to the batter.  I started with a spoon but found the batter easier to mix using my hand (the original mixer).  Pat the finished batter in the prepared 9x13-inch pan.  Again, I found it easier to use my hand.

Sprinkle the nuts over the batter and press in lightly.  Bake in a preheated oven 40-50 minutes.  I baked mine 50 minutes.

When baked the top has a crunchy, sugary surface speckled with toasted pecans.  I left one end plain for those who don't like nuts.

So moist and delicious.  Don't forget to try some warm with ice cream.

 What a wicked way to get your apple-a-day!

To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩