Sassy Bars

These spiced applesauce bars bake up soft and cake-like with plump raisins in every bite. The applesauce replaces eggs entirely, keeping the bars moist while letting the cinnamon and nutmeg carry the flavor.

Dredging the raisins in flour before mixing them into the batter is a baker’s trick worth remembering. The flour coating keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking, so you get raisins distributed evenly through every bar instead of a soggy raisin layer at the base.

A jelly roll pan gives you thin, uniform bars with slightly chewy edges and a soft center. Once they’re completely cool, a simple powdered sugar glaze goes on top for a sweet, snappy finish.

Kitchen Tips

• Cream the butter and sugar well before adding applesauce. The air you build in matters for the texture even though there are no eggs to add lift.
• Cool the bars completely before glazing. Warm bars melt the glaze into a sticky mess instead of a clean, set coating.
• For the glaze, mix powdered sugar with just enough milk (start with 1 tablespoon) and a splash of vanilla until pourable but not runny.
• These keep well in an airtight container for 3-4 days. The applesauce keeps them from drying out.

Variations

• Use chunky applesauce for bits of apple texture throughout the bars.
• Swap raisins for dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots for a tangier fruit note.
• Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts to the batter for crunch.