Easy to make Apple Brownie Bars that uses 1 cup of applesauce and have a yummy cinnamon sugar spice crumble on top. These treats are perfect to make in the Fall when you go apple picking with your family!

What’s your favorite season? I absolutely love Fall. Bring on the sweaters, chilly temperatures and all the apple and pumpkin recipes!
During the Fall, we always rent a car and head Upstate to go apple picking. There we run around the apple ochard, sampling all the varieties and picking bags filled with apples.
Once home, I start my apple recipe adventures, making everything from crockpot applesauce, to apple pie cookies, apple waffles, apple pie pancakes, apple chips, apple juice, apple baby food, apple muffins and more. As you can see, I go a little apple crazy!
But one of my absolute favorite apple recipes are these Applesauce Brownie Bars. I really couldn’t pick if they’re a brownie, or a bar, as I think they’re the perfect combo of the 2! They’re super fluffy inside with a delicous cinnamon sugar crumble on top. They use `1 cup applesauce, making them a delicicious Fall apple treat!
Apple Brownie Ingredients
Of course you need applesauce to make these brownies but you’ll also need:
- butter (softened)
- sugar
- egg
- all purpose flour
- pumpkin pie spice
- baking soda
- salt
for the cinnamon sugar you’ll need:
- brown sugar (tip: make homemade brown sugar!)
- flour
- cinnamon
- butter
How to make Applesauce Bars
Spray a 8×8 baking pan with nonstick spray.
Mix butter, sugar, egg, applesauce, flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a bowl until smooth. Pour this mixture into your baking pan.
Make the cinnamon sugar crumble using brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter. The key to a good crumble is to make sure you use chilled butter and that you cut it into the sugar mixture a little at a time. You can use butter staight from the refrigerator or freezer. Once it’s made, sprinkle on top of the brownie mixture.
Bake for 28-30 minutes and then allow to cool before cutting it up into 9 or 12 brownie bars.
How to Store
Store brownies in an air tight container at room temperature. These are best eaten within 2 days. If you’d like to freeze them, cut into brownies and then place in freezer bags. Here they will freeze well for 4 months.
I hope you enjoy these applesauce brownie bars! Happy Fall baking everyone! 🙂
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Applesauce Brownie Bars
PrintIngredients
For the bars
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup applesauce
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the crumble
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
For the brownie bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray nonstick spray to 8×8 pan.
- In a large bowl mix butter, sugar, egg and applesauce. Add flour, pumpkine pie spice, baking soda and salt and stir until smooth.
- Pour mixture into your baking dish and use a spatula to flatten out the top.
- Prepare the crumble (directions below) and sprkinkle on top.
- Put into the oven and bake 28-30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting up into 12 brownie bars.
For the crumble topping:
- Combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in your butter, a little at a time until it makes a crumbly mixture.
Eileen says
The best applesauce brownies ever!!They melt in my mouth and am in heaven.Thanks for the great recipe!
Eileen says
Do I use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce?
Pamela says
I recommend unsweetened applesauce since we’re adding sugar in. Hope this helps! Enjoy the brownie bars! 🙂
Tee Ng says
So easy and so moist and delicious!! Was a hit with everyone and will definitely make again and again! Thanks for the recipe
Vicki says
It’s spring, not fall……I love to make apple recipes in the fall…..but these applesauce brownie bars tasted great anyway! I had exactly enough applesauce in a jar in the fridge to make these and it was a great way to use it up. Yummy recipe!
Leslee says
This was a great recipe for a quick and easy dessert using ingredients I always have on hand. Thank you! It’s definitely going in my recipe binder.
JallisonAJ says
Love it! I adjusted the recipe for a 9×13 pan. So easy to make. I used the Instant Pot applesauce which was perfect for this. Not too sweet. Your hints were spot on. A definite keeper for my recipes. My family loved it!!! I have 5 orders to make for them.
Pamela says
I am so happy to hear you liked these apple brownie bars! Thanks for commenting! 🙂