apple spice bars

With good intentions i always buy apples along with my strawberries, kiwi fruit and oranges at the markets. But everything else gets eaten up and the apples get left behind. (same with bananas, again that's not a bad thing!) Well, gives me an excuse to try more recipes that involve them really!

Apple Spice Cookie Bars
Recipe found @ Beantown Baker

Ingredients:
2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
small pinch ground cloves
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 apples, cored and diced (a little less than 2 c.)
cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9x13 pan with foil and baking spray.

-In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves.

-Whisk to combine well and set aside.

-In bowl of stand mixer, combine sugars and butter and beat on medium high until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

-Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to combine.

-Add vanilla extract and beat to combine.

-Turn mixer on slow and fold in flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.

-Fold in apples.

-Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle top generously with cinnamon sugar.

-Place in oven and bake until cooked through, when top slightly bounces back to the touch, about 30 minutes.

-Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan, cutting and serving. (bars will be very soft)

Personal Notes: I cut mine into 20 squares, which is a nice sized treat. For the first time i thought i'd switch out white flour for whole wheat i did end up baking my slice uncovered for 30 minutes then a further 15-20 minutes covered to cook the centre. I'm not sure if that's because of the flour switch or it's just a gooey slice and my oven cooks different. Either way it ended up cooked through and delicious tasting! This slice does come out very gooey, like an apple brownie and is MUCH better the next day. Just store it in an airtight container!