Apricot Walnut Bars

(REGULAR)

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cup quick oats
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter
• ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Apricot Filling:

• 1 ½ cups dried apricots, chopped
• 1 ½ cup water
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

For the apricot filling, place water in a medium sized sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cinnamon and stir to dissolve. Add apricots and cook until soft. Set aside.

For the dough, mix flour, oats, salt, and cinnamon together. Cut butter in with a fork or pastry cutter. Divide dough in half. Spray bottom of a 8x8 pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Spread half of the dough in pan evenly. Spoon apricot filling over the top and then carefully spread to the edges of the pan. Mix walnuts and remaining dough. Sprinkle evenly over top of the filling. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Yields: 24 bars

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(VEGAN)

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cup quick oats
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 cup vegan margarine
• ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Apricot Filling:

• 1 ½ cup dried apricots
• 1 ½ cup water
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

For the apricot filling, place water in a medium sized sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add sugar and cinnamon and stir to dissolve. Add apricots and cook until soft. Set aside.

For the dough, mix flour, oats, salt, and cinnamon together. Cut margarine in with a fork or pastry cutter. Divide dough in half. Spray bottom of a 8x8 pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Spread half of the dough in pan evenly. Spoon apricot filling over the top and then carefully spread to the edges of the pan. Mix walnuts and remaining dough. Sprinkle evenly over top of the filling. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.

Yields: 24 bars