I love squash recipes in the fall! Squash is distinctively a flavor that I always crave in the season of fall. I wanted to create a dessert recipe using squash. So many dessert recipes are made with pumpkin, but I rarely see one made with squash. Pumpkin and squash are from the same family, so I thought why not have a dessert made with squash instead of pumpkin? My recipe for Rich Decadent Butternut Squash Apple Bars is so good! You will love it!

It is perfect for fall and Thanksgiving.

I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! It is low in sugar, but heavy on the butter so I included rich and decadent in the recipe name. This recipe makes the house smell so awesome! I love how it’s kind of healthy, but with loads of butter so it’s comfort food healthy.

It is delish eaten warm or cold. I like to eat it right after it has been cooked, but I’ve eaten it cold or even warmed up in the microwave as well. It is so good with a cup of tea or coffee.

I store it in the fridge to make it to last longer, however I have left it out on the counter if I know it will be eaten quickly (like when I make it for company). I often cook  the squash the day before to shorten the cooking time, but it certainly could be done all in one day.

OH, and by the way, don’t tell my son this contains squash or he probably wouldn’t eat it! He loves pumpkin desserts so I just passed this dessert off as another pumpkin dessert and he loved it!

Ingredients for Rich Decadent Butternut Squash Apple Bars

The 11 ingredients for this yummy fall favorite include the following common ingredients:

• apple pie filling
• butternut squash
• butter
• skim milk
• cinnamon
• brown sugar
• graham cracker crumbs
• dried apples
• dried cranberries
• crushed pecans (or walnuts)
• oats

Scroll down further to see the amounts of each ingredient, see the instructions, and for easy printing of this recipe.

For the topping there are two options. Make your own topping using dried apples, dried cranberries, crushed nuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and oats OR use two cups the of Real Medleys Apple Walnut Flavored Oatmeal cups by Quaker™ with 6 Tbsp. butter. I’ve made this dessert both ways.

Storage of this Dessert

As I mentioned above, I’ve stored this dessert on the counter in the kitchen if it will be eaten quickly. I store it in the fridge for longer periods. I have also frozen this dessert and had success with it freezing well. When it is in the fridge, I will pop it in the microwave because it’s so good warm. I have eaten it cold as well and it’s good, but having it warm is so delicious in the coldness of fall that I usually warm it up.

I keep it in a covered container for storage as well.

LOVE it!

I hope you try out this dessert and fall in love with it just as I have. I love how it contains so much squash, a vegetable, yet it takes like a dessert. It also has healthy ingredients with the dried fruits, nuts, and oats.

I’d love to hear if you try this out, leave me a comment below to let me know how it went for you and if you like it.

If you love this recipe, you should try out my Pecan Squash Rolls Appetizer

Other fall type recipes of mine you might enjoy: Jalapeno Chia and Pumpkin Seed Cheese Ball or my scrumptious bread recipe Maple Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread

This is an original recipe and post by Julie Hoag @10/24/2017.

Rich Decadent Butternut Squash Apple Bars

I love squash recipes in the fall! They are distinctively a fall flavor that I crave in the season of fall. I wanted to create a dessert recipe using squash. So many dessert recipes are made with pumpkin, but I rarely see one made with squash. Pumpkin and squash are from the same family, so I thought why not have a dessert made with squash instead of pumpkin? My recipe for Rich Decadent Butternut Squash Apple Bars is so good! It is perfect for fall and Thanksgiving. I'm so excited to share this recipe with you! It is low in sugar, but heavy on the butter so I included rich and decadent in the recipe name. This recipe makes the house smell so awesome! I love how it's kind of healthy, but with loads of butter so it's comfort food healthy.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 1 hr 10 mins

Total Time 1 hr 10 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 apple pie filling can 20 or 21 oz. can
• 2 1/2 cups Butternut squash cooked and scooped from the rind
• 1 3/8 cup butter divided into 1 cup melted for bars and for topping 6 Tbsp. melted. 6 Tbsp.=3/8 cup
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon divided: 1 tsp. for bars, 1/4 tsp. for topping
• 5 Tablespoons brown sugar divided, packed, 1/4 c. (or 4 Tbsp.) for bars, 1 Tbsp. for topping
• 2 cups crushed graham crackers
• 1/4 cup dried apples for topping, break into pieces
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries for topping
• 1/4 cup crushed pecans or walnuts
• 3/4 cup oats

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine 2 1/2 c. cooked butternut squash, 1 c. melted butter, and 1/4 c. skim milk in a bowl and blend with a hand blender until smooth (like 1-2 minutes or so).
• Add 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. packed brown sugar, and can of apple pie filling to the squash mixture. Blend again with a hand blender until mostly smooth, some apple chunks remaining is fine.
• Add 2 c. crushed graham crackers to the mixture and stir by hand until moistened and fully mixed.
• Spray a 9x13 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and flatten batter using the back of a large spoon.
• Bake at 400 degress for about 55 minutes.
• Prepare the topping for the bars after putting the bars in the oven by combining 1/4 c. pieces of dried apple, 1/4 c. dried cranberries, 1/4 c. crushed nuts,1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 c. oats, and 6 Tbsp. melted butter. Stir and let mixture sit to soak up butter while bars are baking.
• Remove bars from the the oven after 55 (to 60) minutes. Spread prepared topping mixture over bars. Bake for 15 minutes. Be sure to remove the pan from the oven before the dried fruit topping starts to burn.

Notes

Remember to watch towards the end of the time the topping is on to prevent the dried fruit from burning.

Enjoy this yummy dessert with tea, coffee, or milk. I hope you love this buttery comfort food dessert perfect for fall and Thanksgiving.

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