Apple Spice Cookie Bars

I got this recipe from Heather over on Heather Drive (yes, I use her recipes a good amount of the time). I actually copied this down last fall and never got to make it. So this year, I had to try them out. With fall quickly approaching, this is a great dessert to try out! And something to use for all those apples you've been picking!

Apple Spice Cookie Bars
(Source: Good Things Catered)

Ingredients:
- 2 cups + 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 cup (8 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and diced (about two cups)
- cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 9x13 pan with foil and baking spray. (I didn't do the whole foil thing-I just sprayed the pan)
2. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Whisk to combine well and set aside.

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

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

5. Add vanilla extract and beat to combine.

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

7. Fold in apples.

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



9. 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.)

I actually baked mine an extra 5 minutes. After 30 minutes they still looked pretty raw to me so I did the extra time. Even after that they still looked a little raw, but I figured I'd take them out and let them cool and see how they were. I tried one when it was still a little warm and it was very good. I haven't tried one at room temperature yet, but I bet they will be yummy! Enjoy!