Easy-to-make bar cookies will soon become a favorite. Oats add crunch and apricot spreadable fruit gives this cookie a rich fruit flavor.

Apricot Oatmeal Bars

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup quick or old-fashioned oats, uncooked 1/2 cup Equal® Spoonful* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup cold stick butter 2 tablespoons water 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3/4 cup apricot or peach spreadable fruit

Combine flour, oats, Equal®, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture is very fine in texture and begins to stick together slightly. Stir in water and vanilla until well blended.
Reserve 3/4 cup flour mixture. Press remaining mixture firmly and evenly onto bottom of lightly sprayed 8-inch square baking pan. Bake in preheated 375°F oven 12 to 15 minutes or until mixture is lightly browned at edge.
Remove from oven and spread with fruit. Sprinkle with reserved flour mixture, pressing gently into fruit.
Bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until flour mixture is lightly browned on top. Cool completely on wire rack. Cut into squares.
Store in airtight containers at room temperature.

Makes 16 servings.

*May substitute 12 packets Equal sweetener

Nutrition Information Per Serving:
calories 108, protein 2 g, carbohydrate 14 g, fat 6 g, cholesterol 15 mg, sodium 27 mg.

Food Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 fat.

Recipe provided courtesy of Merisant Corporation ® and the NutraSweet Company, makers of Equal®