Oatmeal Bars (take 1)

A friend asked me to come up with a recipe for a breakfast cookie that would taste good, fill you up, and be relatively good for you. This was my first attempt. My tasters agreed the flavor is good, but the texture leaves something to be desired. The longer the bars set, the more crumbly they became. I plan to continue working on the recipe to increase the amount of fiber and protein while reducing the amount of fat.

Oatmeal Bars (take 1)
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup applesauce

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 cups oatmeal
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
2 cups dried cranberries

1. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Mix in vanilla and applesauce.
2. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until thoroughly combined. Stir in almonds and dried cranberries. Spread mixture into a lightly greased half-sheet pan.
3. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until done. Cool completely in pan. Slice into 28 bars.