Apple Pie Bars
Delightful, easy-to-make Apple Pie Bars packed with warm apple and cinnamon flavors, offering all the comfort of classic apple pie in a convenient bar format.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2.5 cups 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ⅓ cup ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon ½ teaspoon salt
- 6-8 tablespoons 6-8 tablespoons ice water
For the Filling
- 6-8 medium-sized 6-8 medium-sized apples (e.g., Granny Smith, Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and sliced
- 0.5 cup ½ cup granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Crumb Topping (Optional)
- 0.5 cup ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 0.25 cup ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 0.25 cup ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 0.25 teaspoon ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 cup ¼ cup (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
Preparation of Crust
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
- Press the dough evenly into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
- Chill for 30 minutes.
- Optionally, blind bake for 10-15 minutes at 375°F (190°C) for a crispier crust, then let cool slightly.
Preparation of Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour/cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
- Toss gently until the apples are evenly coated.
Assembly of Bars
- Pour the apple mixture evenly over the chilled (and optionally pre-baked) crust in the baking pan.
Preparation of Crumb Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
- Cut in the cold butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle this topping evenly over the apple filling.
Baking
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust and topping are golden brown.
- If the topping browns too quickly, you can loosely tent the pan with foil.
Cooling and Serving
- Let the apple pie bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into squares and serving.
- This allows the filling to set properly.
Notes
For a deeper flavor profile, use a mix of tart and sweet apples. Use nuts for extra crunch in the crumb topping. Store in an airtight container for 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.