Apple Pie Bars

Homemade Apple Pie Bars are sweet, tart, and crumbly. These buttery apple bars are made with 3 delicious layers including a flaky pastry crust, a sweet cinnamon apple filling, and a crumbly topping. It's the easiest way to make apple pie!

Plus, these bakery-style apple pie crumble bars are easier to make than you think. They are ready to serve in just over an hour. Whether you're looking for a new dessert to add to your baking list this fall or you're just in the mood for something sweet, these apple pie crumble bars will hit the spot.

Why You’ll Love Apple Pie Bars

• Loaded with fresh apples. There is nothing better than a warm, freshly baked dessert that fills your kitchen with the aroma of fall flavors. We love going to the local apple farms and picking baskets of apples for this very reason. This recipe is also a great way to use up any leftover apples you may have.
• The easiest way to make apple pie. These apple pie crumble bars are basically apple pie in bar form. They have a delicious apple filling sandwiched between the easiest, buttery, homemade pie dough. But there is no rolling dough involved here. Just pack in the bottom layer and sprinkle on the top layer. So easy!
• Quick and easy to make. Just because these apple crumble bars look like they came from the bakery, doesn't mean that they are hard to make. Apple pie bars are a quick and easy dessert to make in just over an hour (including prep!) — and most of that time is spent waiting for them to bake in the oven.
• Great for any occasion. These apple bars are the perfect dessert to serve for any occasion, whether that's at a weekend brunch, a snack during coffee, a late-night treat, or a Thanksgiving dessert at your holiday dinner this year. Plus, you can serve it hot or cold. My favorite is warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Ingredients and Notes

To make these delicious Apple Pie Bars, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• apples - There are many different types of apples that can be used for apple pie bars, but some apples are better than others. For example, Granny Smith apples are a good choice because they are tart and firm, which makes them perfect for baking. Other good apples for these apple crumble bars include Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, and Braeburn.
• cinnamon - gives these apple pie bars that classic cinnamon apple flavor.
• all-purpose flour
• granulated sugar - we need sugar in both the pie crust, topping, and filling.
• baking powder
• salt
• butter - you will need to use cold butter for the pastry dough, cut into cubes. I recommend taking the butter out of the fridge and cutting it just before it's called for in the recipe. Or you can chop it up and put it back in the fridge until ready to use. You will also need butter for the apple filling, but it does not have to be cold.
• egg
• cornstarch - helps to thicken the apple pie filling. You can also substitute it with all-purpose flour.
• lemon juice 
• vanilla extract

You will also need measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls, and an 8-inch square baking pan.

How to Make the Best Apple Pie Bars

1. Make the pastry dough. In a large mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, and egg. Stir well with a fork or pastry cutter until the flour mixture forms into small crumbs. You can also combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse mix until it resembles coarse crumbs.
2. Prepare the apple pie filling. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together sliced apples, sugar, and cornstarch until evenly coated. Add apple mixture in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. Add lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla extract and butter. Stir well and bring it to a simmer. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until the apples are tender and the sauce is thickened. Set aside.

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3. Layer the apple bars. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on 2 opposite sides to make it really easy to remove when baked. Spread half of the crumb mixture evenly into the baking dish and press it to pack it and form an even bottom crust. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust and crumble the remaining half of the crumb mixture on top.

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4. Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven for 45-50 minutes until the crust turns golden brown. Serve it warm or let it cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes so that the filling can set. Letting it cool completely will make it easier to cut. You can speed up on the process by storing in the refrigerator or freezer for 1 hour to help it set faster.
5. Serve. Slice the apple crumb bars into 9 or 16 squares and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side or serve cold.

How to Serve

Apple pie crumb bars are delicious on their own whether served warm, at room temperature, or cold. My favorite is warm out of the oven with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream melting on top.

We love using up fall produce in baking recipes. Some of our other fall favorites are:

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Butternut Squash Bread
• Mini Pumpkin Pies
• Cranberry Apple Cobbler
• Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars

More Bar Recipes

• Blueberry Oat Squares
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
• Sugar Cookie Bars
• Pecan Pie Bars
• Strawberry Crumb Bars
• M&M Cookie Bars

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