Apple Pie Bars
Yield: 20 bars
A buttery brown sugar oat crumble mixture doubles as a bottom crust and a topping for these easy Apple Pie Bars. The perfect fall treat for a crowd!
Ingredients
Crumble Mixture for Bottom Crust & Topping
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Apple Pie Spice (or substitute the same amount of cinnamon plus a small pinch of nutmeg)
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, melted
Apple Filling
- 6 cups peeled, cored, and thinly-sliced (1/8" to 3/16" thick) firm, tart baking apples You'll need about 6 medium-sized apples. See Notes below for best apple varieties and preparation method.
- 4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Apple Pie Spice (or substitute the same amount of cinnamon plus a big pinch of nutmeg)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray the inside of a 9" x 13" pan, then line the pan with a parchment paper sling. Set aside.
Crumble Mixture
- In a medium bowl, use a spatula to stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and apple pie spice until evenly incorporated. Pour melted butter over the top and stir until you have a moist crumble mixture.
- With a firm yet light touch, press ⅔ of crumble mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes, then remove pan from oven. Set aside remaining crumble mixture.
Apple Filling
- While crust is in the oven, prepare apples according to Notes below, to yield 6 cups thinly sliced apples. Add sliced apples to a large bowl.
- Sprinkle lemon juice evenly over sliced apples, then fold a few times to incorporate.
- Sprinkle flour, brown sugar, and apple pie spice evenly over top of apples. Then fold until apples are evenly coated.
- Add apple slices to top of warm crust and spread into a very even layer. Layer them in tightly, filling in any gaps, and press them down to fit snugly.
Final Assembly & Baking
- Sprinkle remaining crumble mixture evenly over top of apple layer. Squeeze mixture a bit to bring it together into crumbs, if needed.
- Place pan in oven and bake 35-40 minutes, or until crumble topping is golden brown.
- Remove pan from oven and let cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes. Then place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight for best, firm results.
- With a sturdy knife, cut around the inside perimeter of the pan where there is no parchment paper. Use parchment paper sling to lift out of the pan. Cut into bars. I usually cut a pan into 20 to 24 bars.
Notes
Apple varieties: I like to use half Honeycrisp, half Granny Smith, for flavor and texture variety. But feel free to use your own favorite varieties, as long as they are a good baking apple that doesn't get mushy when baked.
Apple preparation: For the best overall texture, appearance, and clean cuts, this is how I recommend that you prepare the apples. First peel and quarter them, and cut off the pieces of core. Then slice each apple quarter crosswise, very thinly, into slices that are 1/8" to 3/16" thick.
Nutrition Information:
Calories: 359kcal Carbohydrates: 54g Protein: 4g Fat: 15g Saturated Fat: 9g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 4g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 37mg Sodium: 148mg Potassium: 147mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 29g Vitamin A: 447IU Vitamin C: 2mg Calcium: 51mg Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.