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Apple Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 123 reviews

These Apple Bars are a deliciously buttery and crumbly dessert with a tender baked apple filling, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Perfect as a sweet treat or afternoon snack, they combine a crisp oat and flour crust with a gooey apple layer, finished with a simple powdered sugar glaze.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust and Topping

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for crust and topping)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

Apple Filling

  • 4 cups peeled, chopped fresh apples
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for apple filling)
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the bars later.
  2. Make Crust and Topping Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1½ cups of this mixture for the topping.
  3. Bake Crust: Press the remaining crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Place it in the oven and bake for 10–12 minutes until it’s lightly golden and firm enough to hold the filling.
  4. Prepare Apple Filling: While the crust bakes, toss the chopped peeled apples with cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and optional nutmeg. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to meld the flavors and thicken slightly.
  5. Assemble the Bars: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the hot baked crust. Then sprinkle the reserved crumb topping evenly over the apples.
  6. Bake the Bars: Return the assembled pan to the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbly around the edges.
  7. Cool and Glaze: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool, whisk together powdered sugar and milk to form a glaze and drizzle over the bars before slicing and serving, or enjoy them plain as desired.

Notes

  • Use crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best flavor and texture.
  • Make sure the butter is very cold for a crumbly topping texture.
  • Letting the bars cool completely before glazing helps the glaze stay on top without melting into the bars.
  • You can omit the nutmeg if you prefer a less spiced apple filling.
  • For easier slicing, refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes after glazing.

Keywords: apple bars, baked apple dessert, crumb topping bars, cinnamon apple bars, homemade apple dessert

Find it online: https://savorandsimmer.com/apple-bars-recipe/