Get the Recipe:
Apple Pie Bars
These apple pie bars layer plenty of cinnamon-spiced apples between a buttery press-in crust and crumbly topping. Baked in a 9x13 pan, they're a delicious way to enjoy apple pie flavors in an easy-to-share dessert.
Ingredients
For the crust & topping:
- 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the filling:
- ¼ cup (56 g) unsalted butter
- 3 pounds apples, about 6 to 8 medium, peeled, cored, & sliced 1/4-inch thick (preferably a mix of sweet and tart)
- ⅔ cup (133 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons apple butter, optional
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons apple cider or water
- coarse sanding sugar, for finishing
Instructions
To make the crust & topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan and line it with parchment, leaving an overhang on the two long sides.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until the mixture forms coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Stir together the egg yolk and vanilla, then work them into the flour mixture until it forms soft clumps. The dough should come together when squeezed but shouldn’t be sticky.
- Reserve about a third of the dough for the topping, and refrigerate it while making the crust.
- Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the crust looks set and the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
To make the filling:
- While the crust bakes, melt the butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and lemon juice.
- Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften but still hold their shape.
- If using, stir in the apple butter.
- Mix the cornstarch with the apple cider (or water) until smooth. Stir into the apples, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until glossy and lightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
To assemble and bake:
- Spread the apple filling evenly over the warm crust.
- Crumble the reserved dough evenly over the apples. It doesn’t need to completely cover the filling.
- Sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown, the filling is bubbling around the edges, and the center not longer looks wet.
- Cool completely in the pan. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before cutting.
- Serve at room temperature or slightly warm.
Notes
- Apples: For the best flavor, use a combination of sweet and tart apples. I like a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith.
- Apple cider: Water can be substituted for the apple cider, but cider adds another boost of apple flavor.
- Apple butter: This is optional, so there's no need to buy a jar just for this recipe. If you have some on hand, use it to add a deeper, more concentrated apple flavor to the filling.
- Servings: Cutting the bars into 15 pieces makes generously sized servings. For a party or dessert spread, cut them smaller to make 20 to 24 bars.
- For neat slices: Cool the bars completely before cutting. For especially clean cuts, refrigerate them for an hour or two first.
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