With the fall baking season upon us, it’s officially time to bake anything and everything with apples. You’ll find that these apple pie bars give you all the cozy flavor of a classic apple pie, but in bar form. From the buttery shortbread base to the spiced apple filling, they are easy enough to make for a weeknight treat and special enough to bring to a fall gathering.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These apple pie bars give you the flavor of a classic apple pie without the fuss of making and crimping a pie crust.
- Easy layers. A buttery shortbread crust, spiced apple filling and crunchy streusel come together easily with no fancy techniques.
- Not overly sweet. Not much sugar is needed, as the apple and cinnamon flavors shine through.
- Great texture. The crunchy streusel topping is the perfect contrast to the soft apple filling.
- Nut-free and egg-free. This dessert is made without peanuts, tree nuts or eggs but does contain milk and wheat.
Ingredients You’ll Need (and Why)
Oats: old-fashioned rolled oats are best for the streusel topping as they have a nice crunch.
Sugars: you’ll use brown sugar when making the streusel topping and granulated sugar in the shortbread crust.
All-Purpose Flour: all-purpose flour is used in the streusel, crust and filling.
Butter: unsalted butter is used for both the streusel and crust. If using salted butter, omit the salt.
Apples: certain apples work best for baking. A Granny Smith is a tart apple while a Pink Lady apple has a sweet-tart flavor. Either apple is a great choice.
Spices: warm apple pie spices like cinnamon, allspice and ginger are used.
Salt: adds flavor and cuts down the sweetness.
Vanilla: adds warmth and rounds out the flavors in the shortbread crust.
Helpful Baking Tools
Baking Pan: you’ll need an 8×8 baking pan lined with parchment paper for easier removal and cleanup.
Saucepan: you can either use a small saucepan to melt butter on the stove or use a microwave-safe bowl to melt butter in the microwave.
Mixing Bowls: three mixing bowls are used for this recipe.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: use measuring cups and spoons to measure accurately, or weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale.
Whisk/Spoon: use a small whisk to mix dry ingredients together and use a silicone spoon for stirring or scraping down the sides of bowls when needed.
Corer/Peeler/Knife: use an apple corer to remove the cores, a vegetable peeler to remove the skins and a knife to slice the apples evenly.
Pastry Blender: use a fork or pastry blender to work the butter into the streusel topping.
Box Grater: while optional, you can use a box grater to grate cold butter for the streusel instead of cutting butter into small cubes.
Oven Mitt: protect hands with an oven mitt when removing the bars from the oven.
Cooling Rack: place bars on a cooling rack to fully cool down before enjoying.
Tips for Success
Ensure your bars turn out just right by following these tips for success.
- Grate the butter. To cut the butter easily into the streusel, try grating cold or frozen butter with a box grater. Or, cut butter into small cubes.
- Don’t overwork the streusel. Those small pieces of butter are what give a streusel that crumbly, bakery-style texture.
- Slice apples thin and even. Slice apples to a similar thickness, about ¼” thick, so they cook evenly, giving you a tender bite in every square.
- Let the bars cool before cutting. Avoid a crumbly mess by cooling bars for 30 minutes on a cooling rack, then chilling them in the refrigerator for one hour before cutting.
How to Make Apple Pie Bars
This recipe comes together in three simple layers: a crumbly oat streusel, a spiced apple filling and a buttery shortbread crust. To make these, start with the streusel, then make the crust and finally the apple filling. See the recipe card for detailed instructions, including exact ingredient measurements used.
1. Preheat the oven to 350F°; line pan with parchment paper.
2. Make the streusel: Mix the dry ingredients together. Add cold butter and work it in until crumbly; refrigerate until needed.
3. Make the crust: Place dry ingredients in a bowl. Add melted butter and vanilla. Mix.
4. Press the dough into an 8×8 pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.
5. Make the apple filling: Place the peeled sliced apples in a large bowl; add flour, sugar and spices.
6. Coat apples evenly and set aside while the crust bakes.
7. To assemble bars: Add apple filling to the baked crust then top with streusel.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for one hour before cutting.
Allergy-Friendly Substitutions
If avoiding a certain allergen, consider the following substitutions. Be sure to read labels to ensure each one is safe for your needs. Note that this recipe has not been tested with any of these substitutions and are merely suggestions.
- Dairy-Free: replace the butter with plant-based butter sticks, avoiding the soft tubs. Choose unsalted sticks or omit the added salt.
- Gluten-Free: use certified gluten-free all-purpose flour that measures cup-for-cup and gluten-free oats.
- Sugar Substitutes: replace the sugars with a brown sugar replacement and granulated sugar replacement for a one-for-one swap.
Storing Leftover Bars
Store leftover bars in the refrigerator, or freeze them for longer storage.
- In the Fridge. Place bars into an airtight container, layered between parchment paper. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days. Warm chilled bars in the microwave or allow them to come to room temperature to eat.
- In the Freezer. Freeze for up to three months by wrapping bars individually and placing in a freezer bag or in an airtight container, layered between parchment paper. Thaw bars overnight in the refrigerator and warm up in the microwave or allow to come to room temperature before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This recipe contains no nuts or nut-based ingredients. The bars do contain milk and wheat. Before baking for someone with an allergy, be sure to check all ingredient labels for shared-facility warnings.
Yes, dairy-free and gluten-free swaps may work, though they haven’t been tested. Refer to the Allergy-Friendly Substitutions section for suggested dairy and gluten substitutions.
Yes. Any baking apple works well. Apples like Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Braeburn are all great options.
Yes. Quick oats will work, but the topping will be softer. Old-fashioned oats give the streusel the best crunch.
Make sure your butter is cold when you work it into the streusel mixture. Keep the streusel in the refrigerator until you need it so the butter stays cold.
More Fall Baking
These apple pie bars are easier to make than they look and well worth the extra effort. If you give them a try, please leave a rating and a comment letting me know what you think. Looking for more fall recipes to add to your seasonal baking list? Check out these Apple Turnovers: An Easy Brunch Treat or these Pumpkin Spice Shortbread Cookie Bites. Happy Baking!
Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup (58g) old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup (79g) brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ginger
- 1/4 cup (33g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (47g) unsalted butter, cold or frozen
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
Apple Pie Filling
- 2 large apples, peeled and sliced thin
- 2 tbsp (16g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (26g) granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper; set aside.
Streusel Topping
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the oats, brown sugar, spices and flour together. Add cold butter that has been cut into small cubes or grated with a box grater.
- Work the cold butter into the mixture with a pastry blender or fork until you have coarse crumbs. Set aside in the refrigerator until needed.
Shortbread Crust
- Whisk the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add melted butter and vanilla to dry ingredients; mix together to form a dough.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of a lined 8x8 baking pan and bake at 350℉ for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Apple Pie Filling
- Peel, core and slice the apples into thin, even slices (about ¼” thick).
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar and spices together. Add the sliced apples and coat evenly. Set aside until the crust is done baking.
Apple Pie Bar Assembly
- Remove the crust from the oven when done baking.
- Carefully spread the apple pie filling over the hot crust in an even layer until completely covered. Next, remove the streusel from the refrigerator and completely cover the apple pie filling.
- Bake at 350℉ for 30-35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack. Transfer bars to the refrigerator and chill for an additional hour before cutting into bars. Depending on how you cut the bars, you will get 9 to 12 slices.
- Bars can be enjoyed cold, warmed or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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