Apple Crumble Bars

These apple crumble bars are as delicious as an apple pie but so much simpler to make. They are made with a shortbread crust, a homemade spiced apple pie filling and topped with a cinnamon streusel crumb. With only a few ingredients and in just one hour, you can bake up these delicious pie bars. You can alternatively also top them with some salted caramel if you’d like. They are the perfect dessert to bake for your Sunday brunch or a tea party.    

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Unsalted Butter:  I also prefer to use unsalted butter because salted butters have varying amounts of salt content in them and it is always a good idea to add it on your own and avoid your bakes from being too salty.
• Sugar: Sugar acts as a binding agent to your muffins along with adding sweetness. You will need both granulated and brown sugar to make these bars. Brown sugar helps to add more moisture, softness and flavour to these muffins.
• Vanilla: You must use a high quality pure vanilla extract in your recipes. This helps to add a rich flavor to your baked goods. Pure vanilla extracts are typically dark brown in color. This enhances the flavor of all ingredients and you should never leave this out.
• All-purpose flour: I highly recommend weighing all your ingredients using a kitchen scale for accurate recipe results. If you’re using cups, don’t scoop your cup into the flour. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off with the back of a knife. 
• Apples: You will need peeled and thinly sliced apples to make the apple pie filling. You can use both sweet or tart apples to make these apple pie bars. You can also use a combination of sweet and tart apples to add more flavour and depth of variety. 
• Cinnamon: I added a bit of cinnamon to the apple pie filling to incorporate fall flavours with the warmth of spices. This is optional however I highly recommend it. 
• Nutmeg: Nutmeg helps to enhance the flavours of cinnamon. I do not recommend leaving it out if adding in cinnamon or vice versa. 
• Almond Extract: Almond extract goes very well with this filling. However you can always use equal quantities vanilla instead. 
• Oats: You will need old-fashioned (not rolled) oats to make the streusel crumb top for these apple pie bars. I’ve also spiced these with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg for extra warm flavours. 

FAQ

Tips to keep in mind:

• Cream the butter and sugar well. A good shortbread crust starts with butter and sugar that have been combined well. Don’t rush this step as it’s critical to making a soft and tender shortbread crust. Make sure to beat the sugar and butter until light & fluffy. 
• Allow the crust to cool. Allow the crust to cool slightly before adding the spiced apple pie filling.                    
• Bake the crust until golden brown. Because the crust is essentially baked twice, be careful not to over bake it on the first go around. The crust is done when the edges are ever so slightly golden brown and the center is set.
• Do not over bake. Once you add the apple pie filling and the crunchy streusel top, be careful not to over bake the bars or they will turn out dry. For the best gooey texture, bake until the edges are just set and the center is cooked through.
• Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. It is best to slice up these bars when they have completely cooled, so allow enough time to let them reach room temperature. Slice them with a sharp knife, cleaning the knife with warm water and a clean dishtowel in between each slice.
• Always store them in an airtight container: Once the apple pie bars have cooled completely, store them tightly covered at room temperature for up to four days. These bars are best at room temperature. If you are feeling extra fancy, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top for a truly indulgent dessert!

HOW TO GET THE BEST RESULTS FROM THIS RECIPE?

All of the recipes on the blog are thoroughly tested multiple times and carefully designed so that anyone can reproduce these delicious baked good in their own kitchen and enjoy them to the fullest. The only way to make this possible is when anyone can exactly replicate the measurements and temperatures.

• In order to standardise the way ingredients are measured, I highly recommend that you weigh them in grams. Volume measurements are nearly not as accurate and have a lot of scope for errors. To precisely be able to replicate the recipes, all you will need is a kitchen scale!
• Every oven heats up differently. Your oven might be over heating or under heating by around 50 degrees or more and you might not even know. In order to ensure that you are baking at the right temperatures, I highly recommend investing in an oven thermometer!

If you would still like to bake using volume measurements, I mentioned those below. However, I primarily test my recipes in grams and cannot promise the best results if you do so. Trust me, once you’ll start using these tools you’d never want to go back!

Happy Fall Baking!

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Other bars & bites you’ll love:

White Chocolate Raspberry Blondies

Lemon Curd Cheesecake Bars

Red Velvet Brownies