Check out these DELICIOUS apple crumble bars! They’re made with a straightforward shortbread crust for both the base and crumbly top, filled with a luscious apple cinnamon center. They’re quicker than apple pie but just as delicious!
The sweet and soft shortbread crust is easy to make—no rolling is needed. Press half into the pan, add the cinnamon apple filling, then gently crumble the remaining dough on top. Bake, and enjoy buttery, crispy bars with a soft apple center. Absolutely delicious!
Apple crumble bars ingredients
This recipe has two parts: the shortbread crust and the apple cinnamon filling.
Shortbread Crust:
Ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, and one egg. The egg creates a soft, shortbread-like dough.
Use this dough for both the bottom (pressed into the baking pan) and the top (crumbled).
Now, for the Apple Filling:
- Apples: Use any type or mix for a sweet-tart blend like Honeycrisp, Golden, or Granny Smith.
- Unsalted butter: Softens the apples for tenderness and richness.
- Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice): For a French twist, use vanilla bean seeds instead — subtle, elegant, and delicious!
- White + brown sugar: Adjust to taste, using half of each. The dough adds sweetness, so less sugar is fine.
- Lemon juice: Adds acidity and prevents apple browning before cooking.
- All-purpose flour: Essential for thickening the filling; don’t omit.
Recipe variations
- Alternative Flavor: If you don’t like cinnamon, use vanilla for the apple filling. Use seeds from a vanilla pod for best results (not vanilla extract).
- Mixed Fruit: Try a filling with equal parts apples and pears.
- Oat Crumble Topping: For an oat crumble topping, halve the shortbread crust ingredients to use only half of the crust mixture.
Storing
- Once cooled, store these apple bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For longer storage, freeze sliced bars in a large Ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10 minutes to restore crispness.
Make-Ahead
- Prepare the dough up to 5 days ahead. Divide in half, and wrap each portion in plastic wrap.
- Press half of the dough into a lined pan; store the other half crumbled in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Cook the apple filling in advance, cool completely, and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Assemble and bake the bars on the day of serving. Alternatively, bake the bars completely a day ahead and store them for serving the next day.
Love Bars? Be sure to check out these other delicious bar recipes!
Apple Crumble Bars
Check out these DELICIOUS apple crumble bars! They’re made with a straightforward shortbread crust for both the base and crumbly top, filled with a luscious apple cinnamon center.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield:9 servings
Ingredients
For the crust (top and bottom parts):
- ½ cup (100grams) sugar
- 2 cups (240grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ⅔ cup (150grams ) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 large egg
For the filling:
- 5 medium apples (approx. 500grams), peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces*
- 3 Tablespoons (45grams) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (50grams) white sugar
- ¼ cup (45grams) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease and line a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan with parchment paper, ensuring there’s an overhang to easily lift the bars out later.
- To prepare the shortbread-like dough, start by combining all the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips to blend in softened butter until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and mix thoroughly until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
- Next, transfer half of the dough into the prepared pan and press it evenly into the base using the palm of your hand, a glass, or a measuring cup.
- To make the apple filling, start by melting butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced apples and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender. Stir in white and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a pinch of salt.
- Pour in lemon juice and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the apples are soft and the mixture is sticky. Add flour, mix well, and let the mixture thicken.
- Remove from heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Spoon the filling onto the prepared base in the pan and spread it evenly using the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly over the apple filling. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble topping turns a golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool completely to allow the filling to set. Use the parchment paper sling to lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board, then slice into squares and serve!
Notes
- Feel free to choose your favorite apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, or others. Ensure you dice the apples into small pieces.
- If you prefer a different flavor, substitute cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice with the seeds scraped from one vanilla pod. This creates a delightful vanilla apple crumble bar, inspired by French cuisine!
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