If you love apple pie, wait until you try Apple Crumb Bars. Start with a buttery shortbread crust that is covered with both caramelized apples. A crumb topping makes them easy enough to eat with your hands and just as scrumptious as an apple pie.
Feeding a crowd? A pan of apple crumb bars is a perfect solution, and no forks required!🍎
The flavor is just what you would expect from apple crumb pie or apple hand pies, but instead of a flaky pie crust, you get a buttery shortbread crust.
Walnuts are added to part of the shortbread which is then sprinkled over caramelized apples. The texture and flavor from the walnuts add a richness to this dessert bar that you won’t get in a traditional pie.
The shortbread on the top and bottom keep the filling intact so that you can eat this apple dessert with your fingers. By caramelizing the apples first, the juices are concentrated along with a little apple brandy which enhances the apple flavor even more.
This is a fantastic apple dessert recipe to take to a potluck, or to serve at a party. You can cut the squares even smaller so that people can try more than one dessert. A pan will give you 24-32 bars.
Apple Pie Bars Recipe ingredients
- Butter – You’ll need plenty of butter for the shortbread crust and topping.
- Walnuts – these add the perfect crunch! Easily omitted if you don’t love nuts or you could use pecans instead.
- Large apples – I recommend using a variety of crisp apples, ½ sweet and ½ tart, like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cortland, Braeburn or Golden Delicious. They will hold their shape while baking.
- Spice mixture – cinnamon and nutmeg are my spices of choice for apple pie.
- Pantry staples – flour, vanilla, sugar, salt, lemon juice
- Apple Brandy – this is totally optional, use it like you would vanilla, to amp up the flavor. You can easily substitute apple juice or white grape juice for the Brandy.
How to make Apple Pie Bars
Step 1: Make the shortbread
Prepare the crust. The recipe is simple to make with a buttery shortbread crust on the bottom and the top. First cream the butter and sugar and then add the flour and divide. Add ⅔’s of the shortbread to your baking pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes, then bake.
To the rest of the shortbread, add walnuts and cinnamon and refrigerate.
Step 2: Cook the apples
While the crust is in the refrigerator, peel and thinly slice the apples then cook them in a skillet with a little butter, sugar, lemon juice and apple brandy.
Step 3: Assemble & bake
Once they start to brown and have softened, place them over the baked crust.
Sprinkle the remaining shortbread on top for a final bake.
Pro Tip: A splash of apple brandy added to any apple dessert will bring out the flavor of the apples.
Top your apple crumble bars with a drizzle of apple cider caramel or a dollop of ice cream for a next level dessert!
Sometimes fruit bars can be a bit soggy, but these have a really nice crunch on the bottom and a cookie like texture on the top. While I love apple crumb pie, sometimes you want that great apple taste without making an entire pie.
If you want a true apple pie experience serve them warm with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.
Shortbread Apple Crumb Bars (Easy!)
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 cups butter room temp
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
APPLE FILLING
- 6 large apples ½ sweet and ½ tart
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 lemon
- 4 tablespoons Apple Brandy
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 tablespoons butter
Equipment
Instructions
- Place parchment paper in a 9 x 13 baking pan.
- CRUST: Add butter, both sugars and vanilla to the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl whisk together flour and salt and add to butter mixture. Beat until combined. Lightly flour your hands and take ⅔’s of the dough and place it in the prepared baking pan pressing it into the bottom. Press down with the bottom of a measuring cup. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- To the remaining dough add walnuts and cinnamon and combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 375º. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the entire crust is golden brown. Let cool.
- FILLING:While the crust is cooking, peel and slice apples into ⅛ inch slices and place in a large bowl with lemon juice and apple brandy. Add sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix. Melt butter in a large skillet and add apples. Simmer over medium heat, gently stirring occasionally until the apples are tender and the liquid has evaporated. Spread evenly onto the crust.
- Place pieces of the remaining dough over the top of the apples, it will not be completely covered.
- Reduce oven to 350º and bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool before cutting.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Use a variety of sweet and tart apples.
- Slice the apples into very thin slices, the thinner the better.
- Refrigerate before cutting to get nice even portions.
- These can be served warm, room temperature or refrigerated.
- Store in the refrigerator or freeze.
- Top your bars with a drizzle of salted caramel or a dollop of ice cream for next level dessert!
- You can use apple juice or white grape juice instead of Brandy.
Nutrition
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Karen says
Apple Pie Bars are amazing!! Abit time consuming but worth it!!
Barbara Curry says
There are a few steps, but easier than making a pie!
Michele says
What temperature do you bake the crust? I see where it says to reduce the temp, but no
starting temp?
Barbara Curry says
The crust bakes at 375º.
Kathy Kitterman says
What can I use in place of apple brandy?
Barbara Curry says
You can use apple juice or white grape juice instead of the apple brandy. Hope you enjoy them.
Nikki says
Hi Barbara love your recipes and look forward to making these bars. Will you please tell me what I can substitute for the brandy? Thanks so much!
Barbara Curry says
You are the second person to ask this today, so I’ll add this to the post. You can substitute apple juice or white grape juice for the apple brandy.
Nikki says
Big time thanks for the speedy reply Barbara!! I can’t wait to make these I’m sure they will be delish like all your recipes. Have an amazing day!!