Apple Pie Bars for a weeknight

With a buttery shortbread crust and crunchy sugary streusel topping, these Apple Pie Bars are tasty desserts to feed a crowd! They're perfect to make when the fall baking mood strikes.

We're in the thick of comfort food season, and that extends to desserts too. Fall desserts are some of the faves!

Pumpkin, pecan, pears, and apples all play center stage in the dessert arena these days. Never a big fan of traditional pies, We love finding new ways of enjoying classic flavors. Like these mini pecan tassies or these pear tartlets.

We like desserts you can eat with your hands. Bite-sized desserts that satisfy those sweet tooth cravings in a couple of bites. Desserts that also make you feel like you are indulging, without having to stomach a whole piece of pie or cake.

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🍏 Apple pie bars

While mini apple pies are a great alternative to traditional large pies, We have recently discovered a love for Apple Pie BARS.

Oh the. It's like if apple pie and shortbread cookie bars got together at a fall baking party and had a baby. A tasty, sugary, slightly tart, beautifully sweet, crisp, buttery dessert baby.

These bars are SO GOOD, you guys! The family and We can't stop snacking on them. They're so mouthwatering that We have decided to make them for Thanksgiving.

If you're looking for a fun fall dessert to replace traditional pies on your Thanksgiving menu this year (be sure to check out how to make the best Thanksgiving turkey!), these apple pie bars/apple crisp bars are IT. Trust me: your friends and family will gobble these up quickly!

🌟 Why you'll love this recipe

These Apple Pie Bars (or Apple Crisp Bars… what would you call them? They are like a cross between pie and crisp to me…):

have a buttery, shortbread pastry crust
are filled with thinly sliced green apples that are tart, and then sweetened with sugar and cinnamon
are topped with a crunchy, buttery, snacky streusel topping that you'll want to simply put on every dessert from now on!

🍎 Ingredients

You probably have everything you need to make these apple dessert bars, with the exception of the green apples, which are simple to find in abundance at grocery stores everywhere this time of year.

Many of these ingredients you will use in two or all three of the layers:

unsalted butter
all-purpose flour
granulated sugar
brown sugar
ground cinnamon
ground nutmeg
old-fashioned oats
vanilla extract
green apples

✅ Step-by-step instructions

Here's how to bake apple pie bars from scratch:

These apple pie bars are super simple to make!

They take a little more time than desserts that are simply one-bowl mixes, but not too much additional time. There are three layers that you'll mix separately and assemble together.

To make these dessert bars, you will:

Make and bake the shortbread crust.
Mix together then layer on the apple pie filling.
Mix together and then layer on the streusel topping.
Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes.
Cool for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least an hour. (We know. This is the HARDEST part, you guys. The waiting to eat them!)
Remove from the pan and slice into bars.
DEVOUR. Or, freeze to enjoy at a later date, within a month.

👩🏻‍🍳 Baking recipe FAQs

How many bars does this recipe make?

We slice these into small squares, which yields 24 bars. You may slice them larger or smaller, depending on how many people you are serving.

How long will apple pie bars keep?

You can refrigerate these apple pie bars for up to 2 days.
You can also freeze them for up to 1 month in an airtight, freezer-safe container. When you're ready to serve, thaw the bars at room temperature.

🍽 Serving ideas

We find these bars to be sweet enough on their own, but you can serve these tasty apple pie bars/apple crisp bars with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or drizzle caramel over the top.

These are the perfect fall dessert at the end of a comfort food meal. Serve them after a dinner of Creamy Dairy-Free Mac and Cheese, Garlic Rosemary Sirloin Tip Roast, Simple One-Pot Lasagna Soup (AKA Lazy Lasagna Soup) or Air Fryer Corn Ribs.

More dessert recipes

Looking for more baking recipes? Try one of these tasty dessert bars!

Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you truly loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

Apple Pie Bars

By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 45 mins Resting Time: 1 hr Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Servings: 24 bars With a buttery shortbread crust and crunchy sugary streusel topping, these Apple Pie Bars are tasty desserts to feed a crowd!

Ingredients

SHORTBREAD CRUST

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled almost to room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

APPLE FILLING

4 green apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

STREUSEL TOPPING

1 cup oats (old fashioned)
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9" x 13" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Make the crust

In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and mix until simply combined.
Press the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan by using a spatula or your hands and then smoothing out with a spatula. Bake at 300°F for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling and topping.

Make the filling

In a large bowl, gently mix together the thinly sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to evenly coat apple slices. Set aside.

Make the streusel topping

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and flour until all ingredients are welI blended. Using your hands or two forks, cut in the cold cubes of unsalted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. We find that using the hands and pressing the butter through the fingers as We mix it with the dry ingredients works best. Set aside.

Assemble and bake

Remove the crust from the oven. Increase heat to 350°F.
Layer the apple filling onto the crust, spreading it evenly throughout the pan. Move slices around until you get an even layer of filling.
Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over the filling layer.
Bake at 350°F for 45-55 minutes. The top will be a nice golden brown color, and you'll be able to hear the slight bubbling of the filling. And, your house will smell magical!
Remove from the oven and let rest for about 20-30 minutes to cool the bars to room temperature. Move to the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour before lifting out of the pan and slicing into bars.

Notes

Serving size: We slice these into small squares, which yields 24 bars. You may slice them larger or smaller, depending on how many people you are serving. Refrigeration: You can can refrigerate these apple pie bars for up to 2 days. Freezing: You can also freeze them for up to 1 month in an airtight, freezer safe container. When you're ready to serve, thaw the bars at room temperature. Serving ideas: We find these bars to be sweet enough on their own, but you can serve these tasty apple pie bars/apple crisp bars with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or drizzle caramel over the top.

Nutrition

Calories: 205 kcal, Carbohydrates: 32 g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 8 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Trans Fat: 0.3 g, Cholesterol: 20 mg, Sodium: 52 mg, Potassium: 72 mg, Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 17 g, Vitamin A: 254 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 16 mg, Iron: 1 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Adapted from Food Network and NYTimes Cooking