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Apple Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 82 reviews

Deliciously soft and chewy apple bars featuring a buttery oat crust and a sweet, spiced apple filling. Topped with a golden crumb topping and a light powdered sugar glaze, these bars perfectly blend warm cinnamon, nutmeg, and tart apples for a comforting treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust and Topping

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

Apple Filling

  • 4 cups peeled, chopped fresh apples
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1–2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease removal.
  2. Make Crust and Topping Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1½ cups of this mixture for the topping.
  3. Bake the Crust: Press the remaining crumb mixture evenly into the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake for 10–12 minutes or until lightly golden to create a sturdy base.
  4. Prepare Apple Filling: While the crust bakes, toss the chopped apples with cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and nutmeg if using. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to absorb flavors and thicken slightly.
  5. Assemble Bars: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the partially baked crust. Then sprinkle the reserved crumb topping evenly over the apples.
  6. Bake the Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges, indicating the fruit is cooked through.
  7. Cool and Glaze: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper. Whisk the powdered sugar with 1–2 tablespoons milk to make a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars before serving or enjoy them plain.

Notes

  • Use tart apples like Granny Smith for best flavor and balance the sweetness.
  • Chilling the butter beforehand helps achieve a crumbly texture in the crust and topping.
  • If you prefer a stronger spice flavor, increase cinnamon to 1 1/2 teaspoons.
  • For thicker bars, you can reduce the lemon juice slightly.
  • Glaze is optional but adds a nice finishing touch.
  • Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Keywords: apple bars, apple dessert, crumb bars, baked apple recipe, cinnamon apple bars, fall dessert, easy apple bars

Find it online: https://thedishspot.com/apple-bars-recipe/