Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Apple Filling
- 6 large apples (a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith works well)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Streusel
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
Make and Pre-Bake the Crust
First, preheat your oven to 300 F. Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides so you can lift the bars out later.
In a medium bowl, whisk the light brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and kosher salt together until they’re combined.
Add the flour and fold with a spatula until a soft dough forms.
Press the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
Pre-bake the crust for ~20-23 minutes, until it’s just starting to turn golden.
Once it’s done, take the crust out of the oven and turn the temperature up to 350 F.
Prepare the Filling and Streusel
While the crust is baking, you can get the filling and streusel ready.
Peel and slice your apples thinly, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, flour, and lemon juice until the apples are evenly coated.
For the streusel, mix the dark brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and cardamom together in a small bowl. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand and starts to form clumps.
Assemble and Bake the Bars
Layer the coated apple slices evenly over the top of your warm, pre-baked shortbread crust.
Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the apples.
Bake for ~45-50 minutes. The apple juices should be bubbling around the edges and the streusel should be a nice golden brown.
Let the bars cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then move them to the fridge for another ~2-3 hours. The filling needs to be completely set before you slice into them, otherwise, they’ll fall apart.
Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Apple Filling
- 6 large apples a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith works well
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Streusel
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter 4 tbsp, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line 9-inch square pan with parchment, leaving overhang.
- Mix brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until combined.
- Fold in flour to form soft dough. Press evenly into pan.
- Pre-bake crust 20-23 minutes until lightly golden. Remove and increase oven to 350°F.
- While crust bakes, peel and slice apples 1/8-inch thick.
- Toss apples with sugars, spices, flour, and lemon juice until coated.
- Make streusel: combine brown sugar, flour, spices. Mix in melted butter until clumpy.
- Layer seasoned apples over warm crust.
- Top evenly with streusel.
- Bake 45-50 minutes until bubbling and golden.
- Cool at room temperature 1 hour, then refrigerate 2-3 hours until completely set.
Notes
