Description
If there’s one thing Midwesterners are kinda crazy for, it’s dessert bars. There’s something so endearing about baking a big batch of bars to share with the people you love – especially for a holiday celebration.
This Easy Apple Pie Bars recipe comes straight from my mom’s kitchen. It’s one of my all-time favorite fall desserts & I’m excited to share it with you!
One of the reasons they’re so special are their 3 layers of texture: tender spiced apples, a hearty & crunchy walnut-oat crumble topping, & the most delicate & flaky homemade crust. For an especially flaky crust, be sure to work the dough as minimally as possible – I like using a food processor, which makes it really easy to quickly get the dough just right.
I love serving these bars warm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. It’s the perfect low-fuss sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any fall celebration!
Ingredients
Apple Pie Bars Filling:
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples (approx. 8-10), peeled & cut into ¼-inch thick slices
- 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Crust:
- 2 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 16 tablespoons), diced into small cubes
- ⅔ cup cold milk
Walnut Crumble Topping:
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats
- 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick or 8 tablespoons), softened
- ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper & set aside. Gather & prep all ingredients according to the Ingredients List above, e.g. peel & slice apples, dice cold butter for the crust & set it in the fridge, chop walnuts, etc.
- Prepare the walnut crumble topping: In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, & salt, mixing to combine well. Add the butter, using your fingers to work it into the dry ingredients until the oat mixture holds together in nice, big clumpy pieces. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Set aside.
- Prepare the apple pie bars filling: In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, brown sugar, flour, & cinnamon. Toss to combine well, ensuring the apples are evenly coated with brown sugar & cinnamon. Set aside.
- Prepare the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, & salt. Pulse a handful of times to quickly bring the mixture together. Pull the diced cold butter out of the fridge & add it to the food processor. Pulse it into the flour until the butter begins to cut into the flour mixture – some pieces of butter will be very small and coated with flour (it will look like fluffy parmesan cheese!), and some pieces of butter will still be large, which is ideal for a tender, flaky crust. While pulsing constantly, slowly & gradually add just enough cold milk to form a loose dough. The dough should be slightly wet to the touch, with pieces of butter still visible. (Alternately, if you do not have a food processor, you can mix everything in a large bowl, using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dough.)
- Assemble the apple crumble pie bars: Transfer the dough mixture to the prepared sheet pan. Working quickly, use your fingers to press the crust dough such that it evenly covers the entire bottom of the pan. If the mixture gets too warm (you’ll notice your fingers feeling oily), you can transfer it to the freezer for a few minutes to chill back down. Toss the sliced apples with the sugary juices at the bottom of the bowl, then starting at one end of the crust, arrange the sliced apples in a single overlapping row spanning to the opposite end. Repeat until the entire crust is completely & evenly covered. Sprinkle the walnut crumble over the apples in an even layer.
- Bake the apple pie bars: Place the apple pie bars in the oven & bake 45-50 minutes, until until the apples are tender, the filling juices are bubbling around the edges, & the crumble is golden. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="35313,35314"]
- Serving: Allow to cool slightly, at least 20 minutes, before slicing & serving. Mom serves these pie bars warm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. Enjoy!
Equipment
Bob’s Red Mill Organic Extra Thick Rolled Oats
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Bob’s Red Mill Organic Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
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- Storage: Given their crumbly topping, these apple pie bars are best enjoyed the day they’re baked, though leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Cool completely & transfer to an airtight container, then store in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave as desired.