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    Home » Dessert » Apple Pie Bars Recipe

    Apple Pie Bars Recipe

    Published: Oct 12, 2014 · Modified: Jul 5, 2021 by Megan Porta · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This homemade apple pie bars recipe is the EASY version of Apple Pie! The beauty of this dessert is that they fit into your fingers, no fork required and the filling is homemade with your freshly picked apples.

    Stack of apple pie bars on a serving plate.

    Why This Recipe Works

    The weather is crisp and delicious! I love fall when it behaves like FALL. The beautiful fall weekend that we just had is sadly nearly over. It has involved a touch of everything…time with friends, time with family, rest time, work time, home time and getting out.

    I also had a complete kitchen FAIL over the weekend that I’ll have to improve upon and try again soon. It is so disappointing when something doesn’t turn out anything like I’d imagined.

    THIS recipe, on the other hand, turned out way better than I ever imagined it could. Apple bars are Apple Pie without the hassle. Fall in a pan. Party in your tummy. Baked comfort. The mother of all fall desserts.

    If you love traditional pies, but don’t love making a crust and figuring out how to get that lattice topping on, then you will enjoy this refreshingly easy recipe and end up with the same great flavors.

    Recipe Ingredients

    Butter – Many bakers use unsalted butter in their baked goods in order to avoid over-salting. I, however, almost always use salted butter in my baked goods because it gives everything I make an extra touch of salty deliciousness. If you go the unsalted route, make sure you’re adding salt to the recipe.

    Also, let the butter sit at room temperature before adding it to the recipe. This will prevent clumps from forming in the batter when mixed.

    Apples – Use medium baking apples such as honeycrisp, gala, golden delicious, jonagold or granny smith. A mix of sweet and tart apples will bring a lot of dimension to the flavor of the pie.

    Spice mixture – If you enjoy the spice in the baked apples, additional flavors you could add or exchange are ginger, cardamom or allspice. Or replace entirely with a couple teaspoons of apple pie spice.

    How To Make Delicious Apple Pie Bars

    Step 1

    Preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper (or coat generously with cooking spray) and set aside.

    Step 2

    Prepare The Pie Crust: In a large bowl, combine the egg, butter and sugar. Mix until creamy. Add flour and salt and stir until combined.

    Crust ingredients in two bowls, one with wet and one with dry.

    Using your fingers (flour them, if needed), press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. You can inch up the sides of the pan a bit if you like a hearty crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

    Step 3

    Prepare The Filling: In a medium bowl, combine apple slices, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until combined.

    Apple filling ingredients in a bowl sitting next to the mixture spread in a baking dish.

    Pour apple mixture over the bottom crust in an even layer.

    Step 4

    Prepare The Topping: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and butter. Stir until coarse crumbs form.

    Streusel ingredients in a bowl, sitting next to the mixture when crumbly.

    Spread the streusel topping evenly over top of the apples. Bake for an additional 30 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool completely and cut into squares.

    Recipe Notes

    • Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
    • Drizzle a little salted caramel sauce that you can make at home!
    • Substitute brown sugar for white sugar, yum!
    • Make the recipe easier by replacing the filling with this apple pie filling made in your Instant Pot.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    Apple pie bars lined up on parchment paper, with a hand taking one away.

    Keep Apples From Browning

    When chopping and peeling the apples, fill a large bowl about half with cool water and squeeze the juice of 1/2 lemon into it. The lemon juice will keep the apples from getting brown while you get them prepped for the recipe.

    Use an apple corer/peeler if you have one because they will make this process go super fast. If you don’t have one, use a potato peeler and a knife to get the job done. Peel, core and chop the apples into thin slices. Place them into the water-lemon juice mixture as you work.

    Best Apples To Use For Baking

    I recommend using a variety of apples and at the very least, use two kinds: one sweet and one tart. My favorite combo is Granny Smith and Honeycrisp.

    Sweet Apples

    • Fuji
    • Honeycrisp
    • Red Delicious
    • Pink lady
    • Golden Delicious apples
    • Cortland
    • Gala

    Tart (or a little Sour) Apples

    • Granny Smith
    • McIntosh
    • Ida Red
    • Braeburn
    • Empire
    • Jonathan 
    Pan of apple bars after baking, ready to be cut into.

    FAQ About Apples

    Are apples good for you?

    Good news! Apples are very good for you! Apples are high in dietary fiber and pectin found in the peels of the apples. One medium apple contains approximately 95 calories.

    Are apples good for dogs?

    Dogs can eat apples, as they are a nutritious snack for dogs. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, helping immunity and providing other benefits.

    Are apples keto?

    Apples do not align with a keto diet. One medium apple contains more than 20 g of carbs, making it too carb-heavy for this low-carb eating plan.

    Can apples be frozen?

    Apples can be frozen! They can be frozen whole for up to 9 months, or prepare applesauce, pie filling or entire pies and freeze them that way instead.

    What apples are best for apple pie and other apple desserts?

    When baking with apples, use a variety of apples. At the very least, use two kinds: one sweet and one tart. My personal favorite combo is Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples.

    Fall Apple Recipes

    • Easy Homemade Crockpot Applesauce is fun to prepare because it’s so easy to make. Use an assortment of green and red apples and you’ll have a flavorful snack you can enjoy; better than the store stuff!
    • Apple Pie Jam tastes just like Apple Pie because it’s similar to pie filling. So get ready to be addicted. Put it on your English muffins, pancakes or with peanut butter! This is a DELICIOUS way to use up extra apples in the fall! Also a great gift idea!
    • Homemade Apple Cider is great when made in your slow cooker! It’ll warm you from the inside out with amazing flavors and it’s so delicious. It’s a must have fall drink and tastes so much better when you make it yourself.
    • Apple Coffee Cake is the best coffee cake recipe you’ll find. Enjoy as an indulgent breakfast treat or an any-time snack or dessert!
    • Salted Chocolate Caramel Apples – sprinkling of sea salt and a bit of chocolate turns Caramel Apples into an extravagant dessert.. Salted Chocolate Caramel Apples! 

    Will you help add value to Pip and Ebby?
    If you make this recipe and love it, stop back and give it a 5-star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a comment. THANK YOU!

    Apple Pie Bars Recipe

    Introducing this easy apple pie bars recipe! Perfect in your fingers, no fork required. Make the filling with your freshly picked apples.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 15
    Calories: 370kcal
    Author: Megan Porta

    Ingredients

    CRUST

    • 1 egg
    • 1 cup butter softened, 2 sticks
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    FILLING

    • 4 large apples peeled, cored and sliced
    • 4 tbsp butter melted
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • 1/2 tsp nutmeg

    TOPPING

    • 2/3 cup brown sugar
    • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
    • 4 tbsp butter melted

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment and set aside.
    • Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, combine the egg, butter and sugar. Mix until creamy. Add flour and salt and stir until combined. Using your fingers (flour them, if needed), press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
    • Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine apples, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until combined. Pour evenly over crust.
    • Prepare the topping: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and butter. Stir until mixture is crumbly. Spread evenly over filling layer. Bake for an additional 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

    Notes

    • Enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
    • Drizzle a little salted caramel sauce that you can make at home!
    • Substitute brown sugar for white sugar, yum!
    • Make the recipe easier by replacing the filling with this apple pie filling made in your Instant Pot.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 370kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 60mg | Sodium: 249mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?If you loved this recipe, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. April

      August 03, 2022 at 6:55 pm

      5 stars
      Ooohemmmmmgeeeeeee. This are the best bars I’ve ever ever made. Unbelievable!! I could eat the entire pan and not regret a crumb lol. Sadly I made these for a bake sale at my daughters school tomorrow…. So I’ll be doing my best to not eat them. Sooooo glad I tried this!!!! Thank you!!!!

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        August 04, 2022 at 9:35 am

        So glad you made them and are sharing them! Thanks April for sharing that!

        Reply
    2. Diana Shrome

      February 26, 2022 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Looks like pecans to me as well, so I added a half cup to the topping. Yummy

      Reply
      • Megan Porta

        February 28, 2022 at 4:38 pm

        Great idea! Delicious sounding. Thanks for sharing Diana!

        Reply
    3. Lauren

      September 01, 2015 at 1:20 pm

      I wanted to make this recipe for about 3 weeks, but kept stopping myself bc of all the butter. Last night I said screw the calories, and made these bars. Soooo good. I cut back on the sugar here and there for my personal taste, otherwise this recipe is perfect! Thanks!

      Reply
    4. Shirley

      February 02, 2015 at 11:43 pm

      thats a lotta butta :p but I'm gonna make it anyhowz

      Reply
    5. amy @ Chew Out Loud

      January 21, 2015 at 7:20 am

      YUM! The Littles in my home love apple pie, and in bar form, it's a total win-win! Thanks for sharing this drool worthy recipe 🙂

      Reply
    6. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar

      October 13, 2014 at 4:18 pm

      Oh girl, these bars look freaking fantastic. LOVE!

      Reply
    7. Megan Porta

      October 12, 2014 at 11:57 pm

      KITW: no pecans in the photos, but that would add an extra crunch! Let me know if you try it!!
      Megan

      Reply
    8. Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen

      October 12, 2014 at 10:05 pm

      These look great! I made something similar last week and it was ridiculously good. I'll have to try your version, too! 🙂

      Reply
    9. KitW

      October 12, 2014 at 9:44 pm

      This looks fantastic! I have saved the recipe to make soon. Am I seeing pecans in the topping in the photo?

      Reply

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