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Apple Pie Bars Recipe Easy Fall Dessert Bars for a Crowd

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These apple pie bars combine a buttery shortbread crust, juicy cinnamon apples, and a crumbly oat streusel topping for an easy, crowd-pleasing fall dessert. All the classic apple pie flavor—none of the fuss!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4–5 medium apples (about 4 cups), peeled and diced (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp recommended)
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  • Optional: Pinch of nutmeg or ginger
  • Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. Lightly grease the paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
  3. Pour in melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix until crumbly but holds together when pressed. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of this mixture for the topping.
  4. Press the remaining dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool slightly.
  5. While the crust bakes, peel, core, and dice apples. In a medium bowl, toss apples with granulated sugar, flour or cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice until evenly coated.
  6. Spread apple filling evenly over the slightly cooled crust.
  7. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over the apples. Add nuts if using.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and apples are bubbly. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
  9. Cool bars completely in the pan. For cleanest slices, chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
  10. Use parchment overhang to lift bars out. Slice into 16-20 bars. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.

Notes

Mix tart and sweet apples for best flavor. Let bars cool fully before slicing for clean edges. For gluten-free, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats. For dairy-free, substitute vegan butter. Bars can be made ahead and freeze well. If apples are very juicy, add extra flour or cornstarch to filling.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple pie bars, fall dessert, easy apple dessert, crowd dessert, apple bars, potluck dessert, apple recipes, autumn baking, streusel bars, apple pie, make ahead dessert

Find it online: https://tastypierecipes.com/apple-pie-bars-recipe-easy-fall-dessert-bars-for-a-crowd/