Apple Crisp Bars
Apple crisp bars pair buttery brown sugar shortbread crust and cozy apple pie filling with a rich oatmeal crisp topping. These bars are bursting with fall flavors and warm, welcoming spices that will leave you savoring every last morsel.
Servings: 15 bars
Equipment
- 1 Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
Cinnamon Shortbread Crust
- ½ c butter, room temperature (we prefer to use plant-based butter)
- ⅓ c light brown sugar, packed
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1¼ c all-purpose flour
Apple Pie Filling
- 5 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced (we prefer pink lady or honeycrisp apples)
- 2 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled (we prefer to use plant-based butter)
- ⅓ c light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ c all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
Oatmeal Crisp Topping
- 1 c rolled oats
- ¾ c all-purpose flour
- ½ c light brown sugar, packed
- ¼ c granulated sugar
- 1 tsp apple pie spice or cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp butter, chilled (we prefer to use plant-based butter)
- optional garnish: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or caramel drizzle
Instructions
Cinnamon Shortbread Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper or lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the vanilla and cinnamon and beat until just incorporated. Add the flour and mix until the mixture resembles wet crumbles, about 30 seconds.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust layer. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges and slightly puffed up. Remove from heat. Maintain the oven temperature.
Apple Pie Filling
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Combine the apples, melted butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Arrange the apple mixture in an even layer on top of the partially baked crust. Set aside.
Oatmeal Crisp Topping
- Combine the crisp topping ingredients in a small bowl and use your hands to incorporate the butter into the mixture until it resembles wet pebbles. Sprinkle the oatmeal topping generously over the apple layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Cool partially before cutting. These bars can be enjoyed warm or cold. We recommend garnishing with vanilla ice cream, caramel drizzle, or whipped cream! Enjoy!
Notes
- Butter temperature for crisp topping - we have used both cold and melted butter for the crisp topping and have enjoyed both results. Cold butter does yield a bit of a crispier topping, while melted butter tends to create a more moist crumble.