Apple Bars

These apple bars are a two-in-one dessert that combines apple pie filling with a soft buttery crust, assembled like a cobbler. Each bite delivers a burst of juicy apples, melt-in-your-mouth coffee cake with a sweet glaze, and a hint of warmth from apple pie spice. They’re perfect for the Fall season!

Why you'll love these apple bars

• Easy: These easy apple bars bring a whole new meaning to this saying. They come together so much quicker than actual pie!
• Cozy flavors: A touch of apple pie spice gives this apple bar recipe a warm, comforting flavor perfect for Fall and Winter... just like these fig bars.
• Portable: Unlike traditional apple pies, this treat is easy to grab and go, making them perfect for potlucks, lunches, or any on-the-go snacking.
• Versatile: Feel free to dress them up with the homemade glaze I’ve listed, add a spoonful of vanilla bean ice cream, or enjoy them plain.
• Budget-friendly: You may already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Combined, they result in a low-cost dessert that you can serve also as a scrumptious afternoon snack with a cup of coffee or tea.

What are apple cobbler bars?

Apple cobbler bars, apple pie bars, and apple crisp bars are all twists on their traditional counterparts. They’re great when you don’t have hours to spend in the kitchen making a complete pie from scratch.

Instead of a pie crust or biscuit topping, these bars have a delicious soft and buttery cookie-like base and topping. Filled with a juicy apple pie filling, they’re both delicious and practical.

Apple bars recipe

These apple bars are one of my favorite desserts to make when friends and family come over for the holidays. It provides all the incredible flavors of apple pie in a simple, no-fuss way.

Plus, you can make this recipe even faster and simpler using premade apple pie filling!

Once they’re baked, the base boasts a rich taste and a soft, crumbly texture that perfectly complements the sweet, juicy filling.

I highly recommend serving these bars with a drizzle of homemade vanilla glaze, which adds an extra layer of indulgent flavor.

Ingredients and substitutions

Apple Bars

• ¾ cup unsalted butter - Vegan butter or coconut oil can be used for a dairy-free version.
• 1½ cups sugar - You can replace regular sugar with beet sugar if you prefer.
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon apple pie spice - This can be replaced with ground cinnamon or a mix of ground nutmeg and cinnamon.
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature - Flax eggs or applesauce can be used as a vegan alternative.
• 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract - Or, try almond extract instead.
• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour - You can try using a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free version.
• 21 oz apple pie filling - Use store-bought or homemade apple pie filling, or try a mixture of stewed apples and cinnamon.

Vanilla Glaze

• ½ cup confectioners' sugar - You can also make your own by blending 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream - Whole milk or half & half can be used for a lighter option.
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or almond extract)

How to Make Apple Bars

1. To make these Apple Pie Bars, preheat your oven to 350°F(180°C) and lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, salt, and apple pie spice. Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract, mixing between each addition. TIP: Add 2 tablespoon of the flour if your mixture starts to curdle!

3. Mix in the all-purpose flour but just until combined. Do NOT overmix! Set aside 1 cup of the dough for the topping!

4. Spread the dough in an even layer over the bottom of the prepared baking pan.

5. Next, top with the apple pie filling. Spoon the reserved dough over the top of the apple pie filling as if making a cobbler.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the apple cobbler bars are set and lightly golden brown on the top. Transfer the pan to a wire rack, and let it cool before topping it with glaze.

7. Make the Vanilla Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the 3 ingredients until smooth. If needed, adjust the thickness to reach a drizzling consistency. It must cling well to your spoon, yet drizzles easily.

8. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled apple bars. Let it set and then slice it into 18 bars!

tips for making easy apple bars

• Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before starting. This will result in more even flavor distribution and baking results.
• Cut your apple pie filling into smaller pieces so you can more easily spread it out on the cookie crust base.
• If you’re making your own apple pie filling, allow it to cool before layering it onto the soft cookie crust.
• Don't overmix the dough to prevent a tough and dense crust texture.
• Allow the bars to cool completely before glazing them to prevent the glaze from melting and making a mess all over the bars.
• If you’re after thicker apple pie bars, you can use a smaller baking pan. Adjust the baking time accordingly!

Variations

If you want to make a variation or twist on this apple bars recipe, here are some other options:

• Caramel apple cheesecake bars: Make this recipe with a graham cracker base, then add a sweetened cream cheese layer followed by the apple pie filling. Top everything off with a drizzle of caramel sauce for a creamy, caramelly dessert.
• Caramel apple bars: Instead of a classic vanilla glaze, serve your apple bars with a drizzle of homemade or store-bought caramel on top.
• Salted caramel apple pie bars: Add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top of the caramel drizzle layer to really elevate the flavors.
• Apple crumble bars: Keep the cookie-style base, then top your apple bars with a crumbly streusel topping made from butter, flour, and sugar.
• Apple crisp bars: Using ingredients similar to apple crumble bars, add old-fashioned rolled oats and maybe a few chopped nuts to the streusel topping.
• Apple oatmeal bars: For a healthier twist, use oat flour instead of regular flour, nut butter instead of butter, fresh apples instead of apple pie filling, and skip the vanilla glaze.

What to serve with apple pie bars

These apple bars are perfect to serve on their own, but for a more decadent treat, try pairing them with some options like these:

• Caramel apple cider
• A scoop of vanilla ice cream
• Whipped cream
• A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar
• Caramel drizzle
• Crushed nuts like almonds or pecans
• Fresh apple slices

FAQs

Can I replace apple pie filling with fresh apples for making this apple pie bars recipe?

Yes, you can use fresh apples in this apple pie bars recipe. Just slice them thinly and cook them with a bit of sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon until tender, and then use the filling as outlined in the recipe.

What are the best apples for baking apple pie bars?

For baking apple bars, tart and firm apples like Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan, and Pacific Rose are ideal as they maintain their shape and provide a good flavor balance. However, you can also use sweeter varieties like Jazz, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Gala, Fuji, and Cortland if you prefer.

Can I use oat flour instead of all-purpose flour for making these apple bars?

Yes, oat flour can be used, but it may alter the texture slightly. Just know that they may turn out a bit denser.

What is apple pie spice made of?

Apple pie spice is primarily a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. You may see other variations that contain ground ginger or cardamom. If you can’t find an apple pie spice blend at the store, you can simply use an equivalent amount of ground cinnamon.

Can I make apple cobbler bars with other fruit?

Yes, you can make apple cobbler bars with any fruit pie filling that you prefer! Some other options include blueberry, cherries for these cherry pie bars, blackberry, strawberry, mango, raspberry, pineapple, plum, pear, fig, or peach pie filling as this Peach Cobbler Coffeecake.

How to Store

ROOM TEMPERATURE: Store any remaining apple bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days (without the glaze).

• FRIDGE: However, if you are adding dairy-based glaze, your cobbler bars should be refrigerated for up to 5 days.
• FREEZER: If you intend to freeze them, only top them with the glaze after thawing them. To freeze for up to 2 months, wrap them in heavy-duty aluminum foil and transfer them into an airtight freezer storage container or plastic freezer storage bag.
• THAWING: Thaw overnight in the fridge.

More apple dessert recipes

• Apple cobbler recipe
• Caramel apple cheesecake recipe
• Apple cider baked donut recipe
• Apple skillet cake recipe
• Gluten-free apple crisp
• Apple muffins
• Apple pie recipe
• Caramel apple hand pies
• Also, Apple pops
• Apple tarte tatin recipe

PIN AND ENJOY!

 

This post was first published on October 20, 2013.