Flaky Apple Pie Bars Recipe
Delightfully flaky Apple Pie Bars with a buttery crust, warmly spiced apple filling, and an optional sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for a comforting dessert or snack that combines the classic flavors of apple pie in an easy-to-serve bar form.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust and Topping:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and diced
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Apple Filling:
- 4 to 5 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works well)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- A pinch of ground cloves
Optional Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
- Make the crust and topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in the chilled butter using a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the topping.
- Prepare the crust: Firmly press the remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
- Prepare the apple filling: In another bowl, toss the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until evenly coated.
- Assemble the bars: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the apples.
- Bake the bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Prepare the optional glaze: While the bars cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (starting with 1 tablespoon and adding more as needed), and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars.
- Serve: Once the glaze has set, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares or bars and serve.
Notes
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp for balanced flavor and texture.
- The glaze is optional but adds a lovely sweetness and finishing touch.
- Make sure the butter is well chilled for flakier crust and topping.
- Let the bars cool completely before glazing to avoid melting the glaze.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
Keywords: apple pie bars, flaky crust, apple dessert, baked apple bars, cinnamon apple bars, easy apple dessert
Find it online: https://hannahdelgado.com/flaky-apple-pie-bars-recipe/
