These Apple Pie Crumble Bars taste just like a Dutch apple pie in an easy bar recipe! You’re going to want to bookmark this recipe for the holidays!
You guys know this year I’ve been on a crumble bar kick, but I think I have made the crumble bar to end them all.
Apples are one of my favorite fruits, and this time of year in the war of pumpkin vs apple, I am firmly on team apple all the way. I know it’s bad as a food blogger to dislike pumpkin, but I can’t help it! My allegiance is loyally with apple. I just love the flavor so much, and it definitely gives me those warm and cozy fall vibes.
But don’t worry – if you’re a pumpkin fan, I have pumpkin crumble bars, too ?
However, I happen to think this apple version is my best version yet! They taste JUST like a Dutch apple pie – you know the ones with the streusel topping? Those happen to be my favorite type of pie ever, but they can be complicated to make. Plus, these bars can feed more people than a standard pie can, so they’re definitely more of a crowd-pleaser than a traditional pie since you can cut the bars any size you want to fit your needs.
The Bars
The crust and the crumble are made in the same bowl (yay!) which I love. It consists of your standard ingredients: sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder for the dry ingredients, and then cold, cubed butter, a lightly beaten egg and some vanilla extract for the wet. You’ll just combine the two with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles little pebbles, then press half in the pan for the crust and reserve the remaining half for the crumble. Easy peasy!
The Apples
The best part is the apple filling! I used Granny Smith apples since these are a classic apple for apple baking, but Honeycrisp would be amazing, too! Just peel and dice them, then mix them up with some cornstarch (to thicken the filling), sugar (for sweetness, of course!), lemon juice (to balance the flavors and prevent browning of the apples), and spices (for flavor and that quintessential apple pie essence).
The result? These mouthwatering Apple Pie Crumble Bars with tender, spiced apples and a buttery crumble topping. They cannot be beat!
Apple Pie Crumble Bars
These Apple Pie Crumble Bars are INCREDIBLE! Layers of buttery crust and crumble with tender, perfectly spiced apple filling in an easy Dutch apple-pie inspired bar recipe. So much easier and crowd-pleasing than baking a pie from scratch!
Ingredients
For Crust & Crumble:
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Apple Filling:
- 5 small/medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced about 5 cups worth once diced
- 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375° degrees F. Line a 9×13 light metal rectangular pan with foil or parchment paper, extending the sides of the foil or parchment over the edges of the pan. Spray the foil or parchment with cooking spray; set aside.
For the crust/crumble: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, baking powder, salt, and flour and whisk to combine. Add in the cold cubed butter, lightly beaten egg and vanilla and use a pastry blender or two forks to cut the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until the mixture resembles small pebbles and is thoroughly combined. Press half of the mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Set aside.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss together the diced apples, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and spices until combined. Evenly spread the apple mixture, including any accumulated juices, over the crust in a single layer. Top with the reserved crumble mixture, sprinkling it over evenly to fully cover the apple filling.
Bake for 38-45 minutes or until the crumble is light golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges. Cool completely, then cut into bars.
Notes
I used Granny Smith apples, but Honeycrisp may be substituted, or you may use a mixture of both for a variety of flavors!
While these are amazing plain, definitely try them a la mode or with a drizzle of salted caramel. Thank me later!
Have a super sweet weekend!
xo, Hayley
