Name: Apple Pie Bars with Cinnamon Crumble
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 4 1/2 cups (550 g) (4 medium apples) chopped cubed apples; 2 tbsp (30 g) granulated sugar; 2 tbsp (25 g) (and 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour; 2 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour (dip and sweep)**; ¾ cup (185 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, cold; ½ cup (105 g) granulated sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Apple Pie Bars with Cinnamon Crumble

Jump to Recipe

With a buttery cinnamon crust, a layer of tender spiced apples, and golden crumbles on top, these apple pie bars are the kind of simple dessert I want to make as soon as apple season arrives.

There’s something especially good about baking with apples when the weather starts to cool. Cinnamon and nutmeg warm up the kitchen, the apples become soft and sweet in the oven, and the buttery topping turns crisp and golden. These bars bring all of those cozy apple pie flavors together, but in a much simpler form.

What I love most about this recipe is that you don’t have to make two separate mixtures for the crust and topping. One cinnamon shortbread dough does both jobs. Press most of it into the pan, spoon the apples over it, and crumble the rest on top. After baking, you get three delicious layers in every piece: buttery shortbread, soft cinnamon apples, and crunchy crumbles.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

These apple pie bars have so much of what I love about a classic apple dessert, without the work of making a traditional pie.

The crust and crumble are made together. You’ll use ⅔ of the cinnamon shortbread mixture for the base and save the remaining ⅓ for those buttery crumbles on top.

The middle is packed with apples. A little sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice turns the chopped apples into a simple, warmly spiced filling as the bars bake.

The textures are so good together. The apples become tender while the shortbread base and crumbles give the bars their buttery, crunchy texture.

They’re made for sharing. One square pan makes 16 bars, so this is an easy dessert to slice up for family, friends, or a fall gathering.

And you don’t have to wait for fall to make them. Whenever you have apples around and want something cozy and homemade, these bars are a lovely way to use them.

Apple Pie Bars Ingredients

You only need a handful of simple baking ingredients to make these apple pie bars. Here’s what each one does in the recipe.

For the Apple Filling

Apples – The star of the filling! The apples are peeled, cored, and chopped into small pieces so they become tender as the bars bake.
Granulated Sugar – Adds sweetness to the apples and balances their natural tartness.
All-Purpose Flour – Helps thicken the juices released by the apples while they bake, so the filling holds together nicely. You can use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch instead, as noted in the recipe.
Lemon Juice – Adds a little brightness and balances the sweetness of the apple filling.
Ground Cinnamon – Gives the apples that warm, cozy flavor we associate with homemade apple pie.
Ground Nutmeg – You only need a small amount, but it adds another layer of warm spice to the filling.

For the Crust & Crumbles

All-Purpose Flour – Forms the base of the shortbread mixture. The same mixture is used for both the bottom crust and the crumble topping.
Unsalted Butter – This is what makes the crust and crumbles rich and buttery. Make sure the butter is cold and cut into small cubes, just as the recipe calls for.
Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the shortbread crust and crumble topping.
Ground Cinnamon – Adds a warm cinnamon flavor to the buttery dough, tying the crust and crumbles into the spiced apple layer.

The best part? You don’t need to make a separate crumble topping. You’ll use ⅔ of the shortbread mixture for the crust and the remaining ⅓ for the crumbles, which keeps these apple pie bars nice and simple.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s bake!

First, prepare the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square oven-proof dish and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of overhang on each side.

That extra parchment will come in handy later, when it’s time to lift the cooled bars out of the dish.

Next, make the apple filling.

Peel, core and slice the apples into small pieces. Place the chopped apples into a medium bowl. Toss the apples with lemon juice, sugar, flour/cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside the bowl.

At this point, the apples are coated in everything they need to become sweet, soft, and warmly spiced in the oven.

Make the crust and crumbles.

Combine flour, cinnamon, and sugar in a large bowl.

Add the cold cubed butter and cover with flour mixture so you can cut the butter into the flour mixture easily. You can use 2 forks or a pastry blender. Alternatively, you can rub with your fingertips.

You only need to make this mixture once. Some will become the shortbread crust, and the rest will make the crumbly topping.

Now, assemble the bars.

Spread ⅔ of the mixture into the oven-proof dish with a spoon. Lightly flour the spoon to avoid it sticking to the flour-butter mixture. You can spread with your hand too.

Add the apple mixture over the dough and cover the apples with the remaining ⅓ dough. You can make some big crumbles by squeezing the dough with your hand.

I especially like those bigger pieces on top. They give the finished bars a rustic look and add extra pockets of buttery crunch.

Finally, bake.

Bake for 55 minutes until the top becomes golden brown and the crumbles are crunchy.

Let it cool completely before slicing. You can let it cool at room temperature for 1-1,5 hours and then you can keep in the freezer so it can cool faster.

Once completely cool, lift the paper from the sides, remove the bars from the dish, and cut into 16 pieces.

Expert Tips

Start with cold butter. This recipe calls specifically for cold butter cut into small cubes. Keep it cold until you’re ready to work it into the flour mixture.

Keep the apple pieces small. Smaller pieces fit neatly into the middle layer and give you plenty of apple in each bar.

Use the parchment overhang. Leave the full 2 inches (5 cm) called for in the recipe. Once the bars have cooled, you can use the paper to lift the whole batch out of the dish before cutting.

Make a few chunky crumbles. When you add the final ⅓ of the dough, squeeze some of it together in your hand. You’ll end up with a nice combination of smaller crumbs and larger crunchy pieces.

Don’t rush the cooling time. The bars should be completely cool before you lift them from the dish and cut them. If you want to speed things along, follow the recipe and move them to the freezer after they’ve cooled at room temperature for 1-1,5 hours.

Recipe Variations

I’d keep the bars themselves exactly as written—the cinnamon, nutmeg, apples, and buttery shortbread already make a really lovely combination. But you can easily change them up at serving time.

For an apple-pie-style dessert, serve a bar with vanilla ice cream. You could also add a little caramel sauce over the top for a caramel-apple feel.

For something simpler, give the cooled bars a light dusting of powdered sugar before serving. None of these ideas changes the original recipe; they’re just easy ways to dress up the finished bars.

Storage & Reheating

These bars keep well, which makes them a nice dessert to prepare ahead of time.

Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Let frozen apple pie bars thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

There’s no need to reheat them before serving. If you enjoy apple desserts warm, though, you can gently warm an individual bar just before serving, especially if you’re adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Serving Suggestions

I love these apple pie bars just as they are, when you can really taste the buttery cinnamon shortbread and tender apple filling. They’re easy to pick up and eat, which makes them especially nice for sharing.

If you’re turning them into a sit-down dessert, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside a bar. A little caramel sauce is delicious with the cinnamon and apples, too.

They’re also lovely with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Serve them for an afternoon treat, bring them to a fall gathering, or keep a batch in the fridge when you want a little something sweet during the week.

Recipe FAQs

1. What are the best apples for apple pie bars?

Use firm apples that hold their shape well while baking. Granny Smith is a great option if you like a little tartness, while Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala will give you a sweeter filling. You can even use a mix of sweet and tart apples for more flavor.

2. Do I need to cook the apples before adding them?

No, you do not need to cook the apples first. Simply peel, core, and chop them into small pieces, then toss with the lemon juice, sugar, flour or cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. They’ll soften as the bars bake, which makes this recipe even easier.

3. Can I use cornstarch instead of flour in the apple filling?

Yes, you can definitely use cornstarch. The recipe calls for 25 g (2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour, but you can substitute 1 tablespoon cornstarch. It will help thicken the apple juices as the bars bake.

4. Why does the butter need to be cold?

Cold butter is what helps give the crust and topping that crumbly shortbread texture. Cut it into small cubes and work it into the flour mixture with 2 forks, a pastry blender, or your fingertips. Just make sure the butter stays cold until you’re ready to use it.

5. How do I get clean slices without the bars falling apart?

Make sure the apple pie bars are completely cool before slicing. Let them cool at room temperature for 1-1,5 hours, then you can place them in the freezer to help them cool faster. Once completely cool, use the parchment paper to lift them out of the pan and cut into 16 pieces.

Apple Pie Bars with Cinnamon Crumble

These apple pie bars combine a buttery cinnamon shortbread base with a warmly spiced apple filling and a generous crumb topping. The crust and crumble are made from the same mixture, keeping the preparation straightforward while giving each bar a combination of tender apples, crisp edges, and buttery crumbs.

Print Pin

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Apple Pie Bars with Cinnamon Crumble, Easy Apple Pie Bars with Cinnamon Crumble

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 55

Total Time: 1 15

Servings: bars

Ingredients

Apple Filling

4 1/2 cups (550 g) (4 medium apples) chopped cubed apples
2 tbsp (30 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (25 g) (and 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Crust & Crumbles

2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour (dip and sweep)**
¾ cup (185 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, cold
½ cup (105 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

Prepare the Pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) square oven-proof dish. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving approximately 2 inches (5 cm) of paper extending over each side.

Make the Apple Filling

Peel and core the apples, then slice them into small pieces. Transfer the chopped apples to a medium bowl.
Add the lemon juice, sugar, flour/cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss everything together until the apple pieces are evenly coated, then set the bowl aside.

Make the Crust and Crumble

Place the flour, cinnamon, and sugar in a large bowl and combine.
Add the cold cubed butter and coat the pieces with the flour mixture. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using 2 forks or a pastry blender. Alternatively, rub the butter into the mixture with your fingertips.

Assemble the Bars

Spoon ⅔ of the mixture into the prepared oven-proof dish and spread it across the bottom. Lightly flour the spoon if the mixture begins sticking to it. You can also spread the mixture with your hand.
Arrange the apple mixture over the dough. Scatter the remaining ⅓ dough over the apples. For some larger pieces of crumble, squeeze portions of the dough together with your hand before placing them on top.

Bake and Cool

Bake for 55 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the crumbles are crunchy.
Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. You can leave them at room temperature for 1-1,5 hours and then place them in the freezer to speed up the remaining cooling time.
Once completely cool, use the parchment paper at the sides to lift the bars out of the dish. Cut into 16 pieces.
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.