Nothing says America to me quite like these apple pie bars! Gooey apple pie filling layered over a flaky crust and topped with a buttery crumble creates a textural sensation. I made this recipe with just 6 ingredients for easy prep, and I had them on the table in just a hair over an hour. I can’t wait to ring in the 4th with these easy apple pie bars!
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Have you ever heard the phrase, “as American as apple pie“? I’ve always wondered what that meant. Recently, I learned that soldiers during WWII used to tell reporters that they enlisted “for mom and apple pie.” If the soldiers were saying it, it must be true– there’s no pie more patriotic! These apple pie bars are inspired by classic apple pie but streamlined to make life easier. Celebrating Independence Day has never been simpler!
What’s in This Apple Pie Bars Recipe?
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives the crust structure and helps the filling to set.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens both the crust and the filling.
- Butter: Salted butter helps bind the crust, while unsalted butter adds flavor to the filling and helps it set up.
- Apples: Granny Smith apples are the best and most reliable to use in baking. They are naturally tart and sweet, which is perfect for baking!
- Lemon Juice: Fresh lemon juice helps preserve the apples’ color and flavor.
- Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon adds warmth to the filling.
Tips for Success
- If you’d like to use a different type of apple, go for a firm, crunchy apple like Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious.
- I prefer to peel my apples for a more cohesive filling, but you can leave the peels on if you prefer.
- I precooked both the crust and the filling to prevent a soggy pie. Don’t skip either of these steps!
- In testing, my bake turned out best when I used a metal baking pan.
- For the cleanest cuts, I recommend letting the bars cool completely before slicing.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover apple pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Enjoy chilled or gently microwaved.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these apple pie bars warmed with a heaping scoop of vanilla or pumpkin ice cream. The way the ice cream melts into the bars is so luscious! They’re also great with a dollop whipped cream. For a truly indulgent treat, I like to drizzle mine with homemade caramel sauce and flaky salt. Salted caramel? Yum!
Apple Pie Bars Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- 8×8-inch Baking Pan
- Cheese Grater
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 120 grams
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 grams
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup salted butter 226 grams, chilled (2 sticks)
For the Filling
- 5 medium Granny Smith apples 750 grams, peeled and chopped
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 38 grams
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 8 grams
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 14 grams (from ½ lemon)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28 grams (¼ stick)
Instructions
For the Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease with butter. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- Using a cheese grater, grate the cold butter into the bowl, using your fingers to work it into the flour mixture.1 cup salted butter
- Reserve ¾ cup of the mixture.
- Press the remaining mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
For the Filling
- While the crust bakes and cools, make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon.5 medium Granny Smith apples, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium heat.2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Once melted, add in the apples and cook for 7-8 minutes until softened and the mixture has thickened.
- Spread the apples in an even layer over the crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top of the apples.
- Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown.
- Let the bars cool before cutting and serving.
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Apple Pie Bars Step by Step
Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease with butter. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup of granulated sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt. Using a cheese grater, grate 1 cup of cold salted butter into the bowl, using your fingers to work it into the flour mixture.
Bake the Crust: Reserve ¾ cup of the mixture. Press the remaining mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
Mix the Filling: While the crust bakes and cools, make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the 5 peeled and chopped Granny Smith apples, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Cook the Filling: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Once melted, add in the apples and cook for 7-8 minutes until softened and the mixture has thickened.
Spread the Filling: Spread the apples in an even layer over the crust.
Add the Crumble: Sprinkle the remaining crust mixture over the top of the apples.
Bake the Bars: Bake for 23-25 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown.
Cool, Cut, and Serve: Let the bars cool before cutting and serving.
This recipe did not work for me. I think 1 cup butter is way too much for the crust because it just ended up being a mushy, buttery mess :/ however, I did use a food processor to mix the crust, instead of the cheese grater method, but I don’t see how that would have made such a difference. I have a lemon bars recipe that calls for a similar baking method (baking the crust first, then the filling on top), and it calls for only 1/2 cup butter and it always comes out great.
Hi Lillian, we’re sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work out for you as expected!