Apple crumble in bar form?? They’re all MINE! (Especially if topped with ice cream and drowned in caramel😂) Apple Bars are a simple apple recipe with a shortbread base, juicy cinnamon apple filling and crumbly topping. You’ll love how it smells when it’s in the oven!
Apple Bars
There’s no question – apple is my favourite fruit for cooking. From magic Self Saucing Caramel Baked Apples to classic Apple Crumble, Apple Cake and stay-moist Apple Muffins, it is the single most used fruit in my dessert world.
Perhaps because I always have them – an apple a day keeps the doctor away!
Perhaps because apple desserts tend to be less sweet than rich chocolate desserts (not that I’ve ever been known to turn away a slice of chocolate cake).
Or perhaps simply because I just really love cooked apples, cooked until soft with a touch of sugar and hint of cinnamon so they become juicy and syrupy.
I don’t delve too deep into reasoning. I just make. And EAT!!!🤩
I use twice the amount of apples compared to similar recipes so there’s plenty of juicy apple filling!
What you need for Apple Bars
Everything I use in Apple Crumble makes an appearance in this Apple Bars recipe. It’s a simple recipe, with one mixture doing double duty as the base and crumbly topping.
Best apples for Apple Bars?
My favourite is Granny Smith apples, same as what I use for Apple Crumble. I love the combination of slight tartness with the sweet, and also it’s a firmer apple so it holds its shape once cooked rather than collapsing into mush (though mush would still be nice 😂).
The making part
A very easy apple recipe made using cooked fresh apples, here’s how it goes down:
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Simple butter-sugar-flour mixture for base & topping
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Press some of the mixture lightly into base, bake until light golden
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Filling – toss loads of fresh apples, cinnamon, sugar and flour (flour thickens juices that comes out of apples to make it jammy)
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Top with apple filling
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Mix remaining mixture with oats* then crumble over top
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Bake until golden
* Oats – in my world, Apple Crumble isn’t a crumble unless there’s oats in the topping. But I like having a clean shortbread-like base. So I use one dough mixture but I only add oats in for the topping.
Salted Caramel Sauce for Apple Bars!
I like to make sweet treats so they’re tasty enough to eat plain – and certainly these bars are scoffable as they are.
But a little drizzle of Salted Caramel Sauce would certainly not go astray! It’s a 7 minute job, easy enough to do while the Apple Bars are in the oven. That recipe will make more than you need, but you won’t be short of things to use it for!
Hands as a treat – or plates for dessert
Like Raspberry Jam Bars, Strawberry Bars and Lemon Bars, these Apple Bars are great for eating with your hands.
But they also make a terrific dessert! There’s always a place for a rustic Apple Crumble but sometimes I’m after something a bit “neater” looking for a dinner party, something easier to make than Apple Pie {coming soon!}.
Plus, I have many people in my life who aren’t a huge fan of really sweet, rich desserts so an apple dessert is an ideal option.
Here’s how I serve Apple Bars as a dessert
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Warm slice in the microwave for just 30 seconds (just to get the inside going)
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Pop under grill/broiler for 2 minutes on medium high to get the top really nice and crispy again (because the juicy apple filling underneath makes the top lose its crispy edge after ~18 hours or so. Still delish, but recrisping makes it oven-fresh again)
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Place on plate, plonk on big scoop of ice cream and drown in Caramel Sauce.
I say “place on plate”, but to be honest, I ate that piece in the photo below with my hands 2 seconds after I snapped the photo…… 😂 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Apple Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Base & crumble topping:
- 125g / 1 stick unsalted butter , melted
- 2 cups (300g) flour , plain/all purpose
- 1/2 cup (100g) white sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg
For crumble topping:
- 1/3 cup (30g) rolled oats (Note 1)
Apple Filling:
- 3 - 4 large granny smith apples , cut into 0.7cm / 1/3" dice(~4 cups)
- 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1/4 cup (50g) white sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
Serving
- Salted caramel sauce
- Ice cream!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350.
- Grease a 20cm/8" square pan and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).
- Mix together butter, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until you can no longer see white bits of flour.
- Add egg and mix.
- Lightly press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes until slightly golden, then remove and cool for 5 minutes.
- Apple Filling: While the base is cooking, mix together Apple Filling ingredients in a bowl.
Crumble Topping:
- Add oats into reserved crumble mixture. Mix with wooden spoon / fingers until oats are mostly incorporated into the dough.
Assemble:
- Spread Apple Filling on base, then use hands to crumble topping all over.
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the top is deep golden.
- Remove and allow to cool in the tin before lifting out of the tin using the baking paper.
- Cut and serve! Eat with hands, or serve on plates. Take it over the top with ice cream and salted caramel sauce!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Always very concerned when I start packing bags…until he sees his stuff being packed too!
Belated Mother’s Day weekend away with the RecipeTin Family to Rick Stein’s Bannisters in Port Stephens, a couple of hours north of Sydney. Every car is packed with more food than luggage… And Dozer’s bag is as big as mine! 😂
This recipe turned out great! The perfect amount of sweetness and richness. Directions were very straightforward and easy to follow. I loved that most ingredients are kitchen staples. Thanks!
I used to bake the apple bars from sallys baking addiction and wanted to give this one a try. Did use a bit of whole wheat flour and it was really good, however not comparable with Sally‘s. The base was a bit dense but we liked them a lot. 4.5/5
please can you tell me if if can be frozen at any stage
can this be frozen at any stage please
Hi Charmaine – I have frozen these (to slow me down, otherwise I’d eat them all in 2 days :-).
I use a ziplock bag and squeeze out the excess air when freezing then thaw at room temperature. They become a little softer, as expected, but I enjoy them just as much as freshly baked.
Made these to take to work and everyone loved them! Recipe worked flawlessly. Held it’s shape reasonably well to my surprise. Would definitely make again.
This was even more delicious than I imagined it would be! Amazing! Will make again and again!
Made this tonight and they turned out great. I didnt add oats as i prefer the crumble without it, but added shredded coconut instead. Was quite nice and not overly sweet. My apple hating husband even enjoyed picking at it out of the pan as it cooled. I’ll also add more apple as i like more apple than base and topping.
Used GF flour and shredded coconut instead of oats. Very tasty. Next time will cook par-cook the apples first as they were slightly too firm for my taste.
Tasty and easy, another winner.
Nagi, what happened to your salted caramel recipe? I get an error when I click on the link!! Going to make this tomorrow and will serve warm with sauce and cream😁 giving 5 stars because I know it will be amazing!! X
I went looking for it too, and found a recipe in: https://www.recipetineats.com/baked-apple-pie-fries-salted-caramel-dipping-sauce/
Easy and delicious! Thanks Nagi-another winner!
I made this today. I used a bigger form so added a bit more of everything. It turned out fantastic! I also added some crushed almonds along with the oats for the topping. Love it!
Keeping this recipe forever, these were AMAZINGGG!! My boyfriend and I can’t stop eating them lol, highly recommend and extremely easy! It’s a fool proof recipe!
Thanks! N x
Nagi, this recipe looks like the perfect way to use (and deliciously preserve) my backyard spartan apples. I was hoping to make a double batch and freeze some. Do these apple crumble bars freeze ok?
Made this today and it was yum! Substituted brown sugar for white but other wise everything else as stated. Not too sweet just perfect. Another winner from Nagi. Thanks heaps 👍
I made this with a bunch of rhubarb and it was delicious. Thanks Nagi (as always).
This is amazing!!! I used 3 cups of chopped apples and added a cup of feijoas from my tree. It was just right and not too sweet. I too looked for the salted caramel recipe but it’s no longer on this site.
Hi Nagi,
Thank you for really awesome recipes
Can I use this Apple bars base in your Apple crumble?
Regards
Tessa.
Hi Tessa, apple crumble traditionally doest have a base – I haven’t tried making it with this though but would love to know if you give it a go! N x
Hi Nagi, Like another follower, just wondering if you use the egg in the pastry base? I didn’t see it used in the video but it is listed as an ingredient.
hey Nagi,
Is egg required in this recipe? judging From your video, you didn’t add them in… thank you in advance.
Made this yesterday. It is soooo good. Doubled recipe and baked in a 9×13, Can I freeze this to enjoy next month? Thank you Nagi! All your recipes are delicious. I’m so glad I found your website!!!!
Really yummy and successful recipe! Followed it to a t and they were perfect