Apple Crumble Bars are an easy version of apple pie. Cinnamon spiced apples are sandwiched between two buttery, oat-filled crumb layers and baked to a golden brown. Serve this delicious dessert with a big scoop vanilla ice cream!
~my reader Chris
The intoxicating aroma of warm cinnamony apples wafted toward me as I opened the front door.
"Did you make apple slices Mom?"
"I did. But they need to cool a bit before cutting into them."
Apple slices (a GIANT apple pie made in a sheet pan) was my Mom's specialty. She made the BEST baked goods. While growing up in the 1970s, my first stop was our kitchen to see if she made an Old Fashioned Pound Cake or Spiced Pumpkin Cookies.
Following in my Mom's baking footsteps, I tinkered with her apple slices recipe to make a new apple dessert.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easier than a pie ~ I'm not a fan of rolling out pie crusts. An easy to make oat crumb mixture replaces the top and bottom crusts.
- Delicious! Sauteed cinnamon and nutmeg spiced apple slices are sandwiched between the buttery, oat crumb layers and baked to delicious golden brown.
- Childhood favorite ~ Enjoying an apple crumb bar transports me back to my childhood, and the cinnamony apple aromas of my Mom baking her apple slices recipe.
Ingredients & substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. I've included some substitutions too. Scroll to the recipe card for full quantities of all the ingredients.
- salted butter - Unsalted butter can also be used in the recipe.
- apples - Jonathon, Braeburn, Granny Smith, and Golden Delicious are some of my favorites.
- cornstarch
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- kosher salt - The larger grain salt enhances the flavor of food without making it overly salty.
- all purpose flour - White whole wheat flour is an alternative.
- light brown sugar - Dark brown sugar can also be used in the recipe.
- granulated sugar
- rolled oats - Skip the quick cooking oats for this recipe.
- vanilla ice cream - For serving. Whipped cream is also a delicious topper.
What are the best apples for baking?
There are over 7,500 different types of apples available the world. So just what kind of apple is best for my apple bar recipe?
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Golden Delicious
- Jonathon
- Braeburn
- Northern Spy
These apples hold their shape when baked. Also, they are a nice mix of sweet and tart flavors for delicious baked apple treats.
How to make apple crumble bars
Gather the simple ingredients and everyday kitchen tools to make this apple crumb bar with oats recipe. This is a brief overview of the recipe. Scroll to the recipe card for the complete instructions.
1. Make the apple filling.
- Melt salted butter in a large sauté pan. Add the peeled and sliced apples. Stir to coat the apples with the melted butter.
- In a small box mix the cornstarch with a little cold water. This slurry will help thicken any of the apple juices so the bars will not be runny.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to the apples along with cinnamon, nutmeg and kosher salt. Stir and continue cooking for a few minutes so the apples just begin to soften.
2. Make the crust and topping. It's so easy as they are both the same mixture.
- Whisk together all purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, rolled oats, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- Next grate the butter and add it to the flour mixture. This is the easiest method of incorporating it into the dry ingredients. Use either a fork or my preferred way of your fingers to make a crumbly mixture.
- Press half of the oat crumb into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish and set it aside.
3. Assemble and bake the apple crumb bars.
- Spread the apples over the bottom layer of the oat crumb mixture.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat crumb mixture over the apples and press down.
- Bake until golden brown.
Hint: Freeze the 2 sticks of butter used in the oat crumb mixture. Frozen butter is super easy to grate.
Variations
This easy apple crumb bar recipe is sure to be a hit. Try some of these variations to make the recipe one of your favorites.
- Nuts - Add ½ cup of chopped nuts along with the flour. Try pecans, walnuts or almonds.
- A touch of sweet tartness - Add ½ cup of dried cranberries or cherries to the apple filling.
- Add a drizzle of glaze - Combine 1 cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons water or milk. Drizzle over the bars when completely cool.
Expert tips
- Choose a couple different baking apples for the apple bars. I like to use some sweet and some tart for the best apple flavor. My go tos are Braeburn and Granny Smith.
- For neat, square apple bars, allow the pan of bars to cool before cutting them. If you just can't wait to eat these apple filled bars, they will taste just as good scooped from the pan with a big spoon.
How to store apple desserts
Before storing the apple bars, make sure they are completely cooled. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The bars can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Frequently asked questions
A combination of sugars is ideal for making the crumb. Brown sugar makes it tender. Granulated sugar adds a slight crunch to the crumb.
Overripe apples will cause the fruit filling to be mushy when baked.
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One more thing
Did you try this recipe?
Let me know by leaving a comment and a star rating below. Share it on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook.
Thanks ~ Amy
Recipe
Apple Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- For the filling -
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 8 cups peeled and sliced apples about 8 medium sized apples
- ¼ cup cold water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- for crumb layers -
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 sticks 1 cup salted butter (chilled or better yet frozen)
- vanilla ice cream - for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the apples. Stir to coat the apples with the melted butter.
- In a small bowl, mix the water with the cornstarch until dissolved and forms a slurry. Stir the cornstarch slurry, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg and ½ teaspoon kosher salt into the apples and reduce the heat to medium low. Continue cooking until the apples begin to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and set aside.
- For the crumb layers, in a large bowl whisk the flour, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, rolled oats, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt.
- Grate the frozen salted butter and add it to the bowl with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender, fork or your fingers to combine the mixture until it is crumbly with pieces about the size of marbles.
- In the prepared baking pan, add one-half of the crumb mixture and press down. Layer the apples on top and sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture and press down lightly.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Increase oven to 425 degrees and continue baking until the top of the bars are golden brown, about another 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven. Let cool and cut into bars.
- Serve alone or topped with vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Choose a couple different baking apples for the apple bars. I like to use some sweet and some tart for the best apple flavor. My go tos are Braeburn and Granny Smith.
- Freeze the 2 sticks of butter used in the oat crumb mixture. Frozen butter is super easy to grate.
- For neat, square apple bars, allow the pan of bars to cool before cutting them. If you just can't wait to eat these apple filled bars, they will taste just as good scooped from the pan with a big spoon.
Nutrition
Veronika says
I’m not one to make complicated pies so these bars were right up my alley! So good and perfect topped with vanilla ice cream.
Amy Liu Dong says
This recipe is so easy that I imagine. My kids love it so much!
Chandice says
The smell alone makes these worth 5 stars! But, the taste is perfect too making me feel already for fall!
Enri Lemoine says
I made these apple oat crumbs bars, and we ate them for breakfast (without ice cream). I'll make them again next weekend to give them a try with vanilla ice cream.
Katie Crenshaw says
These were the perfect treat to make for fall. The apple chunks were so tasty in the bars. I loved how they turned out.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
A taste of apple pie in a bar form is cool and excellent! They are easy to eat and very delicious.
veenaazmanov says
The combination of Oats to this Apple Crumble Bars sounds healthier. A dollop of Ice Cream over it makes it unique. Definitely yummy.
Colleen says
This recipe is so much easier than apple pie, but every bit as yummy. I will make it again for sure.
Chris Cashman Rothweiler says
Made this last night. What a great combination of apple pie and crumble. Easy to serve and delicious. This was our dessert to the Lemon Chicken One Pan dinner. We all loved it.
Amy Casey says
It is a favorite! Perfect for the fall.