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:
- Simple butter-sugar-flour mixture for base & topping
- Press some of the mixture lightly into base, bake until light golden
- Filling – toss loads of fresh apples, cinnamon, sugar and flour (flour thickens juices that comes out of apples to make it jammy)
- Top with apple filling
- Mix remaining mixture with oats* then crumble over top
- 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
- Warm slice in the microwave for just 30 seconds (just to get the inside going)
- 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)
- 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) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 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
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! 😂
Love it. Me to forget reasoning make in no time and plonk on plate and be Happy. Oh yes Love to eat with my hands. DOZER is happy and ready to go, gooooo. Enjoy your selfs.
“plonk on plate and be Happy” Ah yes, that would be me too! 😂
Delicious and yummy were the comments I got.there was some discrepancy between the recipe and video about the egg. Salted caramel sauce was also a winner.
I forgot to include the egg clip in the video! I will re-upload correct video shortly 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it! N xx
Thanks Nagi, I can never pass up anything that contains apples, definitely my favourite sweet treat. I might add some chopped nuts with the oats to the topping. Can’t wait to try out this recipe.
Damn! Wish I’d thought of that 😂
Delicious and yum were the comments from the family. took your advice and made the salted vanilla sauce.
Agree there is a discrepancy between the recipe and the video about when to add the egg.
Yes! I forgot to include the clip where I added the egg, I will replace the video shortly! Sorry 🙂 N xx
You’re taking a large amount of champers with you. Are you planning to be horizonal much of the time? LOL!
Have a great time. I’m sure you will.
Can’t wait to hear and see pics of how it went. x x
Oh believe me, there was a LOT of horizontal time.. 😂
Apple crumble bar and a cup of Earl Grey tea? Absolutely perfect! Seconds? Don’t mind if I do….
Thank you Nagi. These are delicious! Greetings from London.
Ooh you tried them already??!!! Hope you’re enjoying summer Katy! I must get over to London again soon, it has been quite a few years since I’ve been back! N x
Hi Nagi
Delish looking recipe and yet sinful!
You and Dozer Have an Awesome Sauce weekend!
Hugs 🌺
But but but…. apples! Good for you! 😂
Just saw the ‘weekend’ photo on Instagram and wondered what all the food bags were about: well, explanation received ! You said you’d be soon back at Rick Stein’s and you are: have an absolutely fabulous time – hope your Mom loves it also . . . and am certain Dozer will remember ! Glad the weekend weather will be perfect and so warm for May . . .
The weather is nuts! And some of our politicians still don’t believe in climate change…
Will try immediately!!
Glad Dozer gets to go to the family get-together!!
I literally try to take him EVERYWHERE with me 😂
Hello Nagi. In your video you don’t use the egg, but, in the recipe you do. Is it either/or? Does it not really need the egg? Otherwise it looks lip-smacking lovely!! 🙂
I accidentally forgot to include it in the video! As in, I did add it but forgot to include that clip in the video 🙂 So YES egg goes in and yes it really needs it otherwise the crumbly topping is so crumbly it goes everywhere 🙂 N x
Great packing photo! It’s good to prioritize! 🙂
Oooo, the bars look delectable –both naked and dressed up! I’m a fan of apples in pies, bars, & squares! I’m very partial to the squares employing a cup of crushed cornflakes, and the bars with a cream cheese base too, so bars with extra apples, shortbread And oats? Yes, please!!!
A huge flock of rays cruising near Bondi beach were featured in US national news this morning. Wow! Remarkable and beautiful sight!
but a SCARY sight if you were IN the water!! 😂 Today there were swarms of crabs at the dog beach – Dozer was going bonkers, I was terrified (literally THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS, it looked like the sand was “moving”!)
Scary, I’m sure! I know people can swim with and feed the Rays accustomed to being hand-fed, but to encounter a huge, unexpected flock? Very scary! That many crabs in a clacking mob? (Migration?) Scary also! I’ve only ever encountered swimming at a beach totally congested with large, rubbery, harmless jellyfish for several weeks, but that wasn’t scary, just weird. I’d met someone in Florida years ago, who’d died a couple of weeks later of a Man O’ War sting, though, so I’m never blasé about potential danger.
Hi Nagi! I’m with you, I prefer fruit desserts, especially apple. Combine that with a shortbread base and I’m all in! If this and a chocolate cake were side by side I’d be in big trouble!
I think your apple cake started it all…. N xx
Making this today! I don’t have the Granny Smith’s, but I do have Pink Lady’s…so I’ll pop back and let you know how it went with the change.
Hope you and the boy have an awesome weekend away, and enjoy what really makes the world go round! 🙂
Hope you love it Leah! N x
Hi Nagi 🙂 Do you know how long does it stay fresh? Should we store it in the fridge?
Just added storage notes! Fridge if it’s hot, otherwise room temp is fine 🙂 Stays fresh up to 5 days but the top does soften a bit. Still delish. To serve to guests, I stick it under the grill/broiler to crisp the top (literally 3 minutes)
This looks delicious! What is caster sugar? Can I use regular or powdered sugar instead?
Castor sugar is similar to normal sugar but a bit more fine. It should be ok to use white sugar if you can’t get any but I wouldn’t use powdered sugar.
Thanks for that Brent! I’ll add to the recipe too 🙂 N x
Kathleen, caster sugar is exactly powdered/icing sugar 🙂
But I also see that some pages say that caster sugar is somewhere in between regular one and powdered one. Honestly, I think any sugar will work here.
It’s just slightly finer than normal white sugar but you’re right, any sugar will be fine here except perhaps powdered 🙂 N x
Caster sugar is Not powdered sugar, icing sugar, nor confectioner’s sugar. It is, as Brent stated, a fine version of granulated sugar. It is commonly used for baking in the UK and former UK colonies, except for the US. It is available in the US too, but not as easy to find in stores. It produces a nicer texture in baked goods, but regular granulated sugar can be used in recipes in place of caster sugar.
Thank you Wynn! Updated my recipe for this tip 🙂 N x
Castor sugar is either superfine or extra fine sugar or can also be referred to as berry sugar in my part of the world. it is not powdered/icing/confectioners sugar so doubt the recipe would give you the same results if powdered sugar is used.
❤️ Thanks Jocelyn updated recipe! N x
Just a white sugar, will update the recipe! N x
Loved it Nagi!!! Superb recipe.
You tried it already??? 🙂
Oooh yeah, these things are delish!
I’ve been making the exact same thing for the last couple years!! Whole family loves em…
Salted caramel to serve is a MUST! 😋
Love hearing that! 🙂