Sweet little apple pie bars are everything you love about pie, in easy squares. It’s our new favorite apple dessert!
Sorry apple pie, but these apple pie bars have you beat by a mile! They’re adapted from my Blackberry Pie Bars and I’m so excited to turn those easy summer fruit bars into a fun fall dessert.
- The fresh apple filling is juicy and tart.
- The flaky pastry is perfect ~ crust lovers will appreciate the proportion of crust to filling!
- The glaze takes it over the top.
apple pie bars method
My method is simple and these slab style pie bars are a rustic dessert, like my Rustic Apple Galette, so don’t stress over neatness or precision.
- Roll out my 2-crust pastry recipe into rectangles.
- Top with a quick stove top apple pie filling. I dice the apples small, add lemon juice for tang and a hint of spice.
- Add the top crust, crimp and bake.
- Glaze the cooled slab and let set up before slicing.
apple pie bars variations
You can use firm pears in place of apples.
Use ground cardamom instead of the mixed spices. Cardamom and apple go particularly well together.
Toss a few raisins or dried cranberries into the filling.
Add Bourbon/Calvados to the filling, 1-2 tablespoons.
Add a small amount of finely minced rosemary to the apple filling.
Substitute apple butter for the filling.
the bottom line
This recipe turns a full-on pie project into a user-friendly bar dessert, I think you’ll love it. The crust has a great texture, and the dough is easy to handle if you’re someone who tends to avoid homemade pastry. The big win for me is the apple filling which can trend too sweet in many recipes. Mine has a shot of lemon to perk it up, so the little chunks of apple have a vibrant flavor. The glaze makes the whole thing irresistible. Watch for more variations going forward, I love this dessert.
Apple Pie Bars
Equipment
- parchment paper
Ingredients
filling
- 4 cups peeled apples* cut in small dice, aim for 1/4-1/3 inch dice, (about 3-4 apples)
- juice of half a lemon
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup apple cider, apple juice, or water
pastry crust
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut in pieces
- 1/4 cup cold water
glaze
- 1 cup (heaped) confectioner's sugar
- water for thinning
Instructions
- First make the filling. This step can also be done the day before if you like. Toss your diced apples in the lemon juice to keep them from browning and add to a saucepan along with the 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp each cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 pinch salt, and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Stir well to combine, then add the 1/4 cup apple cider, apple juice, or water. Bring up to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Once at a boil lower the heat and simmer gently for about 5 minutes until the mixture is thickened and glossy. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 350F
- Now on to the crust. Pulse the 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour and 1 tsp salt a few times in a food processor to combine. Add the cold chunks of 1 cup unsalted butter to the bowl and pulse about 20 times until the mixture is grainy. (You can do this by hand if you prefer using a pastry cutter, forks, or your fingers.)
- Add the 1/4 cup cold water, a little at a time, while continuing to pulse, until the dough just comes together when you pinch it between your fingers. Stop the machine to check it. NOTE: you may not need all of the water, but I always do.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and bring it together into a ball. If there is still any remaining dry flour make sure to knead that into the dough to get it all incorporated. If your dough is too sticky, add a touch more flour.
- Cut the ball of dough in half, form two flat rectangles. Starting with one rectangle (cover the other with plastic) roll out to 8"x11", give or take. Transfer the dough to a sheet of parchment paper and place on a baking sheet. Spoon the cooled filling onto the dough, leaving about an inch of free space all around the edges.
- Roll out the top crust to the same size, and carefully place over the filling, pressing down all around the edges to seal. Be sure to crimp or roll up the edges securely so the filling will not leak out during baking.
- Bake for about 40 minutes until golden. Let cool before glazing.
- To make the glaze whisk or stir the 1 cup (heaped) confectioner's sugar together with the water, a tablespoon at a time, until you get a glaze consistency. Spread it liberally over the top of the cooled pie. Let the glaze set up before slicing.
- Store apple pie bars at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
more apple desserts
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Apple Cider Doughnut Cake
Apple Cider Doughnut Cake is a warm cinnamon apple bundt cake that tastes just like Fall's iconic apple cider doughnuts. It's basically everything you love about the season, baked up in a pan.
Maple Walnut Apple Crisp
The classic apple crisp just got an upgrade with the rich caramel flavor of maple syrup and crunchy walnuts! It’s the ultimate fall dessert.
Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake
Jump into fall baking with my cinnamon apple coffee cake recipe ~ it will fill your kitchen with the enticing aroma of cinnamon and apples.
Apple Cider Doughnut Cobbler
One of a kind Apple Cider Doughnut Cobbler ~ it's apple cobbler meets cider doughnuts for the most creative new fall dessert!
Easy Puff Pastry Apple Strudel
A delicious puff pastry apple strudel that’s easier to make than it looks! For breakfast or dessert with a sweet vanilla glaze.
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