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apple crumb bars
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5 from 11 votes

Apple Crumb Bars

Apple Crumb Bars are an all season treat filled with layers of juicy fruit sandwiched between a light cake base and a buttery crumble topping. They bake up a little bit different every time, depending on the apples you choose.  These apple bars are a joy!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Total Time1 hr 10 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 334kcal
Author: Sue Moran

Equipment

  • 9x9 baking pan

Ingredients

crumble

  • 3/4 cup ( 96 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup (25 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
  • 6 Tbsp  (85 grams) unsalted cold butter, cut in small pieces
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup ground walnuts (pulse in a food processor)

base

  • 3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled and thinly sliced, this will be under a pound after slicing
  • lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 Tbsp (45 ml) milk or cream
  • 1 1/4 cups (178 grams) all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • confectioner's sugar for dusting the finished bars

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F and lightly spray a 9x9 baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, if you like.
    prep shot 9x9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper
  • Put the streusel ingredients in a small bowl and blend everything together with your fingertips until there is no more raw flour.
    ingredients for crumble topping
  • Make sure to break down any large clumps of butter so there is a somewhat uniform crumbly texture. Set aside in the refrigerator.
    crumble topping for apple crumb bars
  • Toss the apple slices with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.
    A close up of sliced apples in a bowl
  • Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
    creaming butter and sugar together
  • Whisk together the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
    ingredients for apple crumb bar batter in a bowl
  • Fold the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, along with the milk or cream.
    Mixing apple crumb bars batter in a glass bowl
  • Spoon the batter in to the pan, and smooth out evenly.
    batter spread in baking pan for apple crumb bars
  • Top with the sliced apples. There's no need to arrange them precisely, but try to get them in an even layer.
    sliced apples in a pan
  • Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples.
    Crumble topped apple bars ready for the oven
  • Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Lay a loose layer of foil over the top if the crumble is browning too quickly.
    Baked pan of apple crumb bars
  • Let cool a bit in the pan before removing the sides. Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 40mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 483IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg