Apple Crumble Bars
These apple crumble bars have a crunchy oat base, stewed apple filling, and a golden brown crumble topping. Make a batch as a comforting dessert or handy snack, especially in the fall season after a successful trip to the orchard.
Growing up, my mum made the same apple cake for my birthday every year. The recipe was from a community cookbook and it was called ‘Mexican Apple Torte’.’ Now, I still wonder what the Mexican element was, but these oaty apple crumble bars are pretty much the same as the cake I celebrated every new year around the sun with. My eldest daughter Ella is an avid baker and perfected the recipe for me over the years, and now we make the cake for each other’s birthdays as well. I feel we have come full circle!
Enjoy the apple bars warm or cold with a dusting of powdered sugar or a generous dollop of German whipped cream or brown sugar whipped cream.
For more easy apple desserts, check out my cookie apple crisp and apple croissants as well.
If you loved this Apple Crumble Bar Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating below. Thank you!
Apple Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Oat Base Layer
- 1/3 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
Stewed Apple Filling
- 7 medium-sized apples Peeled, cored, 3/4-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Crumb Topping
- 1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mix thoroughly until thoroughly combined.1/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Add the rolled oats, flour, salt, and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Mix until a dough forms. Be careful not to overmix the dough at this stage. Press the dough into the prepared pan in an even base layer to create the bottom crust.1/2 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt
- Add the apple pieces, lemon juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar to a medium-sized, lidded pot. Stir to combine all ingredients. Stew the apples with the lid covering the pot on medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. The apples should be softened but still hold their shape. Drain any excess liquid from the spices apples and spread them evenly over the bottom crust in an even layer.7 medium-sized apples, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, flour, and butter using your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the apple mixture.1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour
- Bake the apple bars in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the crumbs are golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly.
- Let the bars cool lightly in the pan before slicing them in bars or squares.
Notes
Nutrition
Ingredients and substitutions
- Apples – Fresh Granny Smith, Pink Lady, or Honey Crisp are the best apples to use for stewing. Peeled, cored, and cut into small 3/4-inch pieces. You can also include some other fruits such as pears, plums, or rhubarb.
- Sugar – You’ll need brown and granulated sugar for this recipe. You can also use coconut sugar instead of white sugar for the crumb mixture.
- Butter – Use salted or unsalted butter at room temperature. If using unsalted butter add a pinch of salt to the base layer to balance out the flavors.
- Oats – The rolled oat base layer adds a crunchy texture to the apple pie bars. You can use quick oats instead of rolled oats.
- Lemon – 1 tbsp of freshly pressed lemon juice or the juice of about 1/2 lemon stops the apples from turning brown.
- Flavorings – Vanilla extract adds warmth to the oaty base while ground cinnamon provides spice and warmth for the apple pie filling. You can use vanilla syrup or essence as well. Add 1/2 tsp of my homemade chai mix to the apple filling to add some spice to the slice.
