Best Apple Crisp Bars
These apple crisp bars are made with a shortcrust base, topped with a spiced apple mixture, a buttery crumble topping, and caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Shortbread crust
- 1 ¼ cups Flour AP, plain
- ¼ cup Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Butter melted, unsalted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Apple filling
- 4 cups Apples thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Flour
- 4 tablespoon Granulated sugar
Crumble topping
- ½ cup Rolled oats
- ½ cup Flour AP, plain
- ⅓ cup Brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 5 tablespoon Butter melted, unsalted
Instructions
Bake the Shortbread Crust
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line an 8 by 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and vanilla extract, stirring with a spoon until a uniform dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan using your hands or the back of a spoon. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
Prepare the Filling and Crumble
- Peel, core, and slice the apples into medium slices. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, flour, and sugar until evenly coated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and mix until thick crumble clusters form.
Assemble and Bake
- Spread the spiced apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked shortbread crust. Sprinkle the crumble topping generously over the apples.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 40 minutes until the apples are tender and the oat topping is golden brown and crisp.
- Leave the bars in the pan to cool at room temperature for at least 1–2 hours. For the cleanest cuts, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up the crust.
- Lift the cooled block out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Use a large, sharp knife to slice into 16 even squares, wiping the blade clean between cuts. Drizzle with caramel right before serving!
Notes
- Choosing Apples: Use firm, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp. They hold their shape during baking and prevent the fruit layer from turning mushy or overly sweet.
- Pre-Baking the Crust: Do not skip pre-baking the shortbread crust for 15–20 minutes. Pre-baking creates a crisp barrier that prevents the apple juices from making the bottom soggy.
- Apple Slice Thickness: Slice your peeled apples to a medium thickness (about ⅛ to ¼-inch thick). If cut too thin, the apples will break down into applesauce; if cut too thick, they won't soften completely in 40 minutes.
- Measuring Flour: Weigh your flour using a digital kitchen scale for exact accuracy. If using measuring cups, fluff the flour with a spoon, scoop loosely into the cup, and sweep off the excess with a flat edge. Packing the flour will result in a dry, crumbling crust.
- Cooling for Clean Slices: Let the bars cool completely in the pan for at least 1 to 2 hours, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before cutting. This firms up the shortbread base so you can slice them into clean, sturdy squares without crumbling.
- Caramel Drizzle: Add the caramel sauce right before serving so it stays glossy on top of the crisp oat layer without soaking through into the bars.
Nutrition
Calories: 203kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 2gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 149mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 2gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 306IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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