These apple pie bars have a buttery shortcrust base, a soft cinnamon apple filling, and a golden crumble topping. The best part? The base and topping start with the same mixture, so there’s no need to prepare two separate doughs. They’re everything you love about homemade apple pie, baked into easy-to-slice squares.
It’s mid-October, and while the days are still fairly warm, the evenings are finally getting cooler. With so many wonderful apples in season, I couldn’t resist making these apple pie crumble bars.
I love a good apple pie, but sometimes I want something a little easier to serve and share. These bars have all those familiar apple pie flavors, with a buttery base that holds the filling and a generous crumble topping.
And I especially love that I can make both the base and topping from the same mixture. It’s one less step, and the results are just as delicious.
Why you’ll love these apple pie bars
- One mixture, two layers – The buttery flour mixture makes both the crumble topping and shortcrust base. Simply divide it, then add egg yolk, milk, and vanilla to one half to make the dough.
- Homemade apple pie filling – Tender apples cooked with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg give these bars that classic apple pie flavor.
- Perfect for sharing – Unlike traditional apple pie, these bars are easy to slice, pack, and serve at gatherings.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can prepare the pastry mixture and apple filling ahead of time, then assemble and bake when you’re ready.
Ingredients and substitutions
- For the base and crumble topping
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base of both the pastry and crumble topping. There’s no need to make two separate mixtures.
- Butter – Use cold, cubed unsalted butter for a tender, crumbly texture. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt.
- Sugar – White granulated sugar adds sweetness and helps the crumble turn lightly golden.
- Spices – Ground ginger and nutmeg add a subtle warmth to the buttery pastry.
- Additional ingredients for the pastry base
- Egg yolk – Helps bind the crumb mixture into a dough that can be rolled and baked into a sturdy base.
- Milk – Adds just enough moisture to bring the dough together.
- Vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the pastry. You can also use vanilla bean paste.
- For the apple pie filling
- Apples – I like combining firm apples such as Granny Smith or Braeburn with sweeter varieties like Gala or Golden Delicious. This gives the filling a nice balance of flavor and texture.
- Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and a light caramel flavor to the apples.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the apple juices as the filling cooks, preventing the bars from becoming soggy.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg – Give the filling its classic apple pie flavor.
Step-by-step: How to make apple pie crumble bars
Prepare the shortcrust base and crumble topping
- Make the crumble mixture – Add the flour, sugar, salt, ground ginger, nutmeg, and cold cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. You can also use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Divide the mixture – Transfer half the crumble mixture to a separate bowl. Refrigerate it until you’re ready to assemble the bars. This will be your crumble topping.
- Make the pastry base – To the remaining mixture in the food processor, add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. Pulse just until the mixture begins to come together.
- Chill the dough – Transfer the mixture to a work surface and gently bring it together into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate for about 15 minutes, or until firm enough to roll.
- Prepare the pan – Roll out the chilled dough and fit it into a 9-inch square baking pan. Prick the base with a fork.
Pro tip: Don’t overwork the dough. It may look crumbly at first, but it should come together when gently pressed. Overmixing can make the pastry tough.
Prepare the apple pie filling
- Prepare the apples – Peel, core, and chop the apples into small, evenly sized cubes.
- Combine – Add the apples to a saucepan with the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir until evenly coated.
- Cook – Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and release their juices. Continue until the juices thicken into a glossy filling.
- Cool – Remove from the heat and allow the filling to cool until barely warm before assembling.
- Pro tip: The filling should be thick rather than watery. This helps keep the shortcrust base crisp and makes the finished bars easier to slice.
Assemble and bake
- Preheat – Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C (conventional oven).
- Prebake the base – Bake the shortcrust base for 15–20 minutes. This helps prevent the apple filling from making the pastry soggy.
- Add the filling – Spread the cooled apple pie filling evenly over the partially baked base.
- Add the crumble – Sprinkle the reserved cold crumble mixture over the apples, covering the filling evenly. Gently squeeze some of the crumbs together for larger clusters.
- Bake – Return to the oven and bake for another 25–30 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly golden.
- Cool and slice – Let the bars cool completely in the pan before cutting into 16 squares or 12 larger bars.
- Pro tip: Don’t rush the cooling. The filling continues to set as it cools, giving you cleaner slices that hold together.
Apple Pie Bars with Crumble
This easy apple pie-inspired dessert is a great way to use your autumn apple bounty and is especially wonderful during the holiday season. Learn how to make these easy-to-make apple pie bars with a crumble top at home.
Video
Ingredients
- 375 g (3 cups) All-purpose flour
- 100 g (½ cup) White granulated sugar
- 340 g (1½ cup) Cold unsalted butter cubed
- ¼ tsp Kosher salt
- ¼ tsp Ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 2 tbsp Whole milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 4 large Apples (about 4 cups chopped)
- 55 g (¼ cup) Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
Method
- Crumble top – In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cold cubed butter. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Transfer half the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate. This is the crumble topping.375 g All-purpose flour, ¼ tsp Kosher salt, 340 g Cold unsalted butter, 2 tbsp Whole milk, 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- Base – To the remaining mixture, add the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. Pulse until the mixture begins to come together. Transfer to a work surface and gently shape into a disk. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until firm enough to roll. Roll out the dough and line the bottom of a 9-inch square baking pan. Prick the pastry with a fork. Bake the shortcrust base for 15–20 minutes.¼ tsp Ground ginger, ⅛ tsp Ground nutmeg
- Apple pie filling – Peel, core, and chop the apples into small cubes. Combine the apples, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften slightly and their juices thicken. Remove from the heat and cool until barely warm.4 large Apples , 55 g Brown sugar, ½ tsp Kosher salt, 1 large Egg yolk
- Oven – Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C.
- Assemble – Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the partially baked base. Sprinkle the reserved chilled crumble mixture evenly over the apples.
- Bake for another 25–30 minutes until the crumble is lightly golden. Cool completely before cutting into 16 squares or 12 larger bars.
Notes
- The base and crumble topping begin with the same mixture. Divide it before adding the egg yolk, milk, and vanilla.
- Keep the reserved crumble topping chilled until ready to use.
- Do not overmix the pastry dough.
- Cook the apple filling until thickened to prevent a soggy base.
- Prebaking the pastry helps keep the bottom firm.
- Cool completely for clean slices.
- Make ahead: Prepare the pastry mixture up to 3 days ahead and the apple filling up to 2 days ahead.
- Refrigerate separately.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for success
- Keep the butter cold. Cold butter creates a tender pastry and crumbly topping. If the crumble starts to soften, refrigerate it before baking.
- Divide the mixture before adding the wet ingredients. Only the base needs egg yolk, milk, and vanilla. The topping should remain crumbly.
- Don’t overwork the pastry. Mix just until the dough comes together, or the base may become tough.
- Cook the apples until the juices thicken. Excess liquid can soften the shortcrust base, even after prebaking.
- Prebake the base. Those first 15–20 minutes help create a sturdy pastry layer that supports the apple filling.
- Cool completely before slicing. Warm bars are more likely to crumble or fall apart.
more apple recipes to try
- Apple Crumble Tart
- Dutch Apple Pie
- Moist Apple Pie Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Cake
- Braided Apple Puff Pastry
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Possible cause and solution |
|---|---|
| Base is soggy | The apple filling was too wet or the pastry wasn’t prebaked long enough. |
| Pastry is tough | The dough was overworked after adding the egg yolk and milk. |
| Crumble is soft | The butter became too warm. Keep the topping chilled until baking. |
| Bars fall apart | They were sliced before the filling had cooled and set. |
| Crumble browns too quickly | Loosely cover with foil and continue baking until the bars are done. |
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can substitute one cup of flour with one cup of oats to make a wonderful streusel topping. Keep everything else the same and follow the same process.
Yes, but add them only to the reserved crumble topping after dividing the mixture. Replacing flour with oats in the entire mixture would also change the shortcrust base.
Absolutely. Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds make a lovely addition. Stir them into the reserved crumble topping before sprinkling it over the apples.
Yes. You can prepare the pastry mixture up to 3 days ahead and the apple filling up to 2 days ahead. Keep both refrigerated until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
Apples pair well with almonds, pistachios, and macadamia. I often add cashews and make these into cashew cherry bars.
I recommend it for this recipe. Cooking softens the apples and thickens their juices before they go onto the pastry base. This gives you a tender apple filling without making the crust too wet.
more crumble bars you may like
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Hi, I’m Veena
I’m the recipe developer, baker, and food photographer behind Veena Azmanov Kitchen.
I’ve spent years developing and testing recipes, from everyday meals and homemade breads to cakes and desserts.
I share the practical tips and little details I’ve learned along the way so you can get great results in your own kitchen.
I love everything about these crumble bars. It takes me back to my childhood. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
I love your idea of adding garam masala to this apple pie crumble to make it a little different.
Thanks Kelly. I do love garam masala.
You know I am dying to go apple picking and now I know exactly what to do with them apples!
Oh you must make these Sarah. So good.
These apple crumble bars look beyond delish! Can’t wait to try the recipe 🙂
Thanks, Chris.
In love with the texture of these bars! I want them in my mouth right now!!! Also, they sound so easy to put together, need to try them soon!
They are so easy to make, Neha. You must try
This is the perfect way to use up all the apples in the house! The crumb topping is to die for!
Thanks, Patty. I love crumbs so much
Oh my gosh, Veena! I was looking for a unique recipe for a bunch of apples that I was just gifted and this is it. I love that you can make the topping ahead of time and really appreciated your how-to pictures. I think I can almost smell the goodness!
Yes, these were so good Sally. You must try. So easy to make too.