Apple Pie Bars with Crumble

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.

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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.

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.

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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.