Marry These Apple Pie Bars are a chewy and buttery recipe, which is made with Granny Smith apples and a crunchy pecan topping. It’s the perfect fall dessert, ready in about 2 hours plus cooling time.
Jump to RecipeApple Pie Bars Ingredients
Crust and Topping
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Filling
- 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 large Honey Crisp apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice
- Pinch of salt
Glaze
- 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 cup powdered, sifted
- 1 Tbsp. milk or heavy cream
How To Make Apple Pie Bars
- Make the crust mixture: Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla with an electric mixer for 4 to 5 minutes until light and airy. On low speed, mix in the flour and salt until combined.
- Press and bake the bottom crust: With lightly moistened hands, press about three-quarters of the crust mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. Bake the crust for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Let it cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the apple cider vinegar. Add the brown sugar, cornstarch, apple pie spice, and a pinch of salt, and toss well to coat.
- Assemble and bake the bars: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the cooled crust. Take the remaining crust mixture from the refrigerator, combine it with the chopped pecans, and crumble it evenly over the top of the apples. Bake for 1 hour, until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown.
- Cool and glaze: Let the bars cool completely in the pan, about 1 to 2 hours. For the glaze, whisk together the maple syrup, butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Use the parchment paper overhangs to lift the bars from the pan before cutting into squares.
Recipe Tips
- How to get a non-soggy crust? Pre-baking the bottom crust before adding the apple filling is the most important step. This creates a firm, golden base that won’t get soggy from the fruit juices.
- What are the best apples to use? The recipe’s combination of tart Granny Smith apples and sweet, crisp Honeycrisp apples provides a perfect balance of flavor and texture.
- Can I make this ahead of time? Yes. You can bake the bars, let them cool completely, and store them, un-glazed, in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Add the glaze just before serving.
- Can I use a different nut? If you don’t have pecans, chopped walnuts would be a delicious substitute in the crumble topping.
What To Serve With Apple Pie Bars
These bars are a complete dessert, but they are even more decadent with a simple side.
- A scoop of vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream
- A dollop of fresh whipped cream
- A drizzle of extra caramel sauce
How To Store Apple Pie Bars
- Room Temperature: Store the glazed bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is very warm, it’s best to refrigerate them.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Apple Pie Bars Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Fat: 25g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Protein: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
This can happen if the butter was too soft when you started. It should be at room temperature but still hold its shape. Over-mixing after the flour is added can also cause the butter to melt and separate.
Yes. You could use an 11×7-inch pan for thicker bars, but you may need to increase the final baking time by 10-15 minutes.
No, you can use all of one type, but the combination of a tart baking apple (like Granny Smith) and a sweet eating apple (like Honeycrisp) gives the filling a more complex and balanced flavor.
Try More Recipes:
- Butterscotch-Cornflake Apple Crisp Recipe
- Apple-Pear Lattice Pie Recipe
- Cookie-Coated Caramel Apples Recipe
Apple Pie Bars Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy20
servings25
minutes1
hour25
minutes450
kcalA buttery shortbread crust is topped with spiced apples and a pecan crumble, then drizzled with a sweet maple-cream cheese glaze.
Ingredients
Crust/Topping: 2 cups butter, ¾ cup each granulated & brown sugar, 1 ½ tsp vanilla, 4 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 cup chopped pecans
Filling: 3 Granny Smith & 3 Honeycrisp apples (sliced), 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 ½ tsp apple pie spice
Glaze: 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tbsp butter, 1 oz cream cheese, ¾ cup powdered sugar, 1 tbsp milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Make the crust/topping dough by beating butter and sugars, then mixing in flour and salt.
- Press ¾ of the dough into a lined 9×13-inch pan. Chill for 15 minutes, then bake for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool.
- Toss the sliced apples with the vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and apple pie spice.
- Spread the apple filling over the cooled crust.
- Mix the pecans into the remaining dough and crumble it over the apples.
- Bake for 1 hour until the topping is golden and the apples are tender. Cool completely.
- Whisk all glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled bars before slicing.
Notes
- Pre-baking the bottom crust is the secret to a sturdy, non-soggy bar.
- Using a mix of tart and sweet apples provides the best flavor for the filling.
- Let the bars cool completely before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting.
- The parchment paper “sling” is key for lifting the bars out of the pan for easy and clean slicing.
