Apple crumble bars have a flaky crust, juicy apple filling, and a buttery cobbled topping. These easy dessert bars are so fun to bake in fall with fresh apples for a delicious treat or easy Thanksgiving dessert.
Apple crumble bars with a flaky bottom crust, juicy apple filling, and buttery crumble topping are a delicious and easy dessert recipe to bake for fall.
If you're planning to serve this as an easy Thanksgiving dessert, you'll love a drizzle of caramel sauce right over the top!
This is such a great apple recipe to keep in your files for using up that huge bag of apples after a trip to the orchard with the kids this fall.
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Why This is the Best Recipe
I just love baking easy apple desserts during the fall but I think this is the best apple crumble bars recipe because:
- Easier Than Apple Pie: Just like the silly phrase says, these apple crumble bars are so much easier to make than an apple pie if you're a new baker. The bottom crust is easy to roll out right in the baking pan.
- Buttery and Flaky: The crumble dough has an awesome texture you'll love.
- Sweet Apple Filling: A splash of apple cider makes the juicy apple filling extra delicious.
- Fun to Bake: Baking with kids? They'll love to help pinch the dough to form the apple crumbles on top.
Ingredients
These easy apple crumble bars only need a few pantry ingredients:
- Fresh Apples: I love to use Granny Smith apples when I make apple desserts.
- Apple Cider
- Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Powdered Sugar
- Butter
- Cinnamon
- Cornstarch
- Salt
Make the Crumble Dough
The crumble dough will be used for both the bottom crust of the bars as well as the crumble topping.
Start by add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment.
In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar.
With the mixer turned on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and beat until the dough just comes together.
Don't over mix the dough or it will become tough, stop mixing when it is still slightly crumbly but thoroughly mixed with the butter.
You can finish it off by gently kneading the dough to form a firm dough ball with your hands.
Bake the Bottom Crust First
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with a piece of parchment paper.
Take ⅔ of the crumble dough and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan.
It is helpful to use a second piece of parchment paper over the top and roll the dough out with a pastry roller. Just remember to remove the top parchment before baking.
Bake the empty bottom crust for 20 minutes and set aside.
Prepare the Apple Filling
Peel and core the apples. Slice them thinly and then chop.
To save yourself plenty of time and effort, this easy apple peeler, slicer, and corer tool will make quick work of the apples for any apple recipe you want to make this season.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine.
Add the cornstarch and whisk until blended.
Add the chopped apples and salt and stir to combine.
When the juices are slightly thickened, remove the apple mixture from the heat and pour it evenly over the prepared pie crust in the baking dish.
Assemble the Apple Crumble Bars
Pinch and drop the remaining ⅓ of the apple crumble dough over the top of the apple filling in the baking pan.
Bake the apple crumble bars for 30 minutes, or until the topping is slightly golden brown.
Let cool before slicing to serve.
How to Use the Crumble Dough for a Pie
Once you taste how delicious the crumble dough is, you might be interested in using it to make an apple crumble pie.
I recommend starting with King Arthur's apple pie filling recipe.
You could use a store bought pie crust for the bottom crust and then just pinch this apple crumble dough over the top of the pie and bake.
Serving Suggestions
While these apple crumble bars are delicious just on their own, if you're serving them as an easy Thanksgiving dessert you might be interested in adding a little something more to make them extra special.
I suggest drizzling my homemade salted caramel sauce over the top. You could add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to serve them a la mode or you could even sprinkle some chopped pumpkin spice pecans over the top for crunch.
More Apple Recipes
If you love to bake with fresh apples, you will love these fun fall recipes:
More Dessert Bars
If you love slice and serve dessert bars for parties, you won't want to miss these other easy recipes:
📖 Recipe
Apple Crumble Bars
Ingredients
For the Crumble Topping and Bottom Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) butter softened
- 3 cups flour
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
For the Apple Filling:
- 3 large Granny Smith apples
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon apple cider
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Crumble Dough
- Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour and powdered sugar. With the mixer turned on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter and beat until the dough just comes together.
- Don't over mix the dough or it will become tough, stop mixing when it is still slightly crumbly but thoroughly mixed with the butter. You can finish it off by gently kneading the dough to form a firm dough ball with your hands.
Prepare the Bottom Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13 baking dish with a piece of parchment paper.
- Take ⅔ of the crumble dough and spread it evenly over the bottom of the pan. It is helpful to use a second piece of parchment paper over the top and roll the dough out with a pastry roller. Remove the top parchment before baking.
- Bake the empty bottom crust for 20 minutes and set aside.
Prepare the Apple Filling
- Peel and core the apples. Slice them thinly and then chop.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apple cider, brown sugar, and cinnamon and stir to combine.
- Add the cornstarch and whisk until blended.
- Add the chopped apples and salt and stir to combine.
- When the juices are slightly thickened, remove the apple mixture from the heat and pour it evenly over the prepared pie crust in the baking dish.
- Pinch and drop the remaining ⅓ of the apple crumble dough over the top of the apples.
- Bake the apple crumble bars for 30 minutes, or until the topping is slightly golden brown.
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