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Apple Crumb Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 85 reviews

Delight in these classic Apple Crumb Bars featuring a tender buttery crust, a warm cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and a crunchy crumb topping. Perfect for a comforting dessert or snack, these bars combine a luscious apple mixture cooked on the stovetop with a crumbly, baked topping for an irresistible treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Filling:

  • 4 cups (372 g) apples, peeled, cored, and diced (Fuji, Gala, other)
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, gently packed
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 6 Tbsp (85 g) butter

Crust and Crumb Topping:

  • 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, (stir, spoon, & level)
  • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, (2 sticks) cold + cut into Tablespoons
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 13×9-inch baking dish with parchment paper leaving some overhang on the sides for easy bar removal.
  2. Macerate Apples: In a large bowl, combine the diced apples with brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Toss well and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the apples to release their juices.
  3. Cook Apple Filling: Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the apple mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  4. Make Crust and Topping Mixture: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the cold butter tablespoon by tablespoon while mixing, until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
  5. Add Egg to Crust Mixture: Add the large egg to the crumb mixture and mix until just combined into large crumbs.
  6. Assemble Bars: Press two-thirds of the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Spread the cooked apple filling evenly over the crust. Then crumble the remaining dough evenly over the top as a crumb topping.
  7. Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 35 minutes until the crumb topping is lightly golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling in the center.
  8. Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan, then cut into squares and serve. Store covered at room temperature.

Notes

  • Use tart or sweet apples like Fuji or Gala for best flavor and texture.
  • Ensure butter is cold before adding to crumbs to achieve a flaky texture.
  • Allow bars to cool completely before cutting to help them set.
  • For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
  • These bars keep well at room temperature covered for up to 3 days.

Keywords: apple crumb bars, apple dessert, crumb topping bars, baked apple bars, cinnamon apple bars

Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/apple-crumb-bars-recipe/