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Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Bars Recipe

4.5 from 62 reviews

Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Bars combine the chewy cinnamon goodness of snickerdoodle cookies with the sweet, gooey comfort of classic apple pie filling. These bars have a snickerdoodle crust and topping sandwiching a spiced apple filling, making them a perfect fall dessert served warm with ice cream.

Ingredients

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Snickerdoodle Dough

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Apple Pie Filling

  • 4 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples (about 4 medium apples)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Prepare Snickerdoodle Dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to form a soft dough.
  2. Make the Apple Pie Filling: In a medium bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Ensure the apples are evenly coated—this mixture will thicken while baking to create a gooey filling.
  3. Assemble the Bars: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper or grease it lightly. Take about one-third of the snickerdoodle dough and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the base crust.
  4. Add the Apple Filling: Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the snickerdoodle crust layer, making sure it covers the surface completely.
  5. Top with Remaining Dough: Crumble the remaining snickerdoodle dough over the top of the apple filling to form a crumbly topping.
  6. Sprinkle Cinnamon Sugar: Mix together the cinnamon and sugar for the topping, then sprinkle it evenly over the crumbly dough layer to create a sweet, spiced crust once baked.
  7. Bake the Bars: Place the baking pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly and thickened.
  8. Cool and Serve: Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes to set. Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a delightful contrast of hot and cold.

Notes

  • Use tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best balance of sweet and tart in the filling.
  • Make sure to slice the apples thinly so they cook through evenly and become soft and gooey while baking.
  • These bars are delicious served warm but can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
  • For added flavor, sprinkle a little ground nutmeg or allspice in the snickerdoodle dough if desired.
  • Feel free to add a drizzle of caramel sauce over the bars before serving for extra indulgence.

Keywords: snickerdoodle, apple pie bars, apple dessert, fall dessert, cinnamon apple bars, holiday dessert