Apple Pie Bars
These Apple Pie Bars are one of my mother’s oldest and favorite recipes!
Tender, luscious apples encased in a light and flaky pastry then drizzled with a sweet glaze icing make these apple bars too hard to resist!
And the best part is that they are actually easy to make! Perfect for dessert, snacks or to bring to community pot lucks!
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These yummy Apple Bars are just like holding mini apple pies in your hand! Sometimes a whole piece of apple pie is simply too much. But these apple bars are the perfect compromise to the “should I have a piece of apple pie?” dilemma! Perfectly sized to allow for that pie indulgence without the guilt!
What Do I Need To Make Apple Pie Bars
A large baking sheet – Pies are usually in a deeper pie dish, but this recipe spreads it across a baking sheet for a thin, yet delicious piece of apple pie!
Apples – I like using the traditional macintosh apple for these bars, but really any will work. Try granny smith or golden delicious, or use your favorite type of apple.
Pie Crust – you will find an easy homemade pie crust recipe here using pantry ingredients like flour, sugar, salt and shortening. Egg and milk bind everything together.
Cinnamon – I love using cinnamon all by itself in this recipe. But you can add some nutmeg, ginger or cloves. Be cautious as using too much of these spices can be overpowering.
How to make Apple Pie Bars?
Pie Crust
- Mix the dry ingredients together.
- Blend in the shortening using a pastry blender or, as I like to do, your fingers.
- Add liquid to the flour mixture and combine to form a ball. Knead slightly adding flour if necessary.
- Cut in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
Filling
- Peel, core and slice apples. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
Icing
- Combine icing sugar and water till smooth. Set aside.
Assembly
- Roll out the dough large enough to fit a cookie sheet. Patch it with pieces of dough in order to cover the entire sheet.
- Brush with egg wash then top with apple filling.
- Roll out remaining dough and cover. Brush with remaining egg wash.
- Bake and cool slightly.
- Drizzle icing over top and cool completely.
Apple Pie Bars Tips
To mix in the shortening, you can use a pastry blender or two forks. Or simply use your fingers! This way you can feel when the texture is just right.
Assemble all your ingredients ahead of time!
You will be tempted to slice into these apple bars, but it’s best to wait until they are completely cool before slicing.
Store sliced bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 day. If you have to layer them, place parchment paper between each layer.
Apple pie bars freeze very well. Store as described above, or wrap each piece individually with plastic wrap before freezing. They make the best, easy treat to add to lunch boxes!
I hope you have success making these Apple Bars. I can still recall that delicious apple pie aroma in the house waiting for me as I got off the bus after school! What an absolute treat.
More Delicious Fruit Dessert Recipes!
- Saskatoon Berry Crisp
- Plum Platz (German Plum Cake)
- Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe
- Easy Rhubarb Custard Crisp
Apple Pie Bars
Equipment
- Medium mixing bowl
- small bowl
Ingredients
Dough
- 2½ cups flour
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shortening
- 2 eggs divided into yolk and whites
- â…” cup milk approximately
Filling
- 6 medium apples peeled and sliced
- 1¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon or more to your taste
Icing
- ½ cup icing sugar
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
Dough
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Cut shortening into 1 inch cubes and add to flour. Using a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers, blend until crumbly.
- In 1 cup liquid measuring cup, beat together the egg yolks with a fork. Pour milk into the measuring cup until it reaches â…” cup.
- Pour liquid into flour mixture and stir to combine. It will begin to form into a ball at which point you can use your hands and knead it slightly. Do no over knead. If it is too wet, add a teaspoon of flour at at time until it forms a ball.
- Cut into 2 even pieces and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- In a small bowl, beat egg whites until foamy and set aside.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, combine apples, sugar and cinnamon. Toss until evenly coated.
Assembly
- Roll out one piece of dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Spread over cookie sheet. You may need to patch pieces together to make it fit.Â
- Brush with egg white. Then cover with apple filling.
- Roll remaining dough and cover the apple filling. Again, you may need to patch pieces together to cover. Seal edges together.
- Brush with egg white and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown.
Icing
- In a small bowl, combine icing sugar and water till smooth. Drizzle over warm apple bar. Cool.
Notes
- Use a pastry blender, two forks, or simply use your fingers to blend the shortening into the dry ingredients.
- Cool apple pie bars completely before slicing.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Place parchment paper between layers.
- Freeze by wrapping each piece with plastic wrap if you want a quick grab and go treat.
Nutrition
REPIN this recipe for Apple Pie Bars!
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