These Apple Bars are one of my mother’s oldest recipes! 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!
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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Apple Bars
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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 a super compromise to the “should I have a piece of apple pie?” dilemma! Perfectly sized to allow for that pie indulgence without the guilt!
How to make Apple Bars?
- First, prepare your pie crust. Mix the dry ingredients together, then blend in the shortening using a pastry blender or, as I like to do, your fingers. I like to be able to feel that the shortening has been incorporated into the flour.
- Add the liquid to the flour mixture and combine to form a ball. At this point knead slightly adding flour if necessary. Cut in half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
- Prepare the filling by combining the apples, sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Roll out the dough to fit a cookie sheet. Feel free to patch 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. Drizzle icing over top and cool completely.
Which apple works best for Apple Bars?
My preference is the traditional Macintosh apple for these bars, but really any will work. I think a delicious Granny Smith apple would be oh so delicious as well!
Other great recipes to try:
Fruit and Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
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 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 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 2/3 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. Meanwhile beat egg whites until foamy and set aside.
Filling
- Combine apples, sugar and cinnamon and toss until evenly coated.
Assembly
- Roll out one piece of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Spread over cookie sheet. You may need to patch pieces together to make it fit.
- 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
- Combine icing sugar and water till smooth. Drizzle over warm apple bar. Cool.
