Description
Delicious homemade Apple Crumb Bars featuring a buttery crumb crust layered with a sweet and tangy spiced apple filling, baked to golden perfection. Perfect for dessert or a cozy snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Crumb Topping
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
Apple Filling
- 5 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Mix well to integrate all dry components evenly.
- Add Butter and Egg: Add the chilled butter cubes and the egg to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, crumble the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Form Crust: Press half of the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to create the crust layer.
- Prepare Apple Filling: In a separate bowl, combine the diced apples, light brown sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
- Layer Filling: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust in the baking dish.
- Add Crumb Topping: Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the apple layer, pressing down gently to distribute it well.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the apples are bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the dish on a wire rack before cutting into squares to help them set properly.
Notes
- Use tart apples like Granny Smith for the best balance of sweetness and acidity.
- Make sure the butter is chilled to achieve a crumbly texture in the crust and topping.
- For easier removal, line the baking dish with parchment paper and leave overhang on the sides.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- These bars can be served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra treat.
