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A side angle shot of three easy apple pie bars stacked on top of each other served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting over top.

Flaky Apple Pie Bars with Walnut Crumble

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  • Author: Jess Larson
  • Prep Time: 35 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours
  • Yield: 32 bars 1x
  • Category: Pies, Desserts
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American

Description

If there’s one thing Midwesterners are kinda crazy for, it’s dessert bars. There’s something so endearing about baking a big batch of bars to share with the people you love – especially for a holiday celebration.

This Easy Apple Pie Bars recipe comes straight from my mom’s kitchen. It’s one of my all-time favorite fall desserts and I’m excited to share it with you!

One of the reasons they’re so special are their 3 layers of texture: tender spiced apples, a hearty and crunchy walnut-oat crumble topping, and the most delicate and flaky homemade crust. For an especially flaky crust, be sure to work the dough as minimally as possible – I like using a food processor, which makes it really easy to quickly get the dough just right. 

I love serving these bars warm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. It’s the perfect low-fuss sweet treat for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any fall celebration! 

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Pie Bars Filling:

  • 3 pounds Granny Smith apples (approx. 8-10), peeled and cut into ¼-inch thick slices
  • 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Crust:

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter (2 sticks or 16 tablespoons), diced into small cubes
  • ⅔ cup cold milk

Walnut Crumble Topping:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick or 8 tablespoons), softened
  • ¾ cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, ensuring a rack is positioned in the center of the oven. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. Gather and prep all ingredients according to the Ingredients List above, e.g. peel and slice apples, dice cold butter for the crust and set it in the fridge, chop walnuts, etc.Apple pie bars ingredients arranged on a creamy white textured surface: Granny Smith apples, light brown sugar, Bob's Red Mill Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour, ground cinnamon, granulated sugar, kosher salt, cold unsalted butter, cold milk, Bob's Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats, and walnuts.
  2. Prepare the walnut crumble topping: In a large bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt, mixing to combine well. Add the butter, using your fingers to work it into the dry ingredients until the oat mixture holds together in nice, big clumpy pieces. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Set aside.Walnut crumble topping for apple pie bars fills a large glass mixing bowl that sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  3. Prepare the apple pie bars filling: In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss to combine well, ensuring the apples are evenly coated with brown sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.Apple pie bar filling fills a large ceramic mixing bowl that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A wooden spoon resting inside of the bowl for mixing.
  4. Prepare the crust: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse a handful of times to quickly bring the mixture together. Pull the diced cold butter out of the fridge and add it to the food processor. Pulse it into the flour until the butter begins to cut into the flour mixture – some pieces of butter will be very small and coated with flour (it will look like fluffy parmesan cheese!), and some pieces of butter will still be large, which is ideal for a tender, flaky crust. While pulsing constantly, slowly and gradually add just enough cold milk to form a loose dough. The dough should be slightly wet to the touch, with pieces of butter still visible. (Alternately, if you do not have a food processor, you can mix everything in a large bowl, using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the dough.)Crust dough for easy apple pie bars fills the bowl of a food processor that sits atop a creamy white textured surface.
  5. Assemble the apple crumble pie bars: Transfer the dough mixture to the prepared sheet pan. Working quickly, use your fingers to press the crust dough such that it evenly covers the entire bottom of the pan. If the mixture gets too warm (you’ll notice your fingers feeling oily), you can transfer it to the freezer for a few minutes to chill back down. Toss the sliced apples with the sugary juices at the bottom of the bowl, then starting at one end of the crust, arrange the sliced apples in a single overlapping row spanning to the opposite end. Repeat until the entire crust is completely and evenly covered. Sprinkle the walnut crumble over the apples in an even layer.Partially assembled apple pie bars fill a half sheet pan that sits atop a creamy white textured surface. A woman's hand spreads walnut crumble topping over a layer of overlapping Granny Smith apples. A bowl filled with walnut crumble topping rests alongside the half sheet pan.
  6. Bake the apple pie bars: Place the apple pie bars in the oven & bake 45-50 minutes, until until the apples are tender, the filling juices are bubbling around the edges, and the crumble is golden. [gallery columns="2" size="full" ids="35313,35314"]
  7. Serving: Allow to cool slightly, at least 20 minutes, before slicing and serving. Mom serves these pie bars warm, topped with a generous scoop of vanilla or salted caramel ice cream. Enjoy!A sheet pan of apple pie bars rests atop a creamy white textured surface. The apple pie bars have been cut and some bars have been served on a small white plates that surround the half sheet pan. A small spatula rests on the sheet pan with a single apple pie resting on top. Silver forks rest atop the plates of served apple pie bars.

Equipment

Notes

  • Storage: Given their crumbly topping, these apple pie bars are best enjoyed the day they’re baked, though leftovers will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Cool completely and transfer to an airtight container, then store in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave as desired.

Find it online: https://playswellwithbutter.com/apple-pie-bars-with-walnut-crumble/