Apple Crisp Bars Recipe (2024)

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by Haley//July 12, 2016 (updated November 18, 2020)

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Apple Crisp Bars are easy to make from scratch. This recipe uses a basic shortbread crust topped with apple slices and a simple flavorful crisp.

Apple Crisp Bars Recipe (1)

Sliced apples and crumble topping with a shortbread crust—now that’s a dessert I can get behind. This recipe for apple crisp bars is one of my go-to’s.Warm, cold, with ice cream, for breakfast, any way you eat them, they are delicious.

For those of you who usually reach for the boxed apple crisp topping, I think it’s worth trying to make it from scratch. I’ll break the homemade recipe down for you.

What inspired me to make this recipe? Well, my mom made apple crisp all the time when I was growing up. I loved it so much, especially the crumble topping. I wanted to replicate the dessert, but make it mobile. The simplest answer is to make apple crisp into bars. All it took was making a shortbread crust for the apples to sit on.

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Table of Contents

Step by step instructions

Start with the shortbread crust: The base of these apple crisp bars is a shortbread crust⁠—butter, brown sugar, vanilla and flour. Beat those ingredients together and press the dough into a baking pan. Pre-bake the crust at 350° F so it’s sturdy enough to hold the apple filling and crumble topping.

Make the apple crisp filling: Peel, core and slice apples to make the filling. The job is made easy with this apple peeler. Then toss the apples in flour to prevent a runny filling and sugar for extra sweetness.

Prepare the crumble topping: Crumble topping requires sugar, flour, cinnamon and cold butter crumbled together. When butter is cold, it won’t get completely incorporated into the mixture (which we want). Use a pastry cutter to obtain pea size crumbles. The butter will melt in the oven to create a crispy topping.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Best apples for apple crisp:

Similar to apple pie, apple crisp bars require the same type of apples. I like to use a mix ofGranny Smith and Honeycrisp. Granny Smith are juicy, tart and firm, while Honeycrisp is slightly sweet and crisp. Other good varieties include Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Braeburn and Golden Delicious.

How to store apple crisp bars

Apple crisp bars are best when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They are best served at room temperature or warm. You can reheat apple crisp bars in the oven. Place the bars on a parchment-lined baking sheet or back in the 8×8 baking pan. Reheat at 300° F for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through.

Can you freeze apple crisp bars?

Yes, once the bars have cooled, place the 8×8 baking pan in the refrigerator for the filling to set. Once chilled, use the parchment paper to live the entire uncut bar out of the pan. Keep parchment paper on and wrap the entire bar with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Store on a flat surface in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating, cutting and serving. Bars can also be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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More apple recipes

I have a slew of apple recipes in the archive, but here are a few of my favorites from my blog and others!

  • Apple cheesecake bars – similar to this recipe, but with a layer of cheesecake in the center
  • Homemade apple pie recipe – My go-to recipe for apple pie!
  • Easy apple crumble pie – a pie version of these bars.
  • Easy apple crisp – Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • Apple galette – thinly sliced apples in a rustic presentation.

Apple bars are a must try during the fall season. The layers of sweet apples are crisp and tart, which complement the shortbread crust and streusel topping perfectly. Honestly, they are truly delicious!

I’d love to see how you apple crisp bars turned out! If you try one of my recipes, be sure to tag @ifyougiveablondeakitchenon social media!

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Get the Recipe: Easy Apple Crisp Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 57 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Apple Crisp Bars are easy to make from scratch—promise. This recipe uses a basic shortbread crust topped with apple slices and a simple flavorful crisp.

4.99 (199 ratings)

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Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (147 g) all-purpose flour

Apple Filling

  • 4 cups (500 g) apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 4-5 medium apples)
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Crisp Topping

  • ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Instructions

Shortbread Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving extra hanging over the ends, spray with cooking spray.

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until combined and dough is crumbly.

  • Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until dough is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and set aside, maintain oven temperature.

Apple Filling

  • Peel, core and chop apples into slices (this apple peeler/corer does the job in minutes). In a large bowl, combine apples, flour and sugar. Mix until apples are thoroughly coated. Arrange apples on baked crust.

Crisp Topping

  • In a medium bowl, mix together first five ingredients. With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Spread topping over apples in an even layer.

  • Bake uncovered at 350º F for 45 minutes, or until topping is golden and apple mixture is bubbly. Let cool, lift apple crisp using the extra parchment paper at the ends as handles, and cut into bars.

Notes

Best apples for baking: Use crisp or tart apples such as Granny Smith and Honeycrisp (or mix them!) Avoid sweeter or softer apples as it will make the filling mushy.

Store apple crisp bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Freeze for up to 1 month. After the bars have cooled completely, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature.

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 229kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 78mg, Potassium: 64mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 325IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Haley D Williams

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Recipe adapted from The Merry Thought.

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Apple Crisp Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep apples from getting mushy in apple crisp? ›

The choice of apple you use in the crisp can affect how watery it may turn out. Choose a baking apple like Granny Smith or pippin, not Red Delicious. Also, make sure you use a thickener like flour or corn starch.

What are the best apples to use for apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

How do you make apple crisp not watery? ›

Lemon juice and vanilla extract – both of these are for complexity of flavor in your apple filling. You could leave them out if you don't have them, but they make a noticeable difference in the final product. Cornstarch or arrowroot starch – this is how we get a thick and not watery apple crisp!

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

Can I cut apples the night before for apple crisp? ›

We prefer to prep the apples when we make the crisp, but you can prep them ahead of time. Peel and slice the apples and toss them with lemon juice, then pack tightly in freezer bags and refrigerate for up to one day.

Why didn't my apple crisp get crispy? ›

How can I make my apple crisp crispy? If your butter to flour to sugar ratio is off, it will result in a less crispy topping. You want to be careful not to add too much flour or too little. Also, we love adding old fashioned rolled oats to our crumble because it really gives it a nice crunch.

How many apples is 3 cups? ›

1 pound of apples will make about 3 cups sliced or cubed. 4 tennis ball-sized apples weigh about a pound.

How many apples make 10 cups? ›

According to this equivalent list, 10 cups of sliced apples requires 10 medium apples. To be on the safe side, buy one additional apple. You don't want to run short—after all, it's always better to have too many ingredients than too few!

How many apples for 6 cups? ›

If the recipe calls for 6 cups of sliced apples, you'll likely need about 8 medium-sized apples, or about 2 pounds of medium-sized apples. Now go fill your home with the scents of the season and bake the day away.

Should I cover my apple crisp while baking? ›

Baking: Start baking the apple crisp covered with foil. This allows the apples to soften without any risk of the topping over-browning. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the crisp finish cooking uncovered. Once the juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender, it is done!

How do I know when apple crisp is done? ›

Bake the apple crisp until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Serve the crisps warm with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Does apple crisp need to be refrigerated after baking? ›

Does apple crisp need to be refrigerated after baking? While some sources suggest that fruits pies and crisps can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, I highly recommend refrigerating it to be on the safe side. Can you reheat apple crisp? Yes!

Why is it called Brown Betty? ›

This has led some historians to believe that Betty was the name of the cook and creator of the recipe and that brown was in reference to her skin color.

Is Apple Brown Betty the same as apple crisp? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

Why is it called a buckle? ›

A buckle is a funny name for an old fashioned fruit studded coffee cake. Like many other desserts in the extended cobbler family buckles take their name from their appearance—grunts grunt as they cook, slumps slump when served, buckles—you guessed it—buckle.

How do you keep apples firm in apple pie? ›

Gently precook the apples, which drains them of liquid and shrinks their bulk. They'll shrink no more once they're added to the pie, which means there'll be no gap between the filling and the top crust. But don't toss out that liquid!

Why did my apples turn to mush in my pie? ›

Pay close attention to the apples you're choosing for your pie, as overripe fruits will cause your filling to turn mushy. Choose firm apples for baked pies to achieve the sweet yet tart flavor. Reserve those overripe apples for chilled pies or applesauce instead.

Why are my apple pie apples mushy? ›

Perfect Pie Tip #6: Choose Tart Apples

When apples are cooked, this pectin breaks down, and the apples turn mushy. However, there are ways to control this pectin breakdown, helping you to ensure that your apple slices are tender, but still hold their shape in the pie.

Why do you put lemon juice over the apples when making an apple crisp? ›

Add a little extra fresh lemon juice to help prevent the apples from turning super brown. Prepare the entire apple crisp, cover well, and refrigerate the night before baking. Don't wait any longer than overnight before baking, to prevent the apples from browning too much or drying out/spoiling.

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