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Apple Crisp Bars

Apple crisp bars with a buttery oat crumble base and top sandwich a thick, spiced apple filling that bubbles as it bakes. You’ll get golden oat layers and clean slices after cooling completely.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 345
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For oat crumble base and top
  • 2 cup rolled oats
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
For apple filling
  • 4 cup apples, peeled and finely diced
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and make crumble
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment (visual cue: parchment should extend up the sides for easy lifting).
  2. Combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl, then drizzle in melted butter and toss until the mixture looks evenly moistened and clumps slightly.
  3. Press 2/3 of the oat mixture firmly into the prepared pan, flattening it into an even layer (visual cue: compact, no dry pockets).
  4. Bake the base for 10 minutes at 375F until it looks lightly set and smells toasty (visual cue: edges begin to turn golden).
Fill and finish baking
  1. Toss apples with granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and lemon juice, then spread the mixture over the hot base in an even layer (visual cue: coated apple pieces with a thick, dry-starch look).
  2. Scatter the remaining oat crumble over the apples so the top is evenly covered (visual cue: visible crumb layer with some peaks).
  3. Bake for 30 more minutes at 375F until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles around the edges (visual cue: vigorous bubbling and deep golden color).
  4. Cool completely before slicing into bars to let the filling set (visual cue: bars hold their shape when cut, not runny).

Notes

Pro tip: press the base firmly and spread the apples evenly so each bar bakes with distinct oat layers and a thick filling. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze baked bars up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of all-purpose flour.