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Apple Pie Bars

Apple pie bars with a buttery shortbread base, spiced apple filling, and a golden crumble top. Baked until the crust turns crisp and the apples soften, then finished with a simple vanilla glaze drizzle.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread base and crumble
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.25 cup powdered sugar
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 lb cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 egg yolk
Apple filling
  • 4 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
Glaze
  • 0.75 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment.
  2. Combine all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and salt.
Make the shortbread dough
  1. Cut cold unsalted butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly, rubbing in the butter with your fingertips.
  2. Add the egg yolk and mix until a dough forms.
Assemble and bake
  1. Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the pan, spreading into an even layer.
  2. Bake for 15 minutes at 375°F until slightly set.
  3. Toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and lemon juice.
  4. Layer the spiced apples over the baked crust in an even layer.
  5. Crumble the remaining dough over the apples to cover most of the surface.
  6. Bake for 30 more minutes at 375°F until the top is golden.
Cool, glaze, and serve
  1. Cool completely before glazing to help the filling set.
  2. Whisk powdered sugar and milk for the glaze, then drizzle over the bars and cut into neat squares.

Notes

For clean squares, cool the bars fully (and chill 1–2 hours if your kitchen is warm) before cutting so the apple filling doesn’t run. Store airtight in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze bars up to 2 months. For a lighter option, substitute half the butter with the same amount of plant-based butter for a similar crumb (texture may be slightly softer).