Get the Recipe: Apple Crisp Bars
These apple crisp bars have all the flavors and textures of the classic dessert but they are easy to make and share! These bars feature a shortbread crust, gooey cinnamon apple layer and crumble topping. They are absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 10 tbsp cold butter
- ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free 1 to 1 flour, or all purpose flour
- pinch cinnamon
Apple Filling
- 3 red apples, I used McIntosh, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 Granny smith apple, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp tapioca flour, or cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup gluten free old fashioned oats, or regular
- ⅜ cup gluten free 1 to 1 flour, or all purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- pinch cinnamon
- ¼ cup cold butter, sliced into small cubes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8 inch by 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
- First, make the crumble topping.
- Add all crumble topping ingredients to a mixing bowl. Use your hands, a pastry cutter or fork to incorporate butter into mixture. Mix until a crumbly mixture forms. Place bowl in fridge.
- Next, make the shortbread crust. Add cold butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar to a stand mixer bowl. Beat until no clumps of butter remain.
- Add in vanilla extract, flour and cinnamon to bowl. Stir until combined. Place dough into lined pan. Press into an even layer.
- Bake shortbread crust for 15 minutes. Then remove from oven.
- While shortbread crust bakes, make apple filling. Peel and core apples. Slice into ¼ inch thin slices.
- Add all apple filling ingredients to a skillet over low heat. Stir gently to combine and stir occasionally for 5 minutes or until apples have softened. If needed, add more water to the skillet to prevent burning.
- Once shortbread crust has finished baking, pour apple filling on top. Spread into an even layer. Then, top apples with crumble topping.
- Bake for 35 to 36 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Gluten free 1 to 1 flour or all purpose flour work in this recipe.
- Use pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands to mix together crumble topping. Mixture will be crumbly, not uniform.
- For best results, use a mixture of red apples and green apples. I used 3 McIntosh apples and 1 Granny smith apple.
- For the shortbread crust, use very cold butter right from the fridge. Beat with sugars until no clumps of butter remain.
- Sauté apples until slightly softened. Add more water to the skillet to prevent burning if needed.
- Allow to cool completely before slicing into bars and serving. The apple layer is gooey!
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Calories: 248kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Sodium: 92mg, Potassium: 90mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 332IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 20mg, Iron: 1mg