Desserts
Apple Pie Bars
Don't have time to make pie? These Apple Pie Bars have a lot going for them. Of course they taste good. But where they really excel is in the speed and ease department. This recipe for Apple Pie Bars is so simple to whip together and makes 16 wedges in just an hour — much less time than it takes to make your typical holiday pie.
Ingredients
FOR THE BASE & STREUSEL, COMBINE:
FOR THE APPLE FILLING, TOSS:
Keep a couple of things in mind: First, start with chilled butter, or you’ll end up with a sticky mess when cutting it into the dry ingredients. And second, if you don’t have a springform pan, don’t worry. This recipe can just as easily be baked in a 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removeable bottom or a 9-inch square pan.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 10-inch springform pan with a removeable bottom with nonstick spray.
For the base & streusel, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl; reserve 3/4 cup for the streusel topping.
Cut 6 Tbsp. cold butter and milk into the remaining dry ingredients for the base, using your fingers or a pastry blender, until clumps form. Pat base mixture evenly into prepared pan, using a measuring cup to “tamp” down the dough. Bake base until set and golden at the edges, 15–20 minutes.
Stir melted butter into the reserved streusel mixture until sandy.
For the filling, toss together apples, sugar, cream, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt; arrange over the hot base, pushing the apple pieces to the edges of the pan to completely cover the crust. Sprinkle apple filling with the streusel topping.
Bake bars until apples are soft and streusel is golden, 30–40 minutes. Cool bars at least 30 minutes before removing the side of the pan and cutting into wedges. Store bars at room temperature or chill.
Cut cold butter into flour with a pastry blender until butter is broken down into pea-sized pieces.
Pat the dough down with a measuring cup until evenly flat.
Arrange apple filling evenly over the entire baked crust to cover.
Sprinkle apple filling with streusel topping and bake until golden brown.