Flaky Apple Pie Bars

by

Ingredients Needed 🛒👩‍🍳

(Full recipe below)

For the Crust:

  • 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour – this creates the base for our shortbread crust and crumble topping

  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar – provides sweetness to both the crust and filling

  • 1 cup of butter, cold and cubed – don’t use margarine, it needs to be real butter for the best flavor and texture 🧈

  • 2 egg yolks – these bind the crust together and add richness 🥚

  • ½ cup of milk – adds moisture to the crust dough 🥛

For the Filling:

  • 8 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced – their tartness balances the sweet elements perfectly 🍏

  • ½ cup of granulated sugar

  • ¼ cup of brown sugar, packed – adds a caramel-like sweetness to complement the apples 🍯

  • 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon – you can’t have apple pie without cinnamon! 🌰

For the Crumb Topping:

  • Reserved dough from crust preparation

  • 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

  • ½ cup of crushed pecans – these add a wonderful crunch to the topping. Make sure they’re fresh for the best flavor 🌰

How to Make Flaky Apple Pie Bars 🧁📝

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or non-stick spray 🧈.

  2. In a large bowl, combine 2½ cups of flour with 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar 🥣.

  3. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs 🔪.

  4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms 🥄.

  5. Reserve one-fourth of the dough for the topping.

  6. Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the crust 🔲.

  7. Arrange the sliced apples over the crust in an even layer 🍏.

  8. In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the apples 🍯.

  9. For the crumb topping: Combine the reserved dough with 2 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and the crushed pecans. Mix until crumbly 🍪.

  10. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the sugared apples.

  11. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbly 🔥.

  12. Allow the bars to cool in the pan before cutting into squares ❄️.

  13. Serve warm or at room temperature. These bars are delicious on their own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream 🍨.

Nutrition 🧾

Calories: 320 kcal

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