Apple Crisp Bars Recipe (2024)

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by Haley//July 12, 2016 (updated November 18, 2020)

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Apple Crisp Bars are easy to make from scratch. This recipe uses a basic shortbread crust topped with apple slices and a simple flavorful crisp.

Apple Crisp Bars Recipe (1)

Sliced apples and crumble topping with a shortbread crust—now that’s a dessert I can get behind. This recipe for apple crisp bars is one of my go-to’s.Warm, cold, with ice cream, for breakfast, any way you eat them, they are delicious.

For those of you who usually reach for the boxed apple crisp topping, I think it’s worth trying to make it from scratch. I’ll break the homemade recipe down for you.

What inspired me to make this recipe? Well, my mom made apple crisp all the time when I was growing up. I loved it so much, especially the crumble topping. I wanted to replicate the dessert, but make it mobile. The simplest answer is to make apple crisp into bars. All it took was making a shortbread crust for the apples to sit on.

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Table of Contents

Step by step instructions

Start with the shortbread crust: The base of these apple crisp bars is a shortbread crust⁠—butter, brown sugar, vanilla and flour. Beat those ingredients together and press the dough into a baking pan. Pre-bake the crust at 350° F so it’s sturdy enough to hold the apple filling and crumble topping.

Make the apple crisp filling: Peel, core and slice apples to make the filling. The job is made easy with this apple peeler. Then toss the apples in flour to prevent a runny filling and sugar for extra sweetness.

Prepare the crumble topping: Crumble topping requires sugar, flour, cinnamon and cold butter crumbled together. When butter is cold, it won’t get completely incorporated into the mixture (which we want). Use a pastry cutter to obtain pea size crumbles. The butter will melt in the oven to create a crispy topping.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Best apples for apple crisp:

Similar to apple pie, apple crisp bars require the same type of apples. I like to use a mix ofGranny Smith and Honeycrisp. Granny Smith are juicy, tart and firm, while Honeycrisp is slightly sweet and crisp. Other good varieties include Northern Spy, Pink Lady, Braeburn and Golden Delicious.

How to store apple crisp bars

Apple crisp bars are best when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They are best served at room temperature or warm. You can reheat apple crisp bars in the oven. Place the bars on a parchment-lined baking sheet or back in the 8×8 baking pan. Reheat at 300° F for 10 to 15 minutes until heated through.

Can you freeze apple crisp bars?

Yes, once the bars have cooled, place the 8×8 baking pan in the refrigerator for the filling to set. Once chilled, use the parchment paper to live the entire uncut bar out of the pan. Keep parchment paper on and wrap the entire bar with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Store on a flat surface in the freezer for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating, cutting and serving. Bars can also be wrapped individually in plastic wrap and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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More apple recipes

I have a slew of apple recipes in the archive, but here are a few of my favorites from my blog and others!

  • Apple cheesecake bars – similar to this recipe, but with a layer of cheesecake in the center
  • Homemade apple pie recipe – My go-to recipe for apple pie!
  • Easy apple crumble pie – a pie version of these bars.
  • Easy apple crisp – Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
  • Apple galette – thinly sliced apples in a rustic presentation.

Apple bars are a must try during the fall season. The layers of sweet apples are crisp and tart, which complement the shortbread crust and streusel topping perfectly. Honestly, they are truly delicious!

I’d love to see how you apple crisp bars turned out! If you try one of my recipes, be sure to tag @ifyougiveablondeakitchenon social media!

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Get the Recipe: Easy Apple Crisp Bars

Yield: 16 bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 57 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Apple Crisp Bars are easy to make from scratch—promise. This recipe uses a basic shortbread crust topped with apple slices and a simple flavorful crisp.

4.99 (197 ratings)

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust

  • ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, packed
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups (147 g) all-purpose flour

Apple Filling

  • 4 cups (500 g) apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (about 4-5 medium apples)
  • 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar

Crisp Topping

  • ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (85 g) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Instructions

Shortbread Crust

  • Preheat oven to 350º F. Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving extra hanging over the ends, spray with cooking spray.

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until combined and dough is crumbly.

  • Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until dough is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and set aside, maintain oven temperature.

Apple Filling

  • Peel, core and chop apples into slices (this apple peeler/corer does the job in minutes). In a large bowl, combine apples, flour and sugar. Mix until apples are thoroughly coated. Arrange apples on baked crust.

Crisp Topping

  • In a medium bowl, mix together first five ingredients. With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Spread topping over apples in an even layer.

  • Bake uncovered at 350º F for 45 minutes, or until topping is golden and apple mixture is bubbly. Let cool, lift apple crisp using the extra parchment paper at the ends as handles, and cut into bars.

Notes

Best apples for baking: Use crisp or tart apples such as Granny Smith and Honeycrisp (or mix them!) Avoid sweeter or softer apples as it will make the filling mushy.

Store apple crisp bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Freeze for up to 1 month. After the bars have cooled completely, wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature.

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 229kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 27mg, Sodium: 78mg, Potassium: 64mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g, Vitamin A: 325IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Haley D Williams

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Recipe adapted from The Merry Thought.

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Apple Crisp Bars Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

What kind of apples are best for apple crisp? ›

Under the simple butter-sugar-flour-and-oat topping is the apple filling scented with cinnamon. Our test kitchen says baking apples, like Rome or Cortland, are the best varieties to use for apple crisp, but Empire, Gala, or Braeburn apples are also good in this recipe.

Why is my apple crisp not crunchy? ›

Just make sure you add enough melted butter to coat everything: it brings it all together. Your day-old mush will turn back into the warm and crunchy crisp once more if you reheat in the oven at 350°.

How do you keep apple crisp crispy? ›

How do you keep apple crisp from getting soggy? If it's soggy, you've got to remember to refrigerate the topping with butter before you add it to the crisp. It doesn't need long, just enough time as you prepare the rest of the dessert so that it will cook up crispy rather than turn soggy.

Why is it called Brown Betty? ›

This has led some historians to believe that Betty was the name of the cook and creator of the recipe and that brown was in reference to her skin color.

Why does my apple crumble go soggy? ›

Not enough butter, and your topping will be a dry, floury mess. Too much butter and your topping will become a greasy blob or disappointingly soggy. Some recipes will ask you to cut in cold butter along with your dry ingredients, resulting in pea-size pieces that are sprinkled across the hot fruit filling.

Which apples stay crisp the longest? ›

Storage quality also varies by cultivar. The best apples to store long-term have thick skin and tend to be crisp and tart. Apple varieties such as Gala, Granny Smith, Fuji, McIntosh, Winesap, Honeycrisp, Northern Spy, and Rome are known to store very well given the proper conditions.

Which apples are not crispy? ›

As mellow as sweet apples come, Gala apples are known for their sweet, vanilla aroma and soft bite. Bittersweet and soft fleshed, the Red Delicious is a classic apple with mild crispiness. The Golden Delicious sits at the bottom of the crunch list with soft skin and mellow, yellow apple flavors.

What is the crispiest apple to eat? ›

SweeTango – SweeTango apples naturally have larger cells giving them an extraordinary crunch and perfect fracture, in fact, it won the Guinness World Record for the World's loudest crunch ever! Honeycrisp – A huge crunch successor that has been hard to beat since its creation!

What is the secret to crunchy crumble? ›

A pastry chef friend shared the technique. Instead of sprinkling the raw crumbs on top of the fruit, where they absorb the juices and turn a little mushy on their undersides, he spread them out in a pan and baked them separately, until crisp and cookielike.

Why are my apples mushy in my apple crisp? ›

Picking the wrong apples

Softer apples like Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, or Macintosh break down too much in the heat of the oven, basically turning into applesauce. So avoid those, and opt for a variety that's firm and crisp like Granny Smith, Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp.

What happens if you put too much butter in crumble? ›

If you use more butter than the recipe calls for, the crumb topping will be melted and greasy. If you don't use enough butter it will be dry and floury.

What kind of apples should I use for apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

How do I know when apple crisp is done? ›

Bake the apple crisp until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Serve the crisps warm with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Do you refrigerate apple crisp after baking? ›

Do I need to refrigerate the Apple Crisp? Apple Crisp is very much like apple pie in that it doesn't NEED to be refrigerated, but the shelf life will be extended if you do store it in the refrigerator. I recommend storing it on the countertop for up to two days, or up to four days in the refrigerator.

Is Apple Brown Betty the same as apple crumble? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

What's the difference between a betty and a crumble? ›

A brown betty is similar to a crisp or crumble, except the topping is layered into the fruit mixture before baking for an intensely crunchy effect. Food Network Kitchen's Grilled Rhubarb Brown Betty is warm, sweet and super-crisp — excellent when served with a scoop of strawberry ice cream.

What is apple crumble called in America? ›

Apple crisp is a dessert made with a streusel topping. In the US, it is also called apple crumble, a word which refers to a different dessert in the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

What is the difference between crisp and crumble and buckle? ›

Though crumbles, crisps, and cobblers are more akin to pie, a buckle is a lot like cake. In fact, they look nearly identical to fruit-filled coffee cakes. As the batter rises in the oven, the weight of the fruit causes it to “buckle.”

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