Earlier this month, my Nana brought me a half bushel of apples and I’ve been coming up with apple recipe ideas ever since. Homemade Applesauce. Baked Apple. Apple Cranberry Bread. Apple Crisp. Apple Cake. Apples in the Sweet Potato, Sausage and Spinach Hash. Apples everywhere!
When I was in university, my grandfather would bring me a gigantic bushel of apples around Thanksgiving (beginning of October here in Canada) that I would take back to my house at school. Me and my roommates would gorge ourselves on apples in an attempt to dwindle our supply, but we were always having to try to find new ways to use them up.
This is the kind of recipe that we would have loved back then. It filled our requirements (use up apples!), with a great classic fall flavour (apple pie!), but with the convenience of a bar, which is perfect for students on the run.
But let’s be honest, I made these now not for their convenience, but for the sheer flavour. The sweetness of fresh Ontario apples, combined with the spice of cinnamon, and of course a lovely butter cookie base helps too.
This is the second batch that I’ve made this fall, as the first one went quickly during our Labour Day weekend cottage trip. Our friends were the taste testers. Thumbs up all around.
- 4 cups Flour
- 2-1/3 cup Sugar, divided
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1-1/2 cup Butter, room temperature
- 5 Apples, peeled and sliced (I use Granny Smith or McIntosh)
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tbsp Water
- In a large bowl, combine the flour with 2 cups of the sugar and salt. Cut the butter in until crumbly. Working it in with your hands creates the best crumble.
- Take ⅔ of the mixture and pat down gently into a jelly roll pan.
- Top the dough with the sliced apples in rows.
- In a small bowl, combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon.
- Crumble the remaining ⅓ of the flour mixture over the top of the apples.
- Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
- Cool before drizzling the glaze over the top.
- Stir to combine the glaze, or squish it together in a plastic baggie and cut off the tip to drizzle and for easy clean up.
- Drizzle over the cooled bars.
- Cut into squares and serve.
In a large bowl, combine the flour with 2 cups of the sugar and salt. Cut the butter in until crumbly. Working it in with your hands creates the best crumble.
Easy Glaze for Apple Pie Bars
Stir to combine the glaze, or squish it together in a plastic baggie and cut off the tip to drizzle and for easy clean up.
