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Easy Cozy Friendsgiving Apple Pie Bars with Oat Crumble

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These apple pie bars have that same warm, spiced filling you crave in a classic pie, but with a buttery oat crumble that adds incredible crunch. No rolling dough, no fussing with a lattice top—they’re forgiving, foolproof, and taste like a hug in dessert form.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 4 cups) (mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides.
  2. Make the oat crumble mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups rolled oats, 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces.
  3. Press the crust: Reserve 1 cup of the crumble mixture for the topping. Transfer the remaining crumble to your prepared baking dish. Press it firmly into an even layer using your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Prepare the apple filling: While the crust bakes, peel and slice your apples thinly—about ¼-inch thick. In a medium bowl, toss the apple slices with ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon cloves. Make sure every slice is coated.
  5. Layer the filling: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust.
  6. Add the topping: Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of oat crumble evenly over the apples. Don’t press it down.
  7. Bake: Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges. If the topping is browning too quickly after 20 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
  8. Cool completely: Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
  9. Slice and serve: Use the parchment overhang to lift the entire block out of the pan. Slice into 12-16 bars using a sharp knife. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat edges.

Notes

Keep everything cold for a flaky crust. Don’t skip pre-baking the crust to prevent sogginess. Slice apples uniformly for even cooking. Cool completely before slicing to allow filling to set. Bars taste even better on day two. For gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, swap butter with cold coconut oil or vegan butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple pie bars, oat crumble, Friendsgiving dessert, easy apple dessert, fall baking, apple bars with oats

Find it online: https://junomeals.com/easy-cozy-friendsgiving-apple-pie-bars-with-oat-crumble/