Apple Pie Bars

Buttery shortbread cookie crust with gooey apple pie filling!

Watch the Video

My son always asks for an apple dessert for his birthday. So, this year I made apple pie bars. I love experimenting with baking this time of year, and there is no better twist on a dessert than adding shortbread. I have a delicious recipe I’ve been using over and over for desserts. Plus, I use my easy homemade apple pie filling. It is the best apple filling ever, takes just about fifteen minutes, and is so much better than mushy canned apple pie filling. My son loved it, and so did everyone else. So, I can’t wait for you to try it!

Why you have to try these bars

Crisp, buttery shortbread

Caramel style sauce

Perfectly cooked apples

Crumbly shortbread topping

A delicious way to eat buttery shortbread and sweet apple pie filling together!

What you need

The Crust & Topping:

• Unsalted butter -softened
• Confectioner’s sugar -aka powdered sugar
• Sugar
• Salt
• Pure vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda –keeps the shortbread fork tender

Apple Filling:

• Apples -peeled, cored, and sliced
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Light brown sugar
• Cornstarch
• Ground cinnamon
• Salt
• Heavy whipping cream

How to make Apple Pie Bars

Apple Filling:

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add all of the remaining filling ingredients except for the cream and cook until it thickens. The apples should be fork-tender.
3. Remove from the heat, mix in the heavy cream, and set aside to cool completely.
4. The filling can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Baker’s tip –If the apples release too much liquid, the filling may take longer to thicken. To help thicken the juices faster and prevent the apples from getting mushy, whisk together a tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of warm water in a bowl and add to the filling. If the filling gets too thick (too much cornstarch), thin it out with more heavy cream and a splash of water or apple juice.

Shortbread cookie Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.
2. In the bowl of a tabletop mixer, combine the butter, salt, sugars, and vanilla extract.
3. Beat on low speed until the sugar is incorporated.
4. Then increase the speed to high and beat until thick and fluffy –about 3-4 minutes.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda.
6. Add the flour to the butter mixture and beat until the dough has formed.
7. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
8. Press one portion into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, pressing the dough up the sides of the pan so that it can hold the filling. Take some more shortbread dough from the second portion (the topping) if needed.
9. Pour the apple filling into the center and spread evenly.
10. Pinch off pieces of dough from the remaining shortbread and place them on top of the filling to create a crumble topping. (See video)
11. Sprinkle the top with some granulated sugar.
12. Bake the pie on the center rack of the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until golden.
13. Allow the pie to cool

Make Ahead options

The crust can be assembled and frozen for up to a month. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic, so it doesn’t absorb freezer odors. For the ultimate quick dessert, the bars can be baked one day ahead, cooled, and refrigerated. Warm through in a preheated 350 °F oven for 20 minutes before serving.

Serving

For my son’s birthday, I served it warm, scooped straight out of the dish with ice cream and coffee. Whipped cream would be delicious too. In my video, I added parchment paper to the pan before I assembled the bars. This will allow you to pull the entire pie out of the pan and easily cut into square bars. You’ll have individual servings for everyone at your holiday party. Let me know how you serve them! Kali Orexi!

More apple desserts

• Apple Phyllo Rolls: Greek Milopitakia Rolls
• Apple Pie Tart
• Apple Olive Oil Cake: Greek Milopita Coffee Cake
• Milopitakia: Mini Apple Phyllo Pies
• Baklava Apple Pie/Tart
• Apple Filled Tsoureki: Cinnamon Apple Filled Brioche Braid

Continue to Content

Apple Pie Bars

Yield: Serves 12

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Ingredients

For the Crust & Topping:

• 1 and 1/2 pound (680g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Apple Filling:

• 10 apples, peered, cored, and sliced
• 4 oz (114 g) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 4 and 1/2 tablespoons (50g) cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions

Make the Apple Filling:

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add all of the remaining filling ingredients except for the cream. Cook the filling until it thickens. The apples should be fork tender. Remove from the heat and add the heavy cream. Mix and set aside to cool completely. The filling can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Notes
If the apples release too much liquid, the filling may take longer to thicken. To prevent the apples from getting mushy, combine a tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of warm water together in a bowl. Whisk tigether and add to the filling. This will help thicken the juices faster. If the filling gets too thick (too much cornstarch), thin it out with some more heavy cream and a splash of water or apple juice.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180 °C.

Make the Crust:

In the bowl of a tabletop mixer combine the butter, sat, sugars, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until the sugar is incorporated and then increase the speed to high. Beat until thick and fluffy. About 3-4 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda and whisk together.

Add the flour to the butter mixture and beat together until a dough has formed.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.

Press one portion into a 9 by 13-inch baking pan. Press the dough up the sides of the pan as well so that it can hold the filling. If needed, take some more shortbread dough from the second portion (the topping).

Pour the apple filling into the center and spread evenly.

Pinch off pieces of dough from the remaining shortbread and place on top of the filling to create a crumble toppoing. (See video) Sprinkle the top with some granulated sugar.

Bake the pie on the center rack of the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until golden.

Allow the pie to cool and then serve with ice cream and coffee.

Kali Orexi!

Notes

Make Ahead Tips: The crust can be assembled and frozen for up to a month. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap so that it does not absorb freezer odors.

The pie can be baked one day ahead, cooled and refrigerated. Warm through in a preheated 350 °F oven for 20 minutes before serving.

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