Go Back

Apple Pie Bars

These Apple Pie Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust layered with a warm, spiced apple filling made with cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup. They’re soft, crumbly, and bursting with cozy autumn flavor - perfect for dessert, brunch, or a comforting tea-time treat. Easy to make, hard to not love, and guaranteed to make your kitchen smell amazing.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Servings 16 bars

Equipment

  • 9 inch (23cm x 23cm x 7.5cm) square baking tray
  • Mixing bowl
  • Electric mixer or whisk
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Spatula
  • Pot (for apple filling) - 16cm
  • Sharp knife (for slicing bars)

Ingredients
  

For the shortbread crust:

  • 125 g margarine
  • 175 g unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (250ml) icing sugar
  • 1 cup (250ml) maizena (cornstarch)
  • 3 1/4 cup (810ml) all purpose cake flour

For the spiced apple filling:

  • 4 medium sized apples
  • 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 1/2 tbsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp elachi (cardamom) powder (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

Instructions
 

  • Preheat: Set oven to 170°C . Line a 20×30 cm baking tin with parchment paper.
  • Cook filling: In a pot, combine apples, water, maple syrup, sugar, and spices. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until softened and syrupy. Stir in vanilla essence. Set aside and start with making the crust.
  • Make crust: Beat butter and icing sugar until creamy. Add maizena and cake flour - mix to form a soft dough.
  • Bake crust: Gently press 3/4 of the dough evenly into the tin - don’t compact it too hard, or it won’t bake through. Bake for 15 ± minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean or with just a few crumbs, not wet dough.
  • Assemble: Spread warm filling over crust. Grate the remaining amount of dough over the apple filling. Bake again for the remaining amount of time (+/-25 minutes) until edges are golden.
  • Cool: Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Notes

 

  • Use firm apples like Granny Smith or Pink Lady - they hold their shape and prevent soggy bars.
  • Don’t overbake the crust - a soft, buttery base gives the best texture.
  • Adjust the spices to taste - add more cinnamon for warmth or less for a milder flavor.
  • Cool completely before slicing - this helps the filling set and keeps the bars neat.
Keyword apple pie bars, dessert, fall baking