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    Home » Desserts » Apple Crumb Bars with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

    Apple Crumb Bars with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

    Published: Nov 20, 2021 · Modified: Dec 10, 2021 by Erin · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Apple pie bars in a stack on a wire rack.
    Stack of apple pie bars with crumble topping on a baking rack.
    Dutch apple pie bars with crumb topping.

    Apple crumb bars with a tender crusty, gooey apple filling and extra thick cinnamon streusel topping.

    Squares of apple bars with cinnamon streusel topping.

    If you are a person who likes an extra thick crumb, then you will love the cinnamon streusel topping on these apple crumb bars.

    These apple bars are really easy to make.

    The apple and cinnamon spice flavors are perfect for the colder month season.

    While you can use fresh, crisp apples in this recipes, softer, older apples are great because they tend to be sweeter. Even apples with a few bruises can be ideal.

    Ingredients

    Labeled ingredients needed to make apple crumb bars.

    Brown sugar- dark brown or light brown

    Butter- salted

    Flour- all purpose

    Apples- any sweet, semi tart variety such as gala, yellow delicious and similar

    Vinegar- white or apple cider

    The crust

    The crust for the apple crumb bars was derived from my pie crust with added cinnamon and sugar.

    It's super simple, and provides a flavorful, tender but sturdy bottom for the hand held apple bars.

    Start by combining the flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a stand mixer .

    Add the vinegar and shortening and combine until the dough forms a smooth ball.

    Forming cinnamon pie crust dough in a glass bowl.

    Roll the dough into a slab of about ¼ inch thickness and press it evenly into the bottom of a 9x9 inch baking pan.

    Cinnamon crust dough pressed into the bottom of a square pan.

    Apple filling

    In a large bowl, stir the peeled, thinly sliced apples together with the melted butter, spices, and flour.

    Mix well until combined.

    Then, layer the mixed filling evenly over the crust.

    Apple pie filling being layered onto square crust.

    Cinnamon streusel topping

    Make the streusel by cutting the butter with the sugar, flour and salt until it looks the consistency of large crumbs.

    Cinnamon streusel topping crumbs in a mixing bowl.

    Sprinkle evenly all over the apples.

    Cinnamon streusel topping over apple filling in a square pan.

    Bake the bars for 30-40 minutes, until edges become golden brown and the filling just begins to bubble out.

    Apple filling oozing out of a streusel crumb topping in a pan.

    Cool, then slice into squares.

    Recipe tips

    Choose a sweet, semi-tart apple like yellow delicious or gala.

    Overly ripe apples work particularly well for this recipe, because they are already softening and at their most sweetest.

    Bars can be warmed back up individually in the microwave on a plate for up to 30 seconds.

    The warm apple crumb bars are insanely delicious served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

    Don't forget to leave a recipe rating in the recipe card below, or a comment for other readers who might want to make this recipe.

    More cinnamon-y recipes below...

    • Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls
    • Cinnamon French Toast
    • Gingerbread Cookies (Without Molasses)
    • Mini Banana Muffins
    A stack of square apple crumb bars with streusel crumb topping

    Apple Crumb Bars with Cinnamon Streusel Topping

    Tender cinnamon slab pie crust with apple pie filling and double cinnamon streusel crumb topping.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: apple crumb bars, cinnamon streusel topping
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Calories: 255kcal
    Author: Erin
    Cost: $3

    Ingredients

    For the Crust

    • 1 ¾ cups flour all purpose
    • ½ cup shortening
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 3 tablespoons sugar
    • 3 tablespoons cold water

    For the Filling

    • 3 honey crisp apples or similar variety (peeled, cored and sliced into very thin wedges no thicker than ⅛th inch)
    • ¾ cup brown sugar packed
    • 3 tablespoons flour all purpose
    • 1 stick butter melted (½ cup)
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground clove

    Streusel Topping

    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 1 stick butter 8 tablespoons
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight excess on two sides for easier removal. (If you are not lining the sheet pan, lightly grease.)
    • Combine the crust ingredients, and press the dough evenly into the bottom of the lined half sheet.
    • Combine apple pie ingredients, including melted butter, and layer evenly over crust layer.
    • Cut butter into the crumb ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and sprinkle evenly over the apple filling.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes, until middle is set and edges are golden brown. Cool a minimum of 10 minutes before cutting into squares. If you lined the pan with parchment paper, simply lift it out of the pan, for faster cooling and easier slicing.

    Notes

    • Use sweet apples, with low tartness, like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Fuji.
    • Wait a minimum of 10 minutes after baking to cool before slicing. 
    • Lining the pan with parchment paper makes for easy cleanup and slicing. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 77mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheFrozenBiscuit or tag #thefrozenbiscuit!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Haley

      November 24, 2021 at 10:34 am

      5 stars
      So yummy and easy! These will be a new standard every year now!

      Reply
      • Erin

        November 24, 2021 at 12:31 pm

        Thank you Haley, I'm glad you liked them! They are really good served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream too!

        Reply

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    I'm Erin, I enjoy creating rustic, from-scratch recipes using seasonal, accessible ingredients and basic pantry staples. More about

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