Apple Crumble Bars

Apple crumble bar propped on surrounding sliced bars.

5 from 1 vote

These irresistible Apple Crumble Bars are a simple way to get your apple dessert fix with minimal effort. A buttery oat layer topped with gooey apples and crumbly oat topping is the perfect cozy treat. Eat it as finger food or serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Author: Lorie Yarro

Ingredients

For Oat Bar and Crumble Topping

1 ½ c quick oats regular or gluten free
1 ½ c flour
1 c unsalted butter melted
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 tsp cinnamon
1 c brown sugar
½ tsp sea salt

For Apples:

3 medium apples, small diced about 3 ½ - 4 cups
¼ T brown sugar packed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp corn starch
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, lemon juice, apples, cinnamon and corn starch and mix to combine. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, sea salt, and baking powder and whisk together.
Add in melted butter and vanilla and stir to combine. Mixture will be somewhat crumbly, and that is ok.
In an 8x8 in. pan, lined with parchment, press ⅔ of the oat mixture firmly into the pan. Add the apple mixture on top to cover evenly. You can peel your apples or leave the skin on, whatever you prefer!
Sprinkle over the rest of the oat mixture to cover the berries.Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown. Allow to cool completely before cutting. Enjoy! Store in an air tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days.

Notes

These can be a bit messy when cutting. For easier and cleaner cut bars, refrigerate these apple crumble bars for several hours before cutting. This makes for much less of a mess!
If you want the apples layer to stand out a bit more, slice the apples and then lay them on top of each other versus dicing. Dicing the apples holds the bars together better because the crumble fills in all of the cracks. But if you want a distinct look in the apple layer, slice the apples thin and layer them.
Really press the bottom crumble layer into the pan. You want this to hold together well and if you don't really press it in, it will crumble apart--ha see what I did there?!
You can add other spices if preferred. A pinch of nutmeg, allspice or another cozy spice if you prefer. Even a touch of pumpkin spice if you are feeling really funky!

Nutrition