Bars of caramelized apple pie with cinnamon

The shortbread crust, creamy apple filling, and cinnamon-pecan streusel topping of these simple apple pie bars are all baked together. Pour some caramel on top for a traditional treat!
A simple bar snack with all the traditional tastes of a Dutch caramel apple pie! This fall, these apple pie bars could become your new favorite sweet treat.

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A bsolutely adore apple pie, but there are times when I just don’t want to fuss with creating the pie crust—especially rolling out the dough! I got the concept for these apple pie bars around that time.

Without the fuss, you may enjoy all the wonderful traditional tastes of Dutch apple pie. These bars have a great buttery chewiness from using the shortbread crust from my Vanilla Chai Cheesecake Bars (really, make those!).

As seen above, you can consume these apple pie bars “au naturale.” They taste good that way, too. yet, why not go all out and sprinkle some Browned Butter Salted Caramel Sauce on top?

Or, you could add a scoop of super-creamy No-Churn Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream and be REALLY naughty. Don’t be shy—you want to!

I don’t know what else will if it doesn’t make you excited for fall!

Here is a summary
Shortbread dough is combined, then pressed into a baking pan coated with parchment paper.
For 15 minutes, bake.
Peel and cut apples into slices while the crust bakes.
Combine butter, sugar, cinnamon, and flour with apple slices. Place aside.
Making streusel topping is simple (in my experience, a food processor works best!)
Sliced apples and caramel, if preferred, should be added to the cooked crust before the streusel.
20 to 25 minutes of baking.

Bars of caramelized apple pie with cinnamon

The shortbread crust, creamy apple filling, and cinnamon-pecan streusel topping of these simple apple pie bars are all baked together. 

Pour some caramel on top for a traditional treat!

Ingredients
▢SHORTBREAD:
▢1/2 cup butter melted
▢1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
▢1/4 tsp salt
▢1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
▢1 cup all-purpose flour

APPLE LAYER:
▢3 large Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced into 1/4″ thick slices
▢2 1/2 Tbsp melted butter
▢2 Tbsp light brown sugar
▢1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
▢1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

CINNAMON PECAN STREUSEL:
▢3/4 cup all-purpose flour
▢1/2 cup old-fashioned oats divided
▢1/4 cup light brown sugar
▢1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
▢1/2 cup cold butter cubed
▢1/2 cup pecans chopped

Instructions
Set oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put parchment paper in an 8″x8″ baking pan and put it aside.

Brown sugar and butter are combined after being microwaved to melt the butter.

Stir in the cinnamon and salt before adding the flour and combining thoroughly.

Evenly press the dough into the prepared pan.

After 15 minutes of baking, remove.

raise the oven’s setting to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare apples and put them to a medium mixing bowl while the crust is baking.
Combine cinnamon, brown sugar, flour, and butter with apple slices.
To a food processor, add flour, 1/4 cup of oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cold butter cubes should be added, then pulsed until pea-sized butter bits are formed.
Place the remaining 1/4 cup of oats and chopped pecans in a small bowl with the streusel.
The shortbread crust should be covered with an apple slice layer, followed by a streusel topping.
Bake the apples and streusel for 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the apples are tender.
If desired, drizzle with caramel and top with vanilla ice cream.