I absolutely love fall baking. There are so many wonderful flavors that go with fall and one of them is apples. I love an apple that is layered with the flavors of cinnamon, sugar, and butter. It reminds me of a traditional apple pie that my mom makes. Pies are not always my thing to make when it comes to sharing with others. I think the pressure of the perfect crust makes me nervous. Our elementary school was doing a Thanksgiving themed dessert table for the teachers and I wanted to do something to contribute. I came across these delicious looking bars from www.ifyougiveablondeakitchen.com and thought they would be perfect to make. Something simple but delicious and packed with traditional fall flavors. I pretty much stuck with the recipe except for adding in cinnamon with the apple mixture. Also, picking apples can be tricky and I used honey crisp and Granny Smith. I enjoy crisp apples with a little tartness for baking. These bars were very simple to make and the longest part was peeling and slicing the apples because I do it with a knife. If you have an apple peeler and corer it will speed up your time. Give them a try. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
For the apple filling:
- 4 cups apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (I used two medium honey crisp and two medium Granny Smith)
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
For the crisp topping:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup chilled butter, cut into cubes
Directions:
For the crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper leaving extra over the ends (creates a handle). Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 2-3 minutes. Add in the vanilla and mix until combined. Last mix in the flour until the dough is crumbly.
- Press the dough into the bottom of the baking pan until it is an even layer. Bake about 15 minutes or until the dough is slightly puffed and lightly brown.
For the apple filling:
- While the crust is baking, combine the apples, flour, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix until the apples are well coated.
- When the crust is finished baking spread the apple filling over the crust in an even layer.
For the crisp topping:
- In a medium bowl mix together both sugars, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Next cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two knifes until crumbly. Spread the topping over the apple filling.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes uncovered until the topping is golden. Let cool completely before lifting out of pan and cutting into squares. Enjoy!