Apple Pie Bars — A flaky, buttery crust is topped with homemade apple pie filling and an oat crumble topping in these INCREDIBLE spiced apple pie bars! Salted caramel sauce is the finishing touch because nothing beats the combination of caramel and apples! Make these EASY, no-mixer bars as written for a smaller gathering, or double it for a party!
Table of Contents
Apple Pie Bars with Crumble Topping
Apple pie in any form is a win in my book, whether it’s a classic apple pie, an apple cheesecake pie, or a caramel apple pie topped with crumble. Heck, I’ve even made apple pie bread — that’s how much I love this quintessential fall dessert!
My latest baking project? Apple pie bars. Quick, easy, no-mixer, and impossible to eat just one! These easy apple bars are soft enough to cut with a fork if but sturdy enough to pick up with your hands if you can’t be bothered with a fork and plate!
For those that don’t like overly sweet desserts, this is perfect for you because they’re not too sweet.
You focus on the flavor of the salted caramel and baked apples which is rich and robust but not sweet, versus having an overpowering cinnamon-and-sugar sweetness.
Easy Homemade Apple Pie Bars
Whenever we’re talking layered desserts, yes, there is some work because you are making 3 layers after all – but it’s so worth it! Also in this category are my reader favorite Blueberry Pie Bars!
The crust is homemade, but it doesn’t have to be chilled and is so much easier than making traditional pie dough.
The apple pie filling is also made from scratch, which sounds time-consuming but really it’s just sliced apples tossed with some sugar and spices. So simple!
The crumble topping is my kryptonite in any dessert. Those bits of crispy oat crumble just stare at me from the pan, begging to be pulled off and savored one by one. I have to serve these apple pie bars ASAP otherwise my family will get a whole pan, minus the crumble topping!
And because I can’t resist temptation when it stares me in the face, I went ahead and drizzled salted caramel sauce over the entire pan.
The combination of tender apples, warming spices, crispy crumble, and salted caramel makes these apple pie bars THE dessert you need for your upcoming Thanksgiving, Halloween, and fall gatherings!
Ingredients for Apple Pie Bars
These apple pie crumble bars have three components: the flaky crust, the spiced apple filling, and the oat crumble topping.
Naturally Egg-Free (and GF + Vegan ideas)
These easy apple pie bars are naturally egg free!
You can likely use certified gluten-free flour intended for baking and certified gluten-free oats to keep this a gluten-free dessert with just a couple easy swaps.
While I haven’t tried to make a vegan version personally, my hunch is that vegan “butter” like the Earth Balance sticks would be a good swap.
Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to make the pie bars:
For the crust:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
For the filling:
- Apples
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
For the topping:
- Light brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Old-fashioned oats
- Unsalted butter
- Salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought is fine)
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Apple Pie Bars with Crumble Topping
The caramel apple pie bars take around 20 minutes to prepare, and after that your oven does all the hard work for you!
Here are the basic steps for this recipe:
Step 1: Make the crust. Add all of the crust ingredients to a large bowl and stir until combined. It’s reminiscent of a shortbread crust with a butter-sugar mixture. You don’t even have to use a mixer!
Step 2: Pre-bake the crust. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a parchment lined or foil lined 8×8-inch baking pan. Bake for about 15 minutes at 300ºF.
Time Saving Tip
I recommend prepping the apple pie bar filling and crumble topping while the crust bakes to save yourself time.
Step 3: Make the apple pie filling. I like to do this while the crust bakes to save time. Add the filling ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss to coat the apples in the spices and flour mixture.
Step 4: Make the crumble or streusel topping as some may call it. Mix all the ingredients together with a fork until you have coarse crumbs. Tip – I use softened butter rather than cold butter in this recipe.
Step 5: Assemble and bake. Remove the crust from the oven. Add the apple filling to the pan, then sprinkle and scatter the crumble mixture. Bake at 350ºF until golden brown.
Step 6: Let cool. The apple filling will be runny and molten hot when you take the pan from the oven. You MUST let the bars cool for 20 minutes at room temperature on a wire rack, then chill for 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Step 7: Drizzle with tablespoons of caramel sauce. The best part! Do this once the bars have cooled otherwise the caramel sauce will melt into them.
Serving Suggestions
These salted caramel apple pie crumble bars are perfect as is, and while the caramel sauce is technically optional I highly suggest using it!
If desired, you can also serve the apple pie bars with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Whipped topping (like Cool Whip) works too; pick your favorite and dig in!
Caramel Sauce Options
- You can make your own salted caramel sauce or use your favorite store-bought brand. I also have an old recipe for rum caramel sauce that’s just as delicious!
- If you’re feeling like store bought is the way to go to save time, and you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, I highly recommend their Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce. It’s not a seasonal product, the taste and texture are very high quality, an opened jar lasts months in a cool cupboard, and it’s max $5 bucks a jar (I think prices vary slightly regionally).
- In my local grocery stores (often near the gourmet cheese section), there are a variety of artisanal caramel sauces – both salted caramel sauce and unsalted (normal) caramel sauce. While they’re delicious, their price point is easily in the $10+ range and the jars are sometimes small so this isn’t a “value” option but certainly tasty.
- Make sure to purchase actual caramel sauce and not any kind of “caramel sundae topping” – here’s lookin’ at you Smuckers squeeze bottles! That’s a totally different product intended to be squeezed over ice cream (probably at a big family picnic) and NOT what you want here.
- Finally, if you’re not a salted caramel sauce person, go with regular unsalted caramel sauce. I love salty-sweet combos so I will always opt for salted caramel sauce but it’s up to you.
Tips for Making Apple Pie Bars
This is a very easy recipe to follow, and it’s tough to mess up. However, there are a few extra tips I want to share before you get started:
- Use baking apples like Granny Smith or Pink Lady to make the filling. Baking apples are firmer and hold up better when baked. If you use softer apples to make the bars, the filling will be mushy rather than tender.
- Add more spices, if desired. As written, the apple pie bars aren’t overly spiced. But they aren’t bland either because I love bold cinnamon flavor in any type of apple or pumpkin dessert. So I’ll sometimes I’ll add another teaspoon ground cinnamon, a tsp of ginger, and a pinch more nutmeg if I’m making this recipe just for my family.
- Use old-fashioned oats! AKA rolled oats or whole-rolled old-fashioned oats. Do NOT use instant or quick-cooking oats are too finely ground for the crumble topping and will act more like flour. Old-fashioned oats create those big chunks of crumble that I love to pick off one at a time.
- To make a thicker apple filling, I bet you could add one small to medium additional apple (three total) without affecting the rest of the recipe.
Recipe FAQs
When it comes to apple desserts, I like to use an equal mixture of red + green apples but you can use all of one type if preferred.
More importantly than the color, is the texture. I recommend using sturdy, firm apples, such as Jonathan, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, or Braeburn as the red choices. And Granny Smith Apples are the logical green apple choice.
You want an apple that’s firm and crisp so that it holds its shape once baked and doesn’t soften completely. 
In a word, yes peel the apples, and slice them very thin, about 1/8-inch thickness.
Apple skins remain tough even when baked, and almost become more noticeable since the apple flesh softens and you’re left with this undesirable wad of skin in your mouth. Nope! 
No, you need to use real apples to make these apple pie crumble bars. And there’s nothing to boil here – you’re just tossing together apples with flour, sugar, and spices!
Plus, apple pie filling is usually very sweet (too sweet for my liking usually), and the apples are far too soft to withstand the crumble topping.
You’re likely fine to use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute that’s intended for baking like a Bob’s Red Mill or similar. but I’ve only made this recipe as written so I can’t say for sure. 
I’ve only made the recipe as written, but my gut says that should be fine if you use something like an Earth Balance Stick that mimics a stick of actual butter.
You might have issues with the crust setting up correctly, but vegan butter would probably work in the crumble topping without issue.
Technically no, but it really makes these apple pie bars pop! I love drenching my apple desserts with salted caramel sauce, but do as you see fit.
See my Caramel Options section above too for the various options.
Absolutely! Double the ingredients and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Note that the crust will have to bake for closer to 18 minutes before the filling can be added. You’ll likely need to increase the baking time slightly (5-ish minutes is my guess) once you add the filling and crumble topping but like all recipes, watch your item and not the time on the clock when evaluating doneness. Always bake until done in your oven given your variables like pan size and climate.
My family doesn’t tend to love nuts in desserts but if yours does, feel free to add 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or slivered almonds to the crumble topping mixture.
Storage Instructions
Leftover apple pie bars will last up to 2 days on the counter and up to 5 days in the fridge. I’m comfortable storing baked fruit desserts at room temperature, but use your best judgment.
If storing in the fridge, wrap the pan tightly with foil or transfer the bars to an airtight container.
I imagine the pie bars would freeze just fine, but I’ve never had any left over to test that out! If you have to stack the bars to get them to fit into a freezer bag, be sure to place a square of parchment or wax paper between the layers to prevent sticking.
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Apple Filling
- 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (I used Granny Smith and Pink Lady* See Notes)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, based on preference
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger, optional and to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, or to taste
Crumble Topping
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats, do NOT use quick cook or instant oats
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup salted caramel sauce, homemade or store bought **See Notes, for drizzling
Instructions
- Crust – Preheat the oven to 300F and line the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment. Leave the edges of the parchment over the sides for easy removal. Alternatively, you can also use a high quality, nonstick aluminum foil.
- In a medium bowl, add the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and stir to combine.
- Fold in the flour and stir until combined.
- Press the crust mixture into the bottom of the lined baking pan and bake for 15 minutes at 300F. Set a timer so you don't forget and set aside to cool if you are speedy with steps 5 and 6! Tip – Prepare the filling while the crust is baking to save time.
- Apple Filling – To a large bowl, add the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, optional ginger, nutmeg and stir to combine and coat evenly; set aside.
- Crumble Topping – To a medium bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, old fashioned whole rolled oats, and butter. With a fork, gently cut the butter into the dry mixture until a crumbly texture is achieved. Tip – I find that softened butter rather than cold butter (more typical) is easier to work and yields the same result in this recipe.
- Second Baking – Turn the oven up to 350F degrees. On top of the warm crust, evenly spread the apple filling mixture with a rubber spatula.
- Evenly sprinkle the crumble topping mixture on top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350F, or until the crumble is golden brown. Baking Tips – Always watch your items and not the time on the clock when determining doneness. When the top is lighlty golden browned and set, and you can see a bit of bubbling from the apple filling beneathe, they're likley done. Rotate pan once halfway through this round of baking to ensure a more evenly golden browned top.
- Remove pan from the oven and allow bars to cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours, or overnight. If desired, after cooling at room temp for 20 mintues, you can chill in the fridge 2 hours if you like chilled desserts. Do not cover (either on the counter or in the fridge) or the top won't stay crispy/crumbly and will soften.
- Caramel Sauce – When ready to serve, evenly drizzle the caramel sauce over the top as desired, slice, and serve.
- Storage – Extra bars will keep airight at room temp or in the fridge (if you like chilled desserts) for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Note that when you cover the bars, the crumble topping will soften as the moisture is trapped inside your pan or container. It doesn't change the taste, just the texture. Similarly, any time you freeze a dessert, thaw, and serve it the texture will also change and in this case, they'll be overall softer and with any slight crunchiness to the crumble topping that they may have had when freshly baked.
Notes
- You can make your own salted caramel sauce or use your favorite store-bought brand. I also have an old recipe for rum caramel sauce that’s just as delicious!
- If you’re feeling like store bought is the way to go to save time, and you have a Trader Joe’s in your area, I highly recommend their Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce. It’s not a seasonal product, the taste and texture are very high quality, an opened jar lasts months in a cool cupboard, and it’s max $5 bucks a jar (I think prices vary slightly regionally).
- In my local grocery stores (often near the gourmet cheese section), there are a variety of artisanal caramel sauces – both salted caramel sauce and unsalted (normal) caramel sauce. While they’re delicious, their price point is easily in the $10+ range and the jars are sometimes small so this isn’t a “value” option but certainly tasty
- Make sure to purchase actual caramel sauce and not any kind of “caramel sundae topping” – here’s lookin’ at you Smuckers squeeze bottles! That’s a totally different product intended to be squeezed over ice cream (probably at a big family picnic) and NOT what you want here
- Finally, if you’re not a salted caramel sauce person, go with regular unsalted caramel sauce. I love salty-sweet combos so I will always opt for salted caramel sauce but it’s up to you.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Easy Apple Recipes:
Easy Apple Cobbler — A spiced apple filling is topped with a sweet biscuit topping before being baked to golden brown and bubbly perfection! Apple cobbler is such an EASY dessert to make and tastes even better when drizzled with caramel sauce and served with a scoop of ice cream!
Crustless Apple Pie – Sometimes called Swedish apple pie, this EASY recipe for apple pie without a traditional pie crust is a FAST, foolproof, no-mixer recipe! It’s loaded with cinnamon-spiced apples in every bite, dense, chewy, hearty, and is next level when topped with ice cream and salted caramel sauce!
Best Homemade Apple Pie (From Scratch!) — This fabulous apple pie is a specialty of my grandma’s. The sauce for the apples is slowly poured over the lattice crust until it fills the shell.
Caramel Apple Crumble Pie — Apple pie meets apple crumble in this easy caramel apple crumble pie recipe. This apple pie is dense, rich, and is packed with caramel apple flavor!
Apple Crisp Foil Packs with Caramel Sauce — EASY, zero cleanup, made on the grill (or oven) in record time, and tastes amazing! Juicy apples, chewy crumble topping, and luscious salted caramel…SO irresistible!
Sugar Cookie Apple Cream Cheese Pie – A buttery sugar cookie crust, tangy cream cheese filling, tender juicy apples, and a crumble topping make this pie a total SHOWSTOPPER!! EASY and THE BEST apple pie!!
Apple Pie Bread with Streusel Topping — If you like apple crumble pie, you’re going to love this EASY no-mixer apple pie bread!! Soft, tender, moist bread with the contrast of the slightly crunchy crumble topping is PERFECT! Great for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or dessert!!
Apple Zucchini Bread with Brown Sugar Frosting – Super soft, moist, and topped with the BEST frosting ever!! One bowl, no mixer, EASY recipe for the best apple zucchini bread that everyone LOVES!!
Apple Carrot Bread — This apple carrot bread tastes like carrot cake that’s been infused with apples. It’s a no mixer recipe that goes from bowl to oven in minutes!
Apple Fritter Bread — The bread tastes as decadent as the apple fritters of my childhood, no deep frying required and it’s more like cake disguised as bread.
Cinnamon Spice Applesauce Bread with Honey Butter — Applesauce keeps this bread so soft & moist! It’s like apple spice cake, disguised as ‘bread’ so you can have extra!
Peanut Butter Apple Banana Bread — Jazz up regular banana bread with peanut butter and apples! A perfect combo that tastes amazing together!! Fast, easy, no mixer required, and a hit with everyone!
Fresh Apple Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting — An EASY, one-bowl, no-mixer apple cake that’s to-die-for!! Loaded with juicy apples in every bite, perfectly spiced, and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting! So DELISH!!
Spiced Caramel Apple Cookie Cups — Soft and chewy gingerbread cookies are shaped into bite-sized mini cookie cups and filled with a scrumptious warmly spiced caramel apple filling! A final touch of whipped cream cheese caramel frosting makes these cookie cups an instant FAVORITE! An EASY dessert that everyone LOVES!
Caramel Apple Bar — It’s caramel apple season and this caramel apple bar is a FUN and festive quintessential fall treat! EASY to prep and it’s a wonderful family family-friendly activity for kids and adults alike!
