Apple Pie Bars

If you enjoy baking, no doubt this time of year you want to bake with apples and cinnamon and make your house smell all cozy and fall-ish. This recipe is fairly simple and I cannot say enough good things about it. The flavors are to die for and it will definitely fill your desire for a baked apple treat. When you don't want to deal with a pie crust or a large dessert this will be just the right amount. I mean it's apple pie in a bar form. Do you really need anymore convincing? And because if you are like me, you are here for the recipe and not to listen to all my thoughts. 

Apple Pie Bars

yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust:

-1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)

-1/4 cup brown sugar

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper or butter pan.

In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter together until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add vanilla and mix. Add flour and mix until combined and dough is crumbly.

Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until dough is slightly puffed. Remove from oven and set aside, maintain oven temperature.

Apple Filling:

-4 cups apples, peeled, cored and sliced

-2 tablespoons flour

-1/4 cups sugar

Combine apples flour and sugar. Mix until apples are thoroughly coated. Arrange apples on baked crust.

Crisp Topping:

-1/2 cup brown sugar

-1/4 cup sugar

-3/4 cup flour

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-6 tablespoons chilled butter (cut)

Mix first 5 ingredients together. Using a pastry cutter, fork or food processor add butter to mixture until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over apples in an even layer.

Bake uncovered at 350 F for 45 minutes, or until topping is golden and apple mixture is bubbly. Let cool and then cut and serve.

Recipe from If you Give a Blond a Kitchen