Apple Pie Bars
bars
Enjoy the cozy flavors of Fall in these glazed Apple Pie Bars with a spiced shortbread crust, and apple pie filling. Serve plain or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel sauce!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter , room temperature. I use salted
- ½ cup shortening
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 21 ounces apple pie filling See note.
Powdered Sugar Glaze
- 1 tablespoon butter softened. See Note.
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon milk additional milk if needed, 1 teaspoon at a time
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract can substitute pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and shortening on high until smooth and well combined. Add the sugar, and completely combine. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add the flour mixture, and thoroughly combine. Set aside 1 1/4 cups of the dough for the topping.
- Press the remaining dough into an ungreased 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Bake for 12 minutes. The edges will be lightly golden, and the middle will be underdone, but not to worry, you're going to bake them again.
- Gently spread the apple pie filling over the entire crust. Drop the remaining dough in mounds over the filling.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown. Place pan on a baking rack to cool for 10 minutes before glazing.
Powdered Sugar Glaze
- in a small bowl, mix together the softened tablespoon of butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Add the 1 tablespoon of milk, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. If needed, add 1 teaspoon of milk until glaze is of a consistency where it can be drizzled.
- Using a spoon, evenly distribute the glaze over the top of the bars after they've sat for 10 minutes on the wire rack. Allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.
Notes
- The apple filling has sliced apples, so I've found that the apples are better distributed when I cut the slices into bite-sized pieces. I think it will also be easier to cut the bars if you make the apples smaller as well.
- If using a glass baking pan, you may need to increase the baking time by about 5-7 minutes.
- The butter for the powdered sugar glaze should be softer than room temperature as it will be easier to mix with the powdered sugar. It doesn't need to be melted.
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 104mg | Potassium: 66mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg