Tartistry
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
Search
Categories
  • brunch
  • cakes
  • cheesecakes
  • cookies
  • cupcakes
  • dessert bars
  • dessert craft
  • Desserts
  • tarts
Tartistry
Tartistry
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • dessert bars
  • Desserts

Apple Pie Bars

  • August 14, 2020
  • Tom
Apple Pie Bars
Total
23
Shares
0
0
23

Apple Pie Bars. These multilayered dessert bars feature a brown sugar vanilla bean blondie base, caramelized apples, pecan streusel, and penuche frosting.

Apple Dessert Bars

Why You Should Make These Dessert Bars

  • they’re delicious and perfect for year-round entertaining
  • the caramelized apples, streusel and penuche frosting can all be prepared in advance of dessert bar construction.
  • the dessert bars are delicious warm from the oven, making the frosting an indulgent option.
  • they are very rich, so a little bar goes a long way
Apple Pie Dessert Bars

How To Make These Apple Pie Bars

I start by getting the apples going. Two or three Honeycrisp apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced. The apple slices go into a large skillet in a single layer. They are sautéed in a couple tablespoons of butter and a couple tablespoons of brown sugar. I add a pinch or two of ground cinnamon as they begin to simmer. I stir and flip the apples every few moments.

Once the apples take on a little color and begin to soften, I pour in some apple cider or juice. Water works fine, as well. The apples poach while the liquid slowly burns off. I remove the apples from the heat and allow them to cool. Once cool, the apples are finely diced.

While the apples are caramelizing, I prepare the streusel. Whole pecans are toasted for 5 to 6 minutes at 350 degrees F. I mix some light brown sugar with ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Cold, cubed butter is cut in with a fork, fingers, or pastry cutter. The whole toasted pecans are added and tossed to coat in the brown sugar mixture. The streusel is chilled until ready to use.

The blondie base is the same base I use for our popular cinnamon roll blondies.

All-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and fine sea salt are whisked together in a small bowl, and set aside.
Melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla bean paste are added to a stand mixer and beaten on low briefly to thoroughly combine and achieve a smooth mixture. Alternately, the task can be accomplished with a whisk.
The flour mixture is folded into the sugar mixture and transferred to a parchment paper lined 8 or 9-inch square baking pan. I like to cut a piece of parchment that covers the bottom and two sides. This gives me a handle to help release the dessert bars once baked and frosted.

The diced caramelized apples are sprinkled in an even layer over the blondie batter. The cold streusel is sprinkled over the apples in an even layer.

The dessert bars are baked in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
The dessert bars are cooled completely. You can stop here and serve these apple pie blondies or go the extra step of topping them with penuche frosting.

A stick of butter is melted on low heat in a small saucepan. Brown sugar is added to the saucepan and the mixture is cooked for 2 minutes, while stirring frequently. Milk is added to the sugar mixture, the temperature is raised, and the mixture is brought to a boil. The sugar mixture is allowed to cool until barely warm. Once cooled down, the warm mixture is added to a stand mixer. Powdered sugar is added and the frosting is beaten on low for 5 minutes. The frosting is spread evenly over the cooled dessert bars.

The dessert bars can be covered and stored at room temperature for a few days, or covered and stored in the refrigerator. The dessert bars are sliced into individual bars. I topped my bars with warm caramsl sauce and finely chopped pecans.

Dessert Bars with Apple, Pecans and Penuche Frosting
Apple-Pie-Bars with Pecan Streusel
Apple Pie Bars Closeup

Other Dessert Bar Recipes You Might Enjoy

Some of our most popular dessert bars include blueberry crumble bars, blondies with dark chocolate and macadamia nuts, cinnamon roll blondies, fresh cherry brownies with almonds, and no-bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal bars.

Find Tartistry on: Pinterest Instagram and Facebook. Please feel free to leave comments and questions below. I would love to hear from you.

Apple Pie Bars

Apple Pie Bars

These multilayered dessert bars feature a brown sugar vanilla bean blondie base, caramelized apples, pecan streusel, and penuche frosting.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Resting Time 1 hr
Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Course Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16

Ingredients
  

Caramelized Apples:

  • 2 each Honeycrisp or other baking apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  • 35 grams light brown sugar (3 tablespoons)
  • 28 grams unsalted butter (2 tablespoons)
  • 3 grams ground cinnamon (1 teaspoon)
  • 60 grams apple juice, apple cider or water (1/4 cup)

Pecan Streusel:

  • 100 grams whole pecans (1 cup)
  • 25 grams light brown sugar (2 tablespoons)
  • 2 grams ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon)
  • 1 gram ground nutmeg (1/4 teaspoon)
  • 42 grams unsalted butter (3 tablespoons), cold + cubed

Blondie Base:

  • 160 grams all-purpose flour (1-1/4 cups)
  • 4 grams baking powder (3/4 teaspoon)
  • 1 gram ground cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon)
  • 2 grams fine sea salt (1/2 teaspoon)
  • 140 grams unsalted butter (1-1/4 sticks OR 10 tablespoons), melted
  • 150 grams granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
  • 100 grams granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
  • 100 grams egg (2 large)
  • 10 grams vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (2 teaspoons)

Penuche Frosting:

  • 113 grams unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
  • 60 grams whole milk (1/4 cup)
  • 200 grams light brown sugar (1 cup)
  • 220 grams powdered sugar (1-3/4 cups)

Instructions
 

Caramelized Apples:

  • Add sliced apples, light brown sugar, unsalted butter, and ground cinnamon to large skillet. Sauté apples over low heat for about 5 minutes stirring and flipping the apple slices every few minutes.
  • Add apple cider to skillet. Simmer apple pieces until apples are soft and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and cool. Set aside.

Pecan Streusel:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange pecans in single layer on baking sheet. Toast pecans for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool completely.
  • Add light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and cold cubed unsalted butter to small bowl. Cut the butter in using a fork or pastry cutter.
  • Add the cooled pecans to the bowl and stir to coat pecans with streusel mixture.
  • Refrigerate until ready to use.

Blondie Base:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and two opposite sides of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving enough parchment on the two opposite ends to create handles for lifting the dessert bars out of the pan. Set aside.
  • Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and fine sea salt to small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
  • Add melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, egg, and vanilla bean paste to stand mixer. Beat on low until smooth.
  • Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer and fold the flour mixture into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth with offset spatula, if necessary.
  • Sprinkle the diced apples in a single layer over the blondie batter.
  • Sprinkle the chilled streusel over the diced apples in a single layer.
  • Bake blondies in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of dessert bars comes out clean.
  • Remove baking pan from oven and cool bars completely in pan on wire rack.

Penuche Frosting:

  • Add unsalted butter to small saucepan. Melt over low heat.
  • Add light brown sugar to saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Raise the heat to medium. Add the milk to the saucepan and stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil.
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool until the mixture is slightly warm, about 15 minutes.
  • Add the brown sugar mixture to a stand mixer. Add the powdered sugar. Start on low to combine, and then beat on medium for 5 minutes.
  • Spread frosting evenly over completely cooled dessert bars. Allow frosting to set for at least an hour.
  • Remove bars from baking pan by running paring knife along edges, tilting pan slightly and using parchment paper handle to lift the bars up and slide out of pan.
Keyword apple blondies, apple pie bars, apple pie blondies, blondies, dessert bars
Total
23
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 23
Tom

Previous Article
Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Muffins
  • brunch
  • Desserts

Jumbo Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Muffins

  • August 11, 2020
  • Tom
Read More
Next Article
Crispy Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Chocolate
  • cookies
  • Desserts

Crispy Oatmeal Cookies with Pecans and Chocolate

  • August 15, 2020
  • Tom
Read More
You May Also Like
apple fritters
Read More
  • brunch
  • Desserts

Apple Fritters

  • Tom
  • July 13, 2021
banana bread with cherries, chocolate and pecans
Read More
  • brunch
  • Desserts

Banana Bread with Cherries, Chocolate and Pecans

  • Tom
  • June 21, 2021
banana bread muffins
Read More
  • brunch
  • Desserts

Banana Bread Muffins

  • Tom
  • June 18, 2021
raspberry and strawberry ice cream
Read More
  • brunch
  • Desserts

Roasted Raspberry and Strawberry Ice Cream

  • Tom
  • June 11, 2021
cherry puree
Read More
  • brunch
  • Desserts

Cherry Puree

  • Tom
  • June 7, 2021
peanut butter and chocolate cookies
Read More
  • cookies
  • Desserts

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cookies

  • Tom
  • June 4, 2021
brooklyn blackout cake
Read More
  • cakes
  • Desserts

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

  • Tom
  • May 28, 2021
strawberry cupcakes
Read More
  • cupcakes
  • Desserts

Strawberry Cupcakes

  • Tom
  • May 25, 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




about
Meet Tom

dessert designer / content creator / photographer

Hi, I’m Tom. Pastry chef in America’s finest city, San Diego, California. Working professional by day, creative artist by night. Tartistry.com is a dessert blog, food photography gallery, and baking and pastry resource for individuals that live a culinary lifestyle. Here you’ll find unique, original content crafted to entertain and educate, with most of the focus on sweets you can make at home.
Learn More
Popular Desserts
  • chocolate granola
    Chocolate Granola
    • March 21, 2021
  • Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
    Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
    • September 16, 2020
  • Blondies with Dark Chocolate and Macadamia Nuts
    • October 11, 2019
  • banana bread with cherries, chocolate and pecans
    Banana Bread with Cherries, Chocolate and Pecans
    • June 21, 2021
about
Tartistry | Desserts

dessert design / recipes / photography

Tartistry is a dessert blog featuring original and adapted dessert recipes with a focus on seasonal ingredients, seasonal and holiday traditions. Browse tarts, pies, cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies, dessert bars, brunch favorites, and much more
View Recipes
tartistry logo
Instagram

Input your search keywords and press Enter.