Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars
Delightful and comforting, homemade apple crisp shortbread bars bring together a crumbly shortbread base topped with a sweet and spiced apple filling, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Shortbread Base
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Apple Filling
- 2 cups peeled and diced apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for apples)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x9-inch baking pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix well.
- In another bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until it forms a crumbly dough.
- Press half of the dough into the bottom of the greased baking pan to form an even layer.
Assembly
- In a separate bowl, combine the diced apples, lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until the apples are well coated.
- Spread the apple mixture evenly over the shortbread base in the baking pan.
- Crumble the remaining shortbread dough over the top of the apple layer.
Baking
- Bake for around 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Allow the bars to cool in the pan before cutting them into squares to serve.
Notes
Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Consider adding a sprinkle of cinnamon or drizzling caramel sauce before serving.