This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
When I’m looking for a fun alternative to pie that is easy to serve a group, I love making these delicious and fun Apple Pie Bars!
These Apple Pie Bars are simple to make and loaded with apple pie flavor – plus they are so easy to serve to a family or group dinner. You can use a pre-made pie crust, or my Pie Crust Recipe!
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of Contents
How to Make Apple Pie Bars
Making apple pie bars is really similar to making apple pie – just in a different shape that is a bit easier to serve.
Apple Pie Bars Ingredients
To make this recipe, we will need the following ingredients:
- 4 medium apples (peeled, cored, and diced): The star of the show — apples provide the juicy, fruity base and natural sweetness. Dicing them small helps them cook quickly and evenly inside the pastry. Choose a mix of tart and sweet apples (like Granny Smith + Honeycrisp) for depth of flavor.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps draw out juice from the apples, creating that sticky-sweet syrupy filling. It also enhances the apples’ natural caramelization as the bars bake.
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar: Gives a deeper, richer sweetness thanks to molasses content — adding warm, caramel-like flavor that pairs beautifully with cinnamon.
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice: Adds brightness and acidity, balancing the sweetness and preventing the apples from tasting flat. It also helps prevent the diced apples from browning too quickly.
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch: Thickens the filling by turning the released apple juices into a silky, cohesive sauce that won’t leak out of your bars. Without it, the filling could be runny.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon: Brings warm spice and aroma, enhancing the flavor of both apples and brown sugar. It’s the classic seasoning that makes it taste like apple pie.
- 1 tablespoon water: Activates the cornstarch and helps it dissolve evenly into the filling, preventing clumps and ensuring smooth thickening.
- 1 egg: Used for an egg wash — it helps seal the edges of the pastry and gives the crust a shiny, golden-brown finish when baked.
- Turbinado sugar (for topping): Adds sparkle, crunch, and a hint of extra sweetness on top of the crust. The coarse crystals also provide texture contrast against the soft apple filling.
- 14.1 oz box premade refrigerated pie crust (2 sheets): Forms the buttery, flaky layers that hold the filling — one crust serves as the base, the other as the top. Using premade crust keeps the recipe quick and approachable while still giving that classic pie flavor and texture.
Steps to Make Apple Pie Bars
Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, we will use the following process:
Mix filling
Add cornstarch, apples, sugars, cinnamon, lemon juice to a bowl, stir to mix completely. Set aside and let absorb sugars and cinnamon.
Add Pie Crust to Pan
Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment, lay pie crust that has been trimmed to a 9×9 square to pan.
Blind Bake
Blind bake pie crust for 8-10 minutes.
Add Filling
Add filling to blind baked crust.
Make Lattice & Pastry Braids
Use second pie crust to cut lattice for pie. For a decorative braid, cut thin strips of pie crust, braid, and add into lattice top.
Make Pie Crust Lattice
Layer pie crust into a lattice topping over pie filling.
Bake
Bake 35-40 minutes, until pie crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling up.
Let Cool & Cut
Let bars cool for at least 1 hour before cutting. Cut into 9 squares.
Serve and Enjoy!
Serve apple pie bars with cocoa, apple cider, or milk – and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks to Perfect Apple Pie Bars
Keep your crust cold. Cold dough = flaky crust. If using premade pie crust, keep it refrigerated until just before using. If it softens while assembling, pop the whole pan in the fridge for 10–15 minutes before baking to help the layers firm back up.
Dock or pre-bake the bottom crust (optional for extra crispness). If you like a crisp base, prick the bottom crust with a fork and bake it for 8–10 minutes before adding the apple filling. This prevents sogginess, especially if your apples are very juicy.
Use parchment paper for easy removal. Line your baking pan with parchment and let it hang over the edges — this makes it easy to lift the whole slab out for neat cutting once cooled.
Mix apple varieties for balance. Use a combination of tart (Granny Smith, Pink Lady) and sweet (Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala) apples. This adds dimension and prevents the filling from being one-note.
Dice apples evenly. Small, even cubes cook uniformly and make it easier to slice neat bars later. Big chunks can make the bars messy and harder to cut.
Cook the filling slightly before baking (optional). If you like a thicker, more jammy filling, simmer the apple mixture in a saucepan for 5–7 minutes until it begins to thicken. Let it cool before assembling.
Don’t skip the lemon juice. It balances the sweetness and keeps the apples from browning too fast — especially helpful if prepping in advance.
Chill before baking. Once assembled, refrigerate the unbaked bars for about 15–20 minutes. This helps the fat in the crust firm up again and prevents shrinking or slumping during baking.
Use an egg wash. Brushing the top crust with a beaten egg gives it a gorgeous golden color and helps the Turbinado sugar stick.
Cut vents or slits in the top crust. If not braiding, be sure to cut slits in the pie crust. This lets steam escape, preventing soggy pockets and helping the crust bake evenly.
Bake on the lower rack. Placing your pan on the lower oven rack helps the bottom crust brown nicely while ensuring the filling cooks through.
Cool completely before slicing. The filling needs time to set — at least 1 hour. Cutting too soon will cause it to ooze out. Cooling also makes cleaner, bakery-style bars.
Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze (optional). For a pretty finish, sprinkle cooled bars with powdered sugar or drizzle a simple vanilla glaze (powdered sugar + milk + vanilla extract).
Reheat gently to serve warm. Pop bars in a 300°F oven for 5–10 minutes to bring back that just-baked flavor. They’re especially delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.
How to Store Apple Pie Bars
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4–5 days.
- You can reheat them in the microwave for 10–15 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5–10 minutes to warm them back up.
- To freeze, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Baked Apple Pie Bars FAQs
A mix of sweet and tart apples gives the best flavor balance. Try using Granny Smith for tartness and Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala for sweetness. Mixing types helps the filling hold texture while staying flavorful.
You can, but homemade filling tastes fresher and less sweet. If using canned, reduce or skip the added sugar in the recipe — and make sure the filling isn’t too runny before assembling.
Not necessarily! The apples cook well inside the crust, but pre-cooking the filling for 5–7 minutes helps thicken it and gives a more “pie-like” texture. It’s a good idea if your apples are very juicy or if you like a jammy filling.
You should blind-bake (partially bake) the bottom crust for 8–10 minutes before adding the filling. Also, make sure your filling isn’t watery — cornstarch should thicken it.
Yes! Puff pastry gives a flakier, lighter texture. Just note it will rise more and bake a little faster, so check for golden brown color starting at 30–35 minutes.
The top crust should be golden brown, and you should see the apple filling bubbling slightly around the edges. That bubbling means the filling has thickened and is cooked through.
Absolutely. You can make and bake them up to 2 days ahead, then store covered at room temperature or in the fridge. They taste great reheated in a 300°F oven for 5–10 minutes before serving.
At least 1 hour — the filling needs time to set. Cutting too early will make the filling run and the bars fall apart. Cooling also gives cleaner, picture-perfect slices.
Yes — cool them completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently before serving for that fresh-baked texture.
Store covered at room temperature for 1–2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If refrigerated, warm them slightly before serving to bring back the buttery texture of the crust.
Definitely! Add chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch, or drizzle warm caramel sauce over the baked bars for a rich fall twist.
What to Serve With Apple Pie Bars
If you love this easy recipe please click the stars below to give it a five star rating and leave a comment! Please also help me share on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Share on Facebook
SharePin this now to find it later
Pin ItFollow on Instagram
Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 egg
- 1 egg?Turbinado sugar for topping
- 14.1 oz box premade refrigerated pie crust, 2 sheets
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.
- Cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring frequently until the apples soften and release their juices.
- In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and water until smooth.
- Add to the apple mixture and cook for another 2–3 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Roll out one sheet of premade pie crust and press it evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
- Roll out the second sheet of pie crust into a 9×9-inch square.
- Use a pastry cutter to slice into ½-inch strips.
- On a piece of parchment paper, weave the strips into a lattice pattern (add braids if you’d like for a decorative touch).
- Transfer the whole parchment sheet to the freezer to firm up.
- Evenly spread the cooled apple filling over the baked bottom crust.
- Remove the frozen lattice from the freezer and carefully place on top of the apple layer.
- Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush it over the lattice.
- Sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting into 9 squares.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
