Love apple crisp? Try it in the form of these streusel-covered, grab-and-go bars.—They make an awesome after-school snack, healthy dessert, or even breakfast!
Guess what? Today is the last day of Apple Week.
I know, I’m broken-hearted about it too. But I think I’m even MORE sad about the fact that I seriously must have gained 10 pounds with all this apple recipe taste-testing the past few weeks….
GOOD times ‘goin on, guys. 😀
Let’s do a quick 5-second recap of the past week shall we?
Monday: We gorged ourselves on apple upside-down cake.
Tuesday: My talented friend Izzy shared this awesome apple pie cream cheese.
Wednesday: We all had a tall stack of apple pie ricotta pancakes.
Thursday: Caramel apples with EVERYTHING on ’em took over my blog.
Friday: Morning oatmeal got a HUGE makeover in the direction of caramelized apples.
Saturday: My good friend, Kelly nearly killed me with this cinnamon almond butter dip…with apples for dippers of course.
Today: Apple crisp in the form of bars.
Stick around. This is going in a tasty direction.
So apple crisp? It’s pretty much my idea of a perfect fall dessert. Paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and Food Network on TV and I’m set for the night.
Possibly even for life. ♥
Plus it’s a perfect way to use up all those apples that I hope we all have coming outta our ears by now.
Fall DOES officially start in T-minus 8 days, so start stocking up!
But classic apple crisp isn’t really the best grab-and-go snack/dessert. Unless you’re like me and just dig into it straight from the pan…
Yes, that’s happened and I have no regrets….my skinny jeans do, though.
But I don’t think everyone’s as cray as I am, so apple crisp was just begging to be put in a bar.
So apple crisp and a bar (the dessert kind) were happily married, they then had lots of babies and named them Apple Crisp Bars.
Then….Sarah ate their babies.
Or attempted to eat the entire panful…
Seriously, I did my best to eat all these bars by myself (I was taking direct orders from my apple-crisp lovin’ tastebuds) but my family stopped me after only two.
I was just like YO! You’re interfering with my taste-testing! Somebody’s gotta do these things around here ‘ya know!
Sigh. They don’t get it.
Seriously though, guys. This is just heaven in a bar. The apples are soft and cinnamon-sugary, and they’re piled high with streusel upon streusel.
Just lookit’ that gorgeous streusel! Extra extra streusel? Always.
Am I being annoying? Sorry, I kinda just like saying the word “streusel.”
I like eating it more, though.
If you wanna get fancy you could even drizzle these bars with some warm caramel sauce.
Oh heavens, yes..
As a ginormous bonus, these bars could NOT be simpler to make. (and eat!) Whip ’em up in the morning and eat them for breakfast like I did (no shame) or if you have some REAL self-control, save ’em for the kids for an after-school snack or lighter dessert.
That being said, your weekend needs some Apple Crisp Bars. Save some for me, though m’kay?
Apple Crisp Bars
Ingredients
- CRUST:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour
- FILLING:
- 3 large Gala apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- STREUSEL:
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter cubed
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 baking pan in the bottom and up the sides with tin foil and lightly grease. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, and salt until smooth. Stir in flour until moist crumbs form. Press crumbs evenly into prepared pan.
- Bake crust at 350F 10-12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire cooling rack.
- Prepare the filling: Evenly layer sliced apples over pre-baked crust. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly over apples.
- Prepare the streusel: In a medium bowl, combine oats, flour, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Cut in butter with a fork until mixture forms into pea-sized crumbs. Sprinkle streusel evenly over apple filling.
- Bake bars at 350F 25 minutes, or until streusel is golden and apples are softened. Cool bars completely on a wire cooling rack before cutting into squares.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
Going to click my heels together a few times and hope these crisp bars appear! YUM!
Sarah says
Hahaha! You always make my day with your comments, Pamela! I think I may need to try that “click your heels” trick. 😉
Isadora says
I’m sad that apple week is over too 🙁 I guess that doesn’t mean that I can’t still eat apples though, and I will definitely doing a lot more apple eating this season! How creative to make apple crisp bars!! I love that they not only have a crispy buttery topping, but also a soft sweet bottom! You are making me so hungry, Sarah! My skinny jeans aren’t going to be fitting either soon! I hope you had a great weekend and thanks again for having me guest post for the amazing apple week 🙂
Sarah says
Hahaha skinny jeans are soooo overrated anyway, right?! You NEED these bars in yo’ life, Izzy!
And thank YOU for the awesome guest-post, girl! Hope you had a great weekend. 😀
Danielle says
Yes for another reason to use my coconut sugar! I feel like I need to get to making some apple recipes asap! Pinning these 😉
Sarah says
Yay! Get your hands on some apples pronto so you can try these bars, Danielle! Thanks for the pin. 🙂
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Yum! These look like the perfect bars to end apple week with, Sarah! I love the streusel topping, too! Delish!
Sarah says
Thanks, Gayle!
marcie says
I love apple crisp more than words can express, and desserts in bar form are so convenient — these are the best of both worlds!
Sarah says
Totally the best of both worlds! 🙂 Thanks Marcie!
Ceara @ Ceara's Kitchen says
These apple crisp bars look divine Sarah and the perfect way to wrap up Apple week for sure! 🙂 Pinned!
Sarah says
Thanks for pinning, Ceara! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
This apple crisp bars look delicious! Way to end apple week with a bang! This may be the best recipe yet. I love apple crisp, so much more than apple pie. Can’t wait to make these bars!
Sarah says
You’re too sweet, Natalie! You TOTALLY need to try these bars this fall—I can’t believe I’m saying this, but they kinda put apple pie AND apple crisp to shame. 😉
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
Apple crisp in a bar form….genius! These look fantastic and I love those big slices of apples 😀
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Cindy! The bigger the apple slices = The better the bar. 😀
Lindsey @ American Heritage Cooking says
Where was my memo about Apple Week?! lol! I am loving this apple crisp bar! Everything I love about apple crisp condensed into a bar form! Pinned!
Sarah says
Thanks for the pin, Lindsey! You’ve gotta check out all the other recipes of Apple Week. 😀
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
Yay, loved apple week and these bars are a perfect way to end off with 🙂 I am a sucker for apple crisp and making them into bars is genius! The streusel is my favorite part so I am just drooling over all that gorgeousness you piled on these babies! Wish these would magically appear at my breakfast table – pinning 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Kelly! And yes to the streusel being the best part. More streusel = Always. 😀 Thanks for pinning, girl!
Renee @ Two in the Kitchen says
I am a big fan of apple crisp bars Sarah! These look fantastic!! 🙂
Sarah says
Thanks, Renee! 🙂
Mary Frances @ The Sweet {Tooth} Life says
I would call you heartless for eating all the babies … but I would right there with you, faceplanting in the pan. All things streusel is my life motto because duh, streusel! And apples were made for streusel. These sound like the epitome of fall, Sarah, pinning!
Sarah says
Hahaha! We can both be heartless and unfeeling together. 😀 And yes to streusel being LIFE.
Thanks for the pin, friend!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
I have loved apple week and these bars are a great way to finish it off!
Sarah says
Thanks, Christin! 🙂
Anne Kepner says
Made this tonight with some honey crisp apples- YUM!