Love apple crisp? You’ll love it even more in the form of apple crisp bars! These bars feature a tender oatmeal crust, soft spiced apple filling, buttery brown sugar streusel, and a generous drizzle of caramel on top.
That fateful day when apple crisp walked into a bar…quite LITERALLY, y’all.
A day that I will forever be grateful for and you’re about to join that club.
These bars > I’m talking tender crust, soft spiced apple filling, and SO much buttery oat streusel crowning the top. Don’t tell on me but these bars may edge out apple pie JUST a bit.
All ya need to know about these is that they include everything you love about a good apple crisp condensed into the most lush bars that will be a guaranteed hit wherever you take them.
Also a guaranteed hit hoarded all to yourself, just saying.
These Bars feature…
- A soft oatmeal crust and tender apple filling
- Buttery oatmeal brown sugar streusel
- A drizzle of caramel sauce on top
Making the Bars
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Oats
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Spices
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter
- Apples
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- Caramel sauce
Choosing Your Apples
This recipe is great with a variety of apples. I typically try to stick with a sweeter, crisp apple that holds its shape in a pie such as gala, honeycrisp, braeburn, or jonathan.
I do recommend staying away from granny smith apples in particular for this pie because I found they give it a bit of a too-tart flavor and require more sugar to balance that.
Tips for Perfect Apple Bars
- Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture for topping – the oatmeal crumb mixture acts as both the crust AND streusel topping to keep these bars extra easy.
- Thinly slice apples into uniform size – I recommend thin 1/4-inch thick slices for evenly-cooked apples.
- Bake bars 50-55 minutes – you’ll know the bars are done when the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a paring knife.
- Allow bars to cool before slicing – for clean cuts, I recommend allowing bars to cool completely in pan before using parchment paper to remove and slice into squares.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on these bars.
- Add dried fruit – fold 1/2 cup raisins or dried cranberries into the apple filling.
- Add nuts – try adding 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts to the crust/topping.
Storing and Freezing Bars
These bars store well in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days. For best results, drizzle bars with a little caramel sauce before serving.
To freeze bars, allow to cool completely, wrap well, and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw bars completely on countertop before serving.
One bite of these luscious apple bars and I think you’ll be joining me with skipping the apple pie scene for awhile. Apple crisp meets bar is just where the action is at, ya know?
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
More apple-packed desserts to bake up next.
Apple Crisp Bars
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
Crust and Streusel
- 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Apple Filling
- 4 medium honeycrisp or gala apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 1-1/2 lbs)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Caramel sauce for topping, optional
Instructions
Crust and Streusel
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt. Toss in melted butter until mixture is crumbly.
- Reserve a heaping 1 cup of crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture in prepared baking pan in an even layer. Set aside for a moment
Apple Filling
- In a large bowl, combine apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, and spices. Arrange apple filling evenly over crust in pan and top with reserved streusel mixture.
- Bake bars at 350F 50-55 minutes until topping is golden brown and apple filling is tender when pierced with a paring knife. Allow bars to cool completely on a wire cooling rack.
- When ready to serve, drizzle bars with caramel sauce if desired and slice into squares. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 9/16/25.
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!