Homemade Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars
Delicious bars featuring a buttery shortbread base topped with spiced apples and a crunchy crumb topping, perfect for any dessert occasion.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Ensure it's at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the filling
- 3 cups peeled and diced apples (about 4 medium apples) Choose quality baking apples like Granny Smith
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice Prevents browning
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
For the topping
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) Walnuts or pecans work well
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the flour, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until the mixture forms a crumbly dough.
- Press about two-thirds of this mixture into the prepared baking dish to form the bottom crust.
Filling
- In another bowl, toss the diced apples with lemon juice and brown sugar. Spread the apples evenly over the crust in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the apple filling, ensuring it covers as much as possible.
- If you’re using nuts and oats, mix them in and sprinkle them over the top for added crunch.
Baking
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.
Notes
Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or dusted with powdered sugar for added sweetness. They also pair well with coffee or tea.