Buttery shortbread crust, delicious cinnamon apple filling and addictive streusal on top! You HAVE to make these Apple Crumble Bars 🍎
Well hello there! 🍎 Autumn is well and truly upon us! I’ve got pumpkins on my mantle, new boots on my feet, a new apple cider cinnamon candle (amazing) and a new favourite autumn tea (also amazing!).
These Apple Crumble Bars are autumn in food form – delicious apples, crumbly oats, warming cinnamon… exactly like a bowl of apple crumble in fact, but in a more handy, transportable form!
I can’t TELL you how ridiculously easy these Apple Crumble Bars are to make. The base, a simple shortbread, is sugar, butter and flour. On top of that goes a bunch of sliced apples with cinnamon and stuff. Then on top we’ll sprinkle an easy streusal *crunchy sugary cinnamony stuff*. So EASY!
But even easier to eat… 😳
Here’s what you’ll need
You’ll need butter, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, salt, APPLES (duh!), cinnamon, nutmeg and oats!
OPTIONAL – these bars taste delicious with caramel sauce drizzled over the top too, if you have any lurking in your cupboard. A warm Apple Crumble Bar with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is also an incredible choice.
Using a mixture of apples is best – green (like granny smith) for tartness and your favourite red variety for sweetness.
To set these Apple Crumble Bars, you’ll need a 9×9 inch square tin. I lined mine with tin foil to make it easy to pull the bars out.
- For the base:
- 50g caster sugar
- 120g melted unsalted butter
- 135g plain flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- For the apple layer:
- 2 small/medium granny smith green apples & 2 small/medium red apples - washed and sliced into thin slices (about a Terry's Chocolate Orange width!)
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- grating of nutmeg (nutmeg can be divisive so add more if you like it or leave it out if you don't!)
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- For the streusal topping:
- 40g jumbo oats (or any oats but jumbo are better in almost any scenario)
- 60g light brown sugar
- 30g plain flour
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 60g unsalted butter - cold
- For the base:
- Prepare a 9 inch by 9 inch square tin by lining it with parchment paper or thick tin foil and preheat the oven to 160c/gas mark 4.
- Stir the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt together. Add the flour and stir well, then firmly press the mixture evenly into the tin. Bake for 15 minutes (until golden brown) while you prepare the filling and streusel.
- For the filling:
- Wash your apples, then slice them into thinnish slices, around as thick as a pound coin. Toss them in a bowl with the flower, cinnamon and nutmeg, then tumble them over the shortbread base.
- For the streusal topping:
This part is unusual in that you start with COLD butter, which you want in small cubes. Stir the oats, sugar, cinnamon and flour together and add the butter cubes. Rub everything together with your fingers until you've got a lumpy, amazing smelling mixture!- Sprinkle the streusal over the apple slices on the shortbread base. Pop the Apple Crumble Bars into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
Cut into squares and keep in an airtight tub for up to a week.
Autumn obsessed like me? Pin it for later
If you make these, tag me #kerrycooks @kerryedwards on Instagram , or post a picture on my Facebook or Twitter so I can see!
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Nancy Shaw says
October 26, 2017 at 6:22 pmThank you for sharing this recipe!
Look Yummy!
I will try to do it this weekend for my family.