Crumbly, buttery and jammy, these easy Apple Pie Crumb Bars are bursting with spices and tastes just like apple pie, only better!

It’s hard to believe but Fall is almost here again. And you already know that means! Delicious, crisp, sweet and totally healthy apples are coming into season. This recipe takes full advantage and let’s you get in on the action with minimal effort and prep. And in my opinion, the taste of apple pie is always worth the effort.

What makes this recipe so AMAZING, besides the incredible flavor, is how simple it is to make. The best part… you only have to mix up the crumbs once. You’ll use it for both the crust and the topping!

This crumb bar recipe is based on a peach crumb pie that Matthew and I had while visiting Savannah last summer. I used apples and made the bottom crust thicker than the pie we had, so you can pick the pieces up with your hands. And I probably used more butter and sugar than the pie called for, but so what. They’re chewy, crunchy , taste awesome and smell just like apple pie. My work is done here!

A Little History of “crumb topping”

Ever wondered why it’s called a “crumb bar”? Crumb toppings became popular in Britain during World War II when food rationing was a necessity. It was an economical alternative to pies because of the shortage of pastry ingredients like flour, butter and sugar. Cooks could substitute ingredients like oats and brown sugar to make the crumb mix.

It became popular and still a favorite today because of how easy crumb toppings are to make compared to pastry crusts.

How To Make Apple Pie Crumb Bars

These crumb bars are so EASY to make and the buttery crust is AMAZING. The recipe is for thick, rustic crumb bars so the crumb crust has a real bite to it. But feel free to use a bigger pan ( I wouldn’t go bigger than a 9 x 13) if you want to spread the crust out a little more for thinner bars.

Ingredients needed:

Apples – we used JonaGold apples to make the crumb bars, but any good crisp baking apple is fine. Honeycrisp and Granny Smith are two other varieties that we love to bake with.
Brown Sugar – either light or dark brown sugar is fine.
White Sugar
Butter – we used unsalted butter for this recipe and added salt to the recipe. If using salted butter, omit the extra salt.
Flour – all-purpose flour
Vanilla Extract
Apricot Jam – apple jam is a great substitute.
Apple Pie Spice or Cinnamon – we make our own apple pie spice but store bought or just plain cinnamon is perfect for this recipe.
Cornstarch – flour can be substituted for the cornstarch but will result in a different flavor and texture.
Lemon Juice – essential for keeping the apples from turning brown.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line your baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little hanging over the edges to grab onto later to remove the bars from the pan.
Mix up the crumb ingredients of flour, brown sugar, salt and butter and then divide in half. Firmly press half the crumbs into the bottom of your baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes then set aside to cool. Stir 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or cinnamon into the remaining crumb mixture and set aside.
Peel and core the apples, then dice into small pieces. To the apples add the sugar, vanilla, remaining 1 teaspoon of apple pie spice, cornstarch and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Pour the apple mixture including any juices over the baked crumb crust. Use a teaspoon to add dollops of jam on top of the apple mixture. Sprinkle over the reserved crumb mixture, covering the apples completely.
Bake on the center rack of your oven for 45 – 55 minutes until starting to bubble and is golden brown on top. Cool pan on a wire rack to room temperature before cutting. For easier cutting, refrigerate in the pan for at least an hour before slicing.