Apple Pie Bars are so delicious! Instead of a single pie that serves only 8 people, why not make a whole pan that feeds 20-25 people? These are made in a large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with a bottom crust topped with fresh apples. These are tossed in cinnamon sugar with a hint of ginger. Then put a crust on, bake and drizzle with vanilla glaze. Ice cream with a little caramel can't hurt either.
These are a fall favorite! I have to make Apple Pie Bars at least once each fall, okay maybe 4 or 5 times! This is my dessert of choice if going to a family party or gathering. They are always a big hit. They are light and so tasty. The nice thing is, you can pick them up and eat them right from the pan! YUM!
How to Make Apple Pie Bars
1. Make the butter crust. This crust is a little different from a traditional pie crust. It has an egg in it and milk. Measure the flour and salt and put them in a bowl. Grate the butter on a box grater and mix into flour mixture. Break the egg and separate the yolk from the white. Beat the yolk and put it in a 3/4 cup measuring cup. Fill up the cup with milk and mix this into the dry ingredients. Use your hands to mix the dough together until all flour is incorporated.
One of the easiest ways for me separate an egg is to crack it and pour it in my hand. I place my hand over a bowl that can catch the white while the yolk stays on top of my fingers. If the white has not seeped through your fingers, gently move your fingers apart while keeping the yolk in your hand.
The traditional way of separating the yolk and white is done by cracking the egg in half. Then transfer the yolk from shell to shell as you let the white fall out of the shells and into a bowl. If you get any yolk in the white, start over. Eggs are cheap! The white needs to be whipped and used later in the recipe. It will not whip up if there is any yolk in it.
2. Once the dough is made, split it in half. The bottom crust needs to be a little bit bigger than the top crust. So if you do not split them up in half perfectly, it doesn't matter.
At this point, you can pat the dough into discs and put in the refrigerator for a half an hour so it is easier to roll out. I do not do this for this crust because it doesn't need to be pretty like a regular pie crust.
One part of the dough needs to be rolled out until it is the size of a large cookie sheet. Fold the crust gently in half and place in the cookie sheet and then unfold. My crust always seems to come a part a little because it is so large, and because I do not chill it. I just take the pieces that fall off and pinch them together with my fingers.
3. Crush Corn Flakes cereal in a plastic bag until you get one cupful.
This is sprinkled over the crust and then apples are piled on top. The corn flakes are very important. There is no flour or cornstarch in this recipe to thicken the juices of the apples as they cook. The cereal soaks them up.
4. Roll out the second part of the crust. You don't need this until you get the apples prepared, but it is nice to have it ready. It is placed on top of the apples, then crimped on the edges.
5. Preheat the oven to 400°.
6. Peel and slice 7-8 Granny Smith apples. Using an apple slicer makes this part of the recipe so much easier. This machine is inexpensive and it makes a big difference. It is one of those machines that after you use it, you think, why have I not used this before? Once I started using an apple slicer, making this dessert was a piece of cake.
When using an apple slicer, you can choose to have it peel and slice your apples or only peel them. You want to do both. After the apple slicer does its magic, you slip the peeled and sliced apple off the core. I place this cored, sliced apple in my hand and slice it in half. Now I have two sets of sliced apples.
Place the apples in a large bowl as they come off the apple slicer. Then they are ready to be tossed in the sugar, cinnamon and ginger mixture. It's the ginger that gives this recipe the elevated taste. I love ginger with apples!
7. Cover the apples with the second crust.
The best thing about his crust is you don't have to have it perfect. You can piece it together because it gets covered.
8. Trim the pie crust on all sides to only 1/2 inch from the pan. Use the left over pieces to put on parts that do not have enough crust.
I have adjusted this recipe to provide more crust than you need because it makes it so much easier to roll out and put together.
Use your fingers and fold the top crust over the bottom crust. Roll it and tuck under the rim of the cookie sheet. Do this along all the edges of the pan.
9. Whip the egg white to stiff peaks. Brush this over the crust and on all the edges. This helps cover up all the mistakes you made in your crust.
10. Place this in the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until the top crust is nice and brown.
11. Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in a plastic bag. Cut a very small corner off the bottom of the bag. Once the Apple Pie Bars have come out of the oven and have cooled for 10 - 15 minutes, pipe on the glaze in any pattern you want over the entire top crust.
12. Serve Apple Pie Bars plain with the glaze or take them to another level with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.
Let me know on Instagram or Pinterest if you make this. Post a picture and then tag me @dinasdiner. I want to know how it turns out.
Apple Pie Bars
3 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 Cups Butter
1 Egg Yolk
3/4 Cup Milk, See Recipe
1 Cup Crushed Corn Flakes
10 Cups Peeled, Cored, Sliced Tart Apples
2/3 Cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ginger
1 Egg White
Glaze
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 - 4 Tbsp. Milk
Vanilla Ice Cream (Optional)
Caramel Topping (Optional)
1. Grate the butter and mix into the flour and salt.
2. Beat egg yolk and put in a 3/4 cup measuring cup and fill with milk. Mix well and add to dry ingredients.
3. Stir until the mixture holds together.
4. Use your hands to push dough together until it is completely mixed. Divide the dough in half.
5. Roll half to line a jelly roll pan.
6. Sprinkle the corn flakes on the bottom.
7. Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon and ginger.
8. Spread the apple mixture on the crust.
9. Roll out the second dough half. Place on top.
10. Pinch the dough edges together.
11. Whip egg white and brush on the top.
12. Bake at 400° for 40 minutes.
13. Make glaze in a plastic bag. Cut off a corner and drizzle on top.
