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Irresistible Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars – Easy Homemade!

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These Homemade Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars combine the cozy flavors of apple crisp with the buttery texture of shortbread, creating a delightful handheld treat. Perfect for sharing or enjoying with coffee, they capture the essence of autumn in every bite.

Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Salt
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Baking Apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji), about 6-7 medium
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Brown Sugar
  • All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Ground Nutmeg
  • Lemon Juice
  • Unsalted Butter, for apple filling
  • Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
  • All-Purpose Flour, for crisp topping
  • Brown Sugar, for crisp topping
  • Ground Cinnamon, for crisp topping
  • Unsalted Butter, cold and cubed, for crisp topping
  • Optional: Chopped Nuts (Pecans or Walnuts)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt for the shortbread base.
  4. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips, a pastry blender, or a food processor, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
  5. Stir in the vanilla extract. The mixture will still be crumbly.
  6. Press the shortbread mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared 9×13-inch baking pan. Use the bottom of a flat glass or your hands to get a firm, even layer.
  7. Bake the shortbread base for 15-20 minutes, or until it's lightly golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
  8. While the shortbread bakes, peel, core, and slice your apples into roughly 1/4-inch thick pieces, aiming for about 6-8 cups of sliced apples.
  9. In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour (or cornstarch), ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and lemon juice. Toss gently until the apples are evenly coated.
  10. Dot the apple mixture with small pieces of unsalted butter.
  11. In a separate medium bowl, combine the old-fashioned rolled oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon for the topping.
  12. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut the butter into the mixture until coarse crumbs form.
  13. Pour the prepared apple filling evenly over the partially baked shortbread base in the pan. Spread it out with a spoon.
  14. Generously sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the apple filling. Don't press it down.
  15. Return the pan to the oven and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45-60 minutes, or until the apples are tender when pierced with a knife and the topping is golden brown.
  16. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This can take at least 2-3 hours at room temperature.
  17. Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and slice into squares or bars of your desired size.

Nutrition

Keywords: For the best results, mix different apple varieties for a complex flavor. Avoid overworking the shortbread dough to keep it tender, and be patient while cooling to ensure clean cuts.

Find it online: https://homebitesia.com/irresistible-apple-crisp-shortbread-bars-easy-homemade/