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Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars

Apple crisp shortbread bars with a buttery press-in base, spiced apple filling, and an oat crumble topping. The layers bake until the top is golden and the apples bubble for clean, sliceable squares.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 57 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 22 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For shortbread base (doubles as crumble)
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
For apple filling
  • 4 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 0.333 cup granulated sugar
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
For serving
  • 1 Caramel sauce for serving

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and first bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment so the bars lift out easily after baking.
  2. Mix the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, then cut in the cold cubed butter until the mixture looks crumbly.
  3. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture for the topping and press the remaining mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form an even base.
  4. Bake the base for 12 minutes, until it looks set and lightly golden at the edges.
Add filling and finish baking
  1. Toss the apple slices with granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cornstarch, and lemon juice until the apples are evenly coated.
  2. Layer the coated apples over the hot base in an even layer so they cook through uniformly.
  3. Scatter the reserved crumble over the apples so the top bakes into an even oat-streusel layer.
  4. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375°F until the topping is golden and the apples are bubbling around the edges.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool the bars completely before slicing so the layers hold their shape and the filling thickens.
  2. Drizzle with caramel sauce to serve, letting it run slightly into the crumble for a glossy finish.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, let the bars cool fully at room temperature before cutting, and chill for 1 hour if your kitchen is warm. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze bars (well wrapped) up to 2 months. For a lighter option, you can use reduced-fat butter—texture will be slightly less crisp but still delicious.