Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars made with fresh apple, brown sugar, graham crackers & cinnamon! Simple baked apple bars recipe topped with a vanilla glaze.
You’re going to love these apple pie bars with streusel topping because they not only taste great, but they’re also easy to make. What makes them even better is that once cut, you have way more servings than with a traditional apple pie! That makes these apple cinnamon crumb bars perfect for family gatherings, potlucks or the holidays!
Making Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars is an Easy 3 Step Process!
-Make a graham cracker crust and place it at the bottom of a large pan, reserving some for the top.
-Make the easy apple pie filling and layer it on top.
-Sprinkle on the remaining crumb mixture and then give the dessert a powdered sugar glaze.
-Enjoy it warm, cold or slightly cooled!
Can you use canned apple pie filling?
Yes, you can use canned apple pie filling to make these apple cinnamon crumb bars. Not only would it help to cut down on the prep time, but it could help reduce dirty dishes too. You’ll want to drain the apple pie filling as much as you can and then chop up the apples. Make sure you use 2 cup’s worth in the recipe.
What kind of apples should I use for this recipe?
If you’re following along and making the apple filling from scratch, you can choose any apples that you want. I personally prefer a baking apple because they are more sturdy and yield better flavors and textures once cooked. Some examples include pink lady, honey crisp and granny smith. You can choose any variety or combination depending on what you want.
Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars Ingredients
-1 cup all-purpose flour
-1 cup graham cracker crumbs
-3/4 cup brown sugar, packed & divided
-1 cup butter, divided
-1/4 cup granulated sugar
-1 tsp cinnamon
-about 2 cups chopped apple (1.5-2 apples, depending on size)
Vanilla Glaze
-3/4 cup powdered sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-2-3 TBSP hot water
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment and then set it aside.
Combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup melted butter, granulated sugar, and cinnamon together in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture.
Press remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of a prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, and then set aside.
Meanwhile, toss the remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar with the apples. Spoon the apples over the baked crust. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup butter into the remaining 1 cup crumb mixture until well incorporated. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until apples are soft. Let cool for 20 minutes.
Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl, adding in the hot water until glaze is pourable. Drizzle the glaze over the apple bars. Let it cool completely to set. Cut them into squares and serve. Store the leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerated leftovers will last longer, but it’s not necessary.
Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars
Ingredients
Apple Cinnamon Crumb Bars
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed and divided
- 1 cup butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups chopped apple about 1.5-2 apples
Vanilla Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 tbsp hot water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment and set aside.
- Combine flour, graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup melted butter, granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Reserve 1 cup of the crumb mixture.
- Press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes, then set aside.
- Meanwhile, toss remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar with apples. Spoon apples over baked crust. Stir remaining 1/4 cup butter into remaining 1 cup crumb mixture until well incorporated. Sprinkle mixture over apples.
- Bake 40-45 minutes, until apples are soft. Cool 20 minutes.
- Combine glaze ingredients, adding hot water until glaze is pourable. Drizzle over apple bars. Let cool completely to set. Cut into squares and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerated leftovers will last longer, but it's not necessary.
📫 Save this recipe! Send it to your email! 📩
I consent to receiving emails from this site.
Can you freeze apple crumb bars?
Yes, any cut serving portions would do well in the freezer for up to a few weeks. I recommend cutting the bars into the desired serving sizes and then freezing flat before wrapping in plastic wrap and transferring to a Ziploc baggie. This makes it really easy to grab a snack on the go or to toss a portion into a lunch bag.
Can you make apple cinnamon crumb bars in advance?
If you want to prep it the night before and cook it in the morning or if you want to prep it in the morning and cook it fresh for a dessert after dinner, you’re in luck! This recipe can be prepared in a 9×13 pan and covered in the fridge for a few hours before baking. That means you can enjoy these crumb bars fresh from the oven as intended. Yum!
Apple Crumb Bars are delicious, but Check Out These Other Apple Recipes We Recommend!
- Snickerdoodle Apple Cobbler
- Snickerdoodle Apple Pie Cookie Cups
- Apple Cider Syrup
- Chocolate Caramel Apples
- Caramel Apple Nachos
- Apple Spice Cake
- Apple Pumpkin Bread
- Apple Bread Pudding
- Skillet Cinnamon Apples
You’re going to enjoy these apple cinnamon crumb bars with vanilla glaze. This simple apple recipe is one that you can appreciate for special occasions and just for fun.
Joanna says
The taste is great. Just two problems: too much sugar… and way too much butter for these proportions of flour and graham crackers, Is it really just one cup of the graham cracker crumbs? Also, there is not enough of the crumb mixture to cover the bottom of the pan (and to reserve one cup for the top). Had to use a 9 x 9 pan. Anyway, I will definitely make this again but with changed proportions.
Jessica says
The crumb mixture is made from 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, 3/4 c brown sugar and the butter. That’s quite a bit- I had no problem spreading the bottom of the pan, even after reserving the 1 cup.
Brian says
I also found that this wasn’t enough crust mixture to cover the bottom of a 9×13 pan AND reserve 1 cup. I ended up making a separate batch of graham cracker crumble for the top layer.
Dawn says
Holy Moly! Do I really need to wait until it cools completely!! This is so fantastic!! I can’t wait to dig in (I ate a corner just to make sure it was as good as it smelled!! ) I didn’t have graham crackers, so I crumbed some Nilla Wafers instead.
Thanks for such a great, easy recipe.
Alison says
I love the way it makes my house smell! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one! The Nilla Wafers sound like an excellent idea!
Rockie says
I have never made a comment on a recipe before, but this is beyond 5 stars! Tastes like apple pie in a bar form. I used FROZEN apples because I have a huge bag of frozen apples in my freezer. So if anyone is wondering, Frozen apples work perfectly! I didn’t change the time or anything. Did I say these were so good?! Delicious. Wish I could post a picture of the ones I made here.
Stephanie says
These are sooo good and i followed recipe except i was short a little butter however they were amazing.. I will be making these again soon. Thanks .
Alison says
Thank you Stephanie!
Val H. says
Are you able to freeze these before or after baking?
Nicole says
I would recommend freezing them after they have been baked and cooled completely. Cut into serving size portions and place into an airtight container for easier storage and serving.
Riley says
I made these tonight and they are delicious. I think my husband devoured half of them already. I used macintosh apples and omitted the sugar on the apples.The tart with the sweetness of the crust was perfect. I have one question. When making the top crumble,is the butter supposed to be melted or just softened? Thank you for a recipe that is a keeper!
Jessica says
I usually make the topping with softened butter. So glad you liked them!!
Terry says
K, Jessica. I am officially confused! If the topping is 1c of the entire crust mixture, and THAT is made with MELTED butter…😱 Exactly WHAT topping are you making with softened butter? Thanks in advance!