Apple Cinnamon Crumble Bars

These bars use a press-in oat crumble for both the base and topping, with cinnamon-scented apples cooked briefly so the filling bakes through cleanly. They slice neatly once cooled and hold their shape for serving.

By Julienne

Cook time: 45 minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 700 g apples peeled, cored, and diced into 1 cm pieces
• 25 g packed light brown sugar divided
• 15 ml lemon juice divided
• 2 g ground cinnamon divided
• 1 g ground nutmeg
• 12 g cornstarch for the filling
• 30 ml water for the apple filling
• 2 ml vanilla extract divided
• 250 g all-purpose flour divided
• 180 g old-fashioned rolled oats divided
• 155 g packed light brown sugar divided
• 50 g granulated sugar divided
• 4 g fine salt divided
• 3 g baking powder
• 160 g unsalted butter melted, divided
• 3 g ground cinnamon divided
• 3 ml vanilla extract divided
• 10 g unsalted butter melted, divided

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 175°C. Line a 9 x 13 in baking pan with parchment, leaving overhang on two sides. In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, 25 g of the brown sugar, all 15 ml of the lemon juice, 2 g of the cinnamon, the nutmeg, all 12 g of cornstarch, all 30 ml of the water, and 2 ml of the vanilla extract. The oven is fully preheated and the apple mixture is evenly coated.
2. Cook the apple mixture over medium heat, stirring often, until the apples are just beginning to soften and the pan juices turn glossy and thickened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Scrape into a bowl and let it cool slightly while you make the crust and crumble. The filling looks thick, glossy, and lightly softened but not mushy.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, remaining 155 g brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, and remaining 3 g cinnamon. Stir in 160 g of the melted butter and the remaining 3 ml vanilla extract until the mixture looks evenly moistened and crumbly. The mixture clumps when squeezed but still crumbles apart easily.
4. Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form an even base. Spread the apple filling over the base, then scatter the remaining crumb mixture on top. Drizzle the remaining 10 g melted butter over the top for a more defined crumble texture. The pan is evenly layered with fruit in the middle and a visible crumb topping.
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the filling is bubbling at the edges. Cool in the pan on a rack for at least 1 hour before lifting out and cutting into 12 bars. The top is golden, the edges are bubbling, and the center no longer looks wet.
6. Use the parchment overhang to remove the slab, then cut into 12 bars. Serve at room temperature. The bars release cleanly and hold their shape when sliced.