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Chewy, crunchy, and tasty, these Apple Pie Bars are layered with batter, apple pie filling, pecans, and cinnamon and drizzled with a delicious glaze.

Cut Apple Pie Bars on wooden board glazed with cinnamon sticks.

Fall screams all things apple, and apple desserts are some of my favorites. Especially these absolutely amazing Apple Pie Bars. They’re an excuse to go apple-picking!

Apple season is here and I’m all for it. My favorite things come at this time of year! While I bake with apples all year long because they are always available, there is something about Fall baking that is different.

These bars are so easy and tasty, the layers are really what make them, soft layers of dough encase an apple. Add cinnamon filling and it’s flavortown in each bite. They’re like the bar version of apple pie.

I love adding chopped nuts to anything that I can, and these bars are one of them. Pecans are the perfect addition, not only for flavor but also for texture.

Crunchy, soft, and sweet, how can you go wrong with that combination? I really don’t think that you can. Also, this recipe is SO easy to make. It’s family recipe I’ve been making for ages.

Let’s not forget the gooey apple filling. I can’t tell you enough how much I love apple slices in all forms. Pie filling might be the best, though.

You know how much I adore easy recipes with simple ingredients, especially dessert recipes. So these Apple Pie Bars are ones we make a lot during the Fall months.

Some of my other favorite apple recipes we have on our site include: Apple Fritters, Easy Apple Crumble and Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

The use of apple pie filling helps these bars really come together quickly.
Adding chopped pecans is the perfect way to give these a nice crunch and some extra flavor.
Glazing these really sets them over the top and is a nice pairing with these bars.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):

Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Apple pie filling
Pecans
Ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar
Heavy cream

Ingredients needed to make Apple Pie Bars

HOW TO MAKE APPLE PIE BARS:

Preheat the oven to 350*F degrees and prepare a 9×13 baking dish, line the dish with foil and spray the foil with non-stick spray for easy removal.
Cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, and mix until well combined.
Over the same bowl, sift the flour and baking powder.
Combine flour mixture with wet ingredients until well combined.
Pour 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan and press it out evenly on the bottom.
Spread the apple pie filling all along the crust in an even layer, and then sprinkle with the coarse crumbs of cinnamon and pecans.
Take the remaining batter and spoon it over the top of the pie filling, spread it out in an uneven way.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Set out to cool while you prepare the glaze.
Mix the powdered sugar and heavy cream in a medium bowl until well incorporated. Add more cream if you want a thinner consistency.
Drizzle over the top crust. Best-served same day and perfect with a side of ice cream.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:

DO I HAVE TO USE CANNED PIE FILLING?

No, you can use a homemade apple pie filling recipe if you have a favorite one.

I have only tested this recipe using apple pie filling, unfortunately.

You can also always switch up the filling to any that you’d love with this. Find the best way for you!

I DON’T LIKE PECANS, DO I HAVE TO USE THEM?

Absolutely not, if you are not a fan of pecans they can easily be omitted.

You could use chopped walnuts as well, those also taste great with these bars.

If you are not a fan of nuts, you can omit them completely from the recipe; it will still turn out just fine.

Apple Pie Bars on white plate topped with ice cream.

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ANY ADDITIONS?

Yep! I’ve got some ideas here that the whole family will love.

Yummy treats like this can only get better with a few additions.

Caramel Sauce: Drizzle caramel sauce over the bars for added sweetness.
Oats: Mix in some oats for a chewy texture.
Raisins: Add raisins to the apple mixture for extra chewiness.
Cranberries: Incorporate dried cranberries for a tart contrast.
Maple Syrup: Drizzle maple syrup over the bars for a rich flavor.
Walnuts: Substitute or add small pieces of walnut along with the pecans for a nutty crunch.
Cinnamon Sugar: Dust the top with cinnamon sugar before baking for extra spice.
Whipped Cream: Serve the bars with a dollop of whipped cream for a classic finish.

ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?

If you’ve got a medically restrictive diet or you just want a different take, these items should get you where you want to go!

Gluten-Free Flour: Use gluten-free flour instead of all-purpose flour for a gluten-free option.
Coconut Sugar: Replace granulated sugar with coconut sugar for a healthier alternative.
Almond Flour: Substitute part of the all-purpose flour with almond flour for a nutty taste.
Vegan Butter: Use vegan butter instead of unsalted butter for a dairy-free version.
Applesauce: Replace the eggs with applesauce to make the recipe vegan-friendly.
Brown sugar: Replace some of the white sugar with brown for a darker flavor.
Homemade Apple Pie Filling: Make your own apple pie filling! The best apples for this are tart apples. Use sugar and cinnamon for a more homemade touch.

HOW TO STORE:

Store these bars in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap on the countertop for up to 4 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. In my experience they’re too tasty to last a long time, though.

This Apple Pie Bar Recipe can also be frozen, store in an airtight container for up to 3-4 months, to defrost remove to the refrigerator overnight or place covered on the countertop.

DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:

Canned apple pie filling is used, you can make your own apple pie filling if you’d like. Whatever type of apples.
These caramel apple pie bars can be frozen, see my tips above.
The nuts are optional, but highly recommended.
You can switch this apple bars recipe up by using any of your favorite pie filling.
These can be topped with the glaze, powdered sugar, ice cream, caramel sauce, etc.

Fork taking a bite out of Apple Pie Bars on white plate topped with ice cream.

The whole recipe comes together in an hour.

Next time you want a delicious apple dessert that you will want to make over and over again, then you need to make my Apple Pie Bars!

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

If you’ve tried these APPLE PIE BARS, let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

Easy Apple Pie Bars Recipe