From the roundup: 24 Apple Dessert Recipes for Fall You Will Want to Bake All Season
These apple butterscotch crumble bars have been on repeat in my kitchen every fall since I first worked out the ratio on the crumble. You get three real layers: a press-in shortbread base, a quick stovetop apple filling seasoned with cinnamon and allspice, and a thick oat crumble studded with butterscotch chips that bakes up golden and a little crunchy on the edges. One 9×13 pan, 16 bars, done in an hour.
The active work is about 25 minutes. You are cooking the apple filling on the stove while the base does its first 12-minute bake, so the timing lines up well. The part that actually takes patience is the chill time after baking. Skip it and the bars will fall apart when you cut them. Give them at least an hour in the fridge and they slice cleanly.
They hold together at room temperature once cut, which makes them practical for lunchboxes or a bake sale table. But honestly, they are good enough to put out on a fall dessert spread too.
Where this recipe came from
I made these for the first time the week before Thanksgiving when my oven was already spoken for and I needed something for a school potluck that was not another tray of brownies. I had a bag of Granny Smiths that were getting soft and a half-used bag of butterscotch chips in the back of the pantry. The first batch I pulled out too early and cut before they were cold. They tasted great but looked like a disaster. I brought them anyway, crumbles and all, and they were gone in ten minutes.
The second time I made them, I waited the full hour in the fridge before cutting. That is the whole difference.
Why you will love this
- Pre-cooking the apple filling drives off the extra moisture so the shortbread base stays crisp, not soggy
- The butterscotch chips melt into the crumble during baking and re-set as the bars cool, giving you little pockets of butterscotch flavor in every bite
- Bars hold their shape at room temperature once fully chilled, so they travel well in a lunchbox or on a plate
- You can prep the base and crumble ahead and refrigerate them separately, which breaks the work into smaller chunks on a busy day
- One pan makes 16 bars, which is usually enough for a classroom or a potluck without doubling the recipe
Tips for success
- Do not skip the par-bake on the shortbread base. Those 12 minutes give it a head start so it does not turn gummy under the apple layer.
- The apple filling should look jammy before it comes off the heat, not watery. If there is still liquid pooling in the pan after 9 minutes, give it another 2 minutes. Watery filling is the main reason bars fall apart.
- Work the butter into the crumble with your fingers until you have a mix of pea-sized and almond-sized chunks. A crumble that is too fine and sandy will bake into a hard crust instead of staying crumbly.
- Chill the finished bars for at least 1 hour before cutting. The butterscotch needs to firm back up. Running a knife under warm water and wiping it dry between cuts helps get clean edges.
Common questions about these bars
- Can I use a different apple? Yes. Granny Smith holds up best during the stovetop cook, but Braeburn and Pink Lady both work. Avoid Red Delicious, it turns mushy.
- My crumble is browning too fast. Tent the pan loosely with foil after the first 20 minutes of the final bake and let it finish covered.
- Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned? The bars will still taste good but the crumble texture will be softer and less distinct. Old-fashioned oats give you better chew.
- Do the bars need to be refrigerated after cutting? Not if you are eating them within 3 days. After that, move them to the fridge.
Substitutions
Butterscotch chips can be swapped for white chocolate chips or caramel bits if that is what you have on hand. For a gluten-free version, use a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend in both the base and the crumble, and make sure your oats are certified gluten-free. The brown sugar in the crumble can be swapped for coconut sugar with no other changes needed. If you only have salted butter, skip the added salt in both the base and the filling.
For kids who are not into butterscotch, semi-sweet chocolate chips or cinnamon chips work in the crumble and keep the same texture. The apple filling spices can be adjusted too. If allspice is not in your pantry, a pinch of nutmeg does the same job.
Make-ahead and storage
The shortbread base and crumble topping can each be made up to 2 days ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator. The apple filling can be cooked and kept covered in the fridge for up to 2 days as well. When you are ready to bake, just assemble and go straight into the oven. Store cut bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate them for up to 5 days. The texture actually holds up well cold.
These bars freeze fine. Layer them between pieces of parchment in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. I would not microwave them to reheat since the crumble goes soft, but a few minutes in a 300-degree oven on a baking sheet brings them back close to fresh.
Apple Butterscotch Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple inches of overhang on the long sides so you can lift the bars out later. Grease the parchment lightly with cooking spray or butter.
- Make the shortbread base: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Add the cold butter pieces and vanilla extract. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter in until the mixture forms coarse clumps that hold together when pressed. It should look like wet sand. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to compact it. Bake for 12 minutes until the edges are just starting to look set and dry. Pull it out and set aside.
- While the base bakes, make the apple filling: Combine the diced apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cornstarch, lemon juice, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to coat the apples. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are softened and most of the liquid has cooked off. The mixture should look jammy but not watery. If it looks too wet, cook another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Make the crumble topping: In a large bowl, combine the oats, 3/4 cup flour, and brown sugar. Add the cold butter pieces and work them in with your fingertips until the mixture forms irregular crumbles ranging from pea-sized to almond-sized. You want some bigger chunks in there. Stir in the butterscotch chips.
- Spread the cooked apple filling in an even layer over the par-baked shortbread base. Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples, covering them completely. Gently press the crumble down just a little so it does not slide off when baked.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the crumble topping is golden brown and you can see the apple filling bubbling around the edges. The butterscotch chips will have melted and re-set into the crumble. Let the pan cool on a wire rack at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour before cutting.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the whole slab out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 bars using a sharp knife. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat edges. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
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