Hi Everyone,
This past weekend my family and I headed up to Apple Hill. If you never been to Apple Hill, it is a fantastic time. It is located in Placerville, CA, just at the base of the Sierra Mountains. This time of year they have apples of course, pumpkins, BBQ, animals, fishing ponds and so much more. It just screams Fall. What it is, is a bunch of farms and orchards that set up stands on their lot with fresh produce, some have hay rides, trains, some have restaurants, fudge factories, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and of course canned fruits and vegetables. You can pick up a map and drive around and stop at which stand catches your eye. Well when we went up there I picked up a half a bushel of freshly picked Pink Lady Apples. One of my favorites. When Trader Joe’s have them I pick up a bag or two. I eat them plain, but today I decided to make something special with them, Apple Crumb Bars.
These bars blew my mind! They taste like little apple pies. They have a crumb base with juicy, sweet apple center and topped with a sweet crumble. Talk about “oh my gosh”, so good that I am greatly disappointed that they are gone.
The bars are so easy to make too. It contains simple ingredients such as flour, butter, sugar and egg. The apples were so sweet, that I just coated them in a little brown sugar. You could add cinnamon if you would like, but from the weekend, I was all cinnamon out and was going for simple flavor.
My Husband took these to work this past week. He was asked, where in Apple Hill did you get these? They are really good. My Husband said my wife made it. He he I will take that as a compliment. I think these were a huge hit! I know at my work, they were gobbled down in minutes.
I have to tell you, if you make this you must promise me to do this. Microwave the Apple Crumb Bar for about 40 seconds and add a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top. Aaaammmmaaaaazing! They taste out of this world. Totally apple pie! I was sadden when I came home from work and they were gone. This was my evening dessert. Well I guess I’ll settle for just a plain apple. Ok, maybe I’ll slather it with a little peanut butter.
- 6 large apples, peeled, cored, diced small
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup brown sugar, divided
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold, cut into small pieces
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine apples, ½ cup brown sugar and lemon juice. Stir gently; set aside. (Note: you can add a teaspoon of cinnamon if desired)
- In a medium bowl, combine granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, baking powder and flour. Using a pastry cutter, or two forks (I used my hands); cut in butter. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined and resembles coarse crumbs.
- Take half of the mixture and press into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Add the apple mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the top of the apples.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
For a treat: Don't forget to microwave for 40 seconds and add a dollop of vanilla ice cream for a sweet, decadent dessert.
I guess you can tell I love these bars. I also love apples. Next to berries, they are my favorite fruit. I use them in so many recipes in the Fall. I’m thinking pork and apples. Such a great combination. I hope you enjoy these bars as much as my family and friends.
Have a great day!
Toodles,
Jennifer
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I see a fork in the picture. Does that mean the bars don’t hold together well enough to eat with fingers?
Hi Lynette, Nope these bars do not far apart. I put the fork in the photo for the picture. You don’t need a fork to eat these bars. 🙂