National Oatmeal Day is coming up, but Halloween is almost upon us as well. This post is going to serve two purposes: highlighting a staple of breakfast which has many additional delicious uses and offering up a Halloween dessert that pleases a crowd.
I was searching for something to make that contained oatmeal but was not breakfast or a cookie (National Oatmeal Cookie Day is at the end of April) that could also be a seasonal treat for a group of conservation enthusiasts I have the pleasure of volunteering alongside. These Apple Crumble Bars fit the bill. They are full of the bounty of Fall with 2 pounds of apples in the filling.
The crumble bars were a huge hit with the volunteers and employees who enjoyed them during the workday break. These bars earned me the reputation of providing “great snacks” (that I sometimes make myself) for volunteer workdays!
Apple Crumble Bars
Apple Crumble Bars (adapted from myrecipes.com) Total Time Required: 1-1/2 hours, Prep Time: 45 minutes, Bake Time: 45 minutes, Yields: 20 – 24 bars
Ingredients:
Crust and Topping
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4 cups old fashioned oats
Filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Using a stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the 3 sticks of butter and the 1-1/4 cups brown sugar for the crust and topping until light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle.
Cream the butter and the brown sugar together.
Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the flour, cinnamon, and salt.
Mix in the flour, cinnamon, and salt.
Remove 3 cups of the dough and press it evenly into the baking dish. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 20 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack.
Transfer 3 cups of the dough to the baking dish for the crust.
Mix the oats into the remaining dough for the topping. Cover and refrigerate the topping until it is needed.
Add the oats to the remaining dough.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter with the 1/4 cup of brown sugar in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Combine the butter with the brown sugar for the filling.
Add the apples and cinnamon to the skillet and stir them to coat. Cover the apples and cook until they are softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the apples and cinnamon to the skillet.
Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir the apples occasionally to prevent them from sticking. Remove the apples from the heat and let them cool slightly.
Cook the apples until all the liquid has evaporated.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread the cooked apples evenly over the cooled crust. Scatter the crumble topping over the apples. Press the topping down lightly.
Spread the cooked apples and the crumble topping over the baked crust.
Sprinkle the raw sugar over top of the crumbles and bake the bars until the top is browned and crunchy, 20 to 25 minutes.
Sprinkle the raw sugar over the top and bake the crumble.
Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Cool the bars completely on a wire rack.
When cooled, cut into 20 – 24 bars.
After cooling, cut the crumble into bars.
Store the bars covered in an airtight container. Refrigerate any bars left after 2 days.
Apples make great Fall food!
Apples are another delicious pleasure of Fall! ~Linda
Apple Crumble Bars (adapted from myrecipes.com) Total Time Required: 1-1/2 hours, Prep Time: 45 minutes, Bake Time: 45 minutes, Yields: 20 – 24 bars
Ingredients:
Crust and Topping
- 3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/4 cups old fashioned oats
Filling
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Using a stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat together the 3 sticks of butter and the 1-1/4 cups brown sugar for the crust and topping until light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Remove 3 cups of the dough and press it evenly into the baking dish. Bake until lightly browned around the edges, about 20 minutes. Let the crust cool completely on a wire rack. Mix the oats into the remaining dough for the topping. Cover and refrigerate the topping until it is needed.
Meanwhile, make the filling. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter with the 1/4 cup of brown sugar in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Add the apples and cinnamon to the skillet and stir them to coat. Cover the apples and cook until they are softened, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, raise the heat to medium-high and continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Stir the apples occasionally to prevent them from sticking. Remove the apples from the heat and let them cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Spread the cooked apples evenly over the cooled crust. Scatter the crumble topping over the apples. Press the topping down lightly. Sprinkle the raw sugar over top of the crumbles and bake the bars until the top is browned and crunchy, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. When cooled, cut into 20 – 24 bars. Store the bars covered in an airtight container. Refrigerate any bars left after 2 days.