Apple Pie Bars

Best things about fall:

Jacket weather, crunchy leaves, football games and APPLES.

Worst thing about fall:
Too few weekends.

Best thing about fall on this blog:
These bars!

Mhm. My friend made these last fall and I was amazed at how perfect they tasted. Haven't we all had mediocre oatmeal-topped apple-something in our lives, you know, like with canned apple pie filling and a crust made with cake mix? Bleh.

These are not that. These are thrilling to the taste buds in every way and better than almost any apple dessert I've had. I have made several attempts at apple cake in the last year and still have a long way to go down that road, sheesh, but when it comes to apple bars, I can stop. I've hit perfection.

One more thing. Do you have one of these twirly peelers? You gotta get one. Not only do they make peeling apples a breeze, but they do potatoes and pears, too (if they're not too soft.) So fast and easy, plus safe and super fun for kids. I did an apple day with Ginger's Peewee group last year, and was that a hit! And if things go as planned, you're going to need one of these this fall to keep up with the VGP.

Apple Pie Bars
Crust:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 plus 1/8 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 t salt

Filling:
3 T butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
8 to 10 apples, cored, peeled, and thinly sliced (I used Granny Smith)
1/2 T cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 c water

Topping:
1 1/2 c oats
1 c flour
3/4 c brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, cut into cubes and chilled

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper so, after cooling, you can lift bars out before you cut them.

2. Make the crust: Beat butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add flour and salt, and beat until a soft dough forms. Press dough into bottom of pan and bake in center of oven for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and set. Let cool on a rack.

3. Make the filling: Melt butter and sugar together in large skillet. Add apples and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg and cook until apples are caramelized and the liquid is evaporated, about 10 more minutes. Scrape bits from bottom of pan and add water as needed to prevent scorching.

4. Make the topping: Mix first six ingredients (everything except the butter.) Cut in butter with pastry cutter or mix with paddle in stand mixer until mixture is in clumps.

5. Spread the apple filling over the crust. Scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them lightly into an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until the topping is golden; rotate the pan halfway through baking. Let cool completely on a rack, remove from pan using parchment, before cutting into squares (about 2 1/2 inch squares). You should end up with about 18 bars.

Recipe adapted from FoodandWine.com