Golden Apple Bars Recipe (Apple Bar Cookies)
These Golden Apple Bars are an apple bar cookie recipe with a crumbly base and topping, plus a warm cinnamon-apple filling in the middle. You’ll mix the dough, briefly cook the apples with brown sugar and lemon zest, then layer everything in a pan and bake. Let them cool before dusting with powdered sugar so the bars slice neatly.
Ingredients
1. For the dough
2. For the apple filling
3. To finish
Step-by-Step Method
Prep the oven and pan
Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F (170°C fan). Grease a 23x33 cm (9x13 in) pan; line with parchment if you want easy lifting.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, salt, and powdered sugar.
Cut in the fats
Add the cold butter, margarine, and shortening. Rub in with your fingertips (or use a pastry cutter) until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
Bring the dough together
Stir in the egg and vanilla. If it won’t clump, add milk a little at a time just until the dough holds together; keep it on the drier side.
Press the base
Press about two-thirds of the dough firmly into an even layer in the prepared pan. Reserve the rest for the topping.
Cook the apple filling
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add apples, brown sugar, lemon zest, and cinnamon, then cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the apples soften slightly and the syrup thickens a bit.
Assemble the bars
Spread the apple filling evenly over the base. Crumble the remaining dough over the top and lightly press so it adheres.
Bake, cool, and slice
Bake for 35–37 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Cool completely in the pan, dust with powdered sugar, then cut into bars.