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Home » Recipes » Dessert » Brownies & Bars

Apple Pie Oatmeal Bars

By Trang Doan - Oct 1, 2020 (updated Oct 13, 2022) - This post may contain affiliate links.

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This easy Apple Pie Oatmeal Bar recipe is decadent enough as a dessert with its quick apple pie filling and loads of apple pie spice. But its buttery oatmeal crust and topping will definitely make you want to have this for breakfast too!

These apple pie bars were one of those recipes I tried to make “healthier” a few years back and they weren’t all that great. A reader commented that they were dry, which was the kick in the butt I needed to remake them.

This new and improved version has been upgraded with a super buttery oatmeal crust, brown sugar in both the filling and crust, and lots of apple pie spice for tons of flavor this time!

A stack of apple pie oatmeal bars
Table of Contents
  • Why this recipe works
  • Ingredients and substitutions
  • How to make buttery apple pie oatmeal bars
  • Variations, swaps and substitutions
  • Baker’s tips
  • Storage
  • Ideas for serving apple pie bars
  • More handheld Fall treats
  • 📖 Recipe card

Why this recipe works

This recipe is made of two main components that are both super easy to whip up in minutes.

  • The crust and topping: I contemplated making a shortbread crust like these pumpkin pie bars and a Dutch apple pie streusel topping for these. But I decided to keep it simple and went with the same dough, made with flour and rolled oats, for both the crust and topping.
  • The apple pie filling: I went with a super simple pre-cooked apple pie filling that you can make on the stove top in just 5 minutes.

Ingredients and substitutions

As always, you can find the ingredients list with quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips.

  1. Flour – I use all-purpose flour. I have not tried using gluten free flour in this recipe but you should be able to substitute all-purpose gluten free flour. I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour brands before with success.
  1. Oats – I use old fashioned rolled oats.
  1. Brown sugar – I use brown sugar to sweeten the crust and the apple pie filling. I like using brown sugar because it adds extra depth of flavor but you can use granulated sugar here if you don’t have brown sugar.
  1. Butter – unsalted butter is used in both the crust and the filling. This allows you to control the amount of salt in the recipe but in a pinch you can use salted butter. If using salted butter in the crust, reduce the amount of salt called for in the recipe to about a scant ¼ teaspoon but keep the salt in the filling. 
  1. Salt – used in the crust as well as the pie filling to enhance flavor. I use kosher salt, if using table salt, only use a half to ⅔ as much.
  1. Apples – ripe apples are best, choose ones you enjoy eating or a mix of sweet and tart apples. Some of my favorite sweet apples are Honeycrisp, Gala and Fuji. For tart apples, you can use Granny Smith or Braeburn.
  1. Lemon juice – fresh squeezed or bottle will work here. If you don’t have lemons, you could use limes. 
  1. Apple pie spice – I use my homemade apple pie spice mix in both the crust and filling. You can use store bought apple pie spice or just use cinnamon if that’s all you have in your pantry.
  1. Vanilla extract – I use a little bit of vanilla extract in the crust. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor, and stay away from imitation flavoring.

How to make buttery apple pie oatmeal bars

Cook the apple pie filling

Mix the diced apple with lemon juice, sugar, spices and salt, and saute the mixture in melted butter for about 5 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely and the apples are just beginning to soften. Set it aside to cool while you prepare the crust.

Cooked apple pie bar filling in a saucepan
Cook the apple filling in a saucepan

Make the dough for the crust and topping

You just need to make 1 dough to use for both the bottom crust and as the crumb topping.

A collage of 4 photos showing how to make the dough for the apple pie bar crust
Making the crust and topping in a stand mixer
  1. Add room temperature butter, sugar and vanilla extra to a stand mixer bowl.
  2. Beat until thoroughly combined and light in color.
  3. Mix together flour, rolled oats, apple pie spice and salt, and add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
  4. Stir until a dough forms.

Assemble the bars for baking

This recipe will bake in a square baking pan. Prepare the pan by brushing it with melted butter or spray with nonstick spray, then line it with a long piece of parchment paper letting the excess hang over the sides. You’ll use the excess as “handles” to lift the baked bars out of the pan later.

A collage of 3 photos showing how to assemble the apple pie bars for baking
Assembling the apple pie bars components for baking
  1. Use about ⅔ to ¾ of the dough made in the previous steps and press it into the bottom of the pan.
  2. Add the cooled apple pie filling on top.
  3. Crumble the rest of the dough and sprinkle on top of the pie filling.

Bake the bars until the crumb topping is lightly brown and the filling is bubbly and caramelized.

Variations, swaps and substitutions

  • You could swap out some of the rolled oats for walnuts or pecans. Or just add some chopped nuts to the remaining dough you’re using as the topping in step 7 above.
  • Use pears instead of apples, or a mixture of both pears and apples.
  • You could even mix some cranberry sauce in with the apple pie filling to make cranberry apple crumb bars.
Apple pie bars on a piece of white parchment paper on a cutting board

Baker’s tips

  • Diced or sliced apples will both work in this recipe.
  • Make sure the butter is softened but not melted or your dough will turn out too soft to handle right away. Half an hour at room temperature will do.
  • If you accidentally let your butter soften too much, you may need to refrigerate the dough a bit to make it easier to handle.
  • If you forgot to let your butter soften, you can cut it up into cubes and work it into the crust ingredient mixture like you would a streusel topping with your fingers. The heat from your fingers will soften the butter as you work.
  • Double the recipe and bake it in a 9”x13” baking pan. Baking time may need to be lengthened by 5 – 10 minutes.

Storage

Leftover apple pie bars can be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic at room temperature for 1 – 2 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months. Serve them at room temperature or warm them up just a bit in the microwave.

Ideas for serving apple pie bars

  • Serve them with a side of vanilla ice cream or mascarpone ice cream.
  • Drizzle some caramel sauce or homemade dulce de leche over them.
An apple pie bar on a cake server

More handheld Fall treats

  • Pumpkin Hand Pies
  • Apple Hand Pies
  • Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
  • Pistachio Cookies
  • Carrot Cupcakes

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📖 Recipe card

A stack of apple pie oatmeal bars

Apple Pie Bars

This easy Apple Pie Oatmeal Bar recipe is decadent enough as a dessert with its quick apple pie filling and loads of apple pie spice. But its buttery oatmeal crust and topping will definitely make you want to have this for breakfast too!
4.64 from 11 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Bars, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 bars
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Trang

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • 8” Square Baking Pan
  • Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Crust & Topping

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (140 g)
  • 1 cup rolled oat (96 g)
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅔ cup brown sugar (120 g, lightly packed)
  • 5 oz unsalted butter (room temperature, 142 g)
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Apple Pie Filling

  • 1 lb apple (3 medium apples, peeled & diced)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar (60 g, lightly packed)
  • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
  • A pinch of kosher salt
  • 1 oz unsalted butter (28 g)

Instructions

  • Start by making the apple pie filling: melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Toss the remaining ingredients for apple pie filling in a mixing bowl and add it to the saucepan. Cook until the sugar dissolves completely and the apple pieces are just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Grease an 8”x8” square baking pan with nonstick spray or melted butter, and line it with a long piece of parchment paper letting the excess hang over the sides of the pan and set aside.
  • Cream together the softened butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment until light in color.
  • Stir together flour, rolled oats, apple pie spice and salt in a mixing bowl until evenly distributed. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir until a dough forms.
  • Take about ⅔ – ¾ of the dough and press it into the bottom of the prepared pan. Add the cooled apple pie filling on top. Sprinkle chunks of the remaining dough over the pie filling.
  • Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until the crumb topping is lightly brown and the filling is bubbly and caramelized.
  • Remove from the oven and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack before removing it from the pan and cutting into bars.

Notes

  • Use your favorite eating apples for this recipe, or a mixture of sweet and tart apples.
  • You can also use a combination of apples and pears. Or swap out the apples for pears completely.
  • Swap out some rolled oats for nuts, or just add some extra nuts to the topping.
  • Double the recipe and bake in a 9”x13” baking pan. You may need to lengthen the baking time by 5 – 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 131g | Calories: 354kcal
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?If you made this recipe and loved it, please leave a comment and give us a 5 STAR review. Mention @WildWildWhisk or tag #WildWildWhisk on Instagram.

This post may contain affiliate links. For more details on how we utilize affiliates, ads, and sponsored contents, see our full disclosure policy. Thank you for your continue support, which enables us to keep bringing you delicious recipes, at no extra cost to you.

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Comments

  1. Erma Thompson

    April 21, 2020 at 10:15 am

    1 star
    The “oatmeal bar” portion (bottom crust) is so DRY it’s almost inedible. This is why I wish ratings were only from people who have actually made the recipe. It’s seriously lacking in flavor and correct ratios.

    Reply
    • Trang

      April 21, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      Hi Erma, I’m really sorry these didn’t work out for you. I hope you’ll give us another chance and try a different recipe some other time. And thank you for your useful and constructive criticism, I will retest and improve this recipe when time allows.

      Reply
  2. Veronica L @ Sharktank

    November 20, 2019 at 9:48 am

    5 stars
    These apple pie oatmeal bars really are an on the go breakfast that anyone can enjoy without fear of ruining their diet. I’m going to make a whole batch of these for myself.

    Reply
  3. Maya

    October 19, 2018 at 7:21 am

    How much flour is used in this recipe?? The amount doesn’t appear in the list of ingredients, but is used in the preparation of oat base.
    Also, can I use butter instead of coconut oil?

    Reply
    • Trang

      October 20, 2018 at 8:11 pm

      Hi Maya, there is no flour used in this recipe. The instruction calls for oat flour, which you make from grinding rolled oat in the food processor in step 3 under “prepare the oatmeal bars.” Yes you can substitute melted butter.

      Reply
      • Maya

        October 21, 2018 at 1:10 am

        Ahhhh….. I see. Thanks for the clarification about ‘flour’. Can’t wait to make these—they look yummy!

        Reply
        • Trang

          October 21, 2018 at 9:57 pm

          Glad I could help, let me know how they turn out for you 🙂

          Reply
  4. Karly

    January 18, 2018 at 6:52 pm

    These. Yes. So much yes. They look SO good- and so simple too! Pinning these guys for sure.

    Reply
    • Trang

      January 18, 2018 at 8:51 pm

      Thanks Karly!

      Reply
  5. Jackie

    January 14, 2018 at 12:34 am

    This looks AMAZING and I have just add the ingredients on to my shopping list for next week.

    Reply
    • Trang

      January 15, 2018 at 9:43 pm

      Thanks Jackie! Hope you enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  6. Robin Gagnon

    January 12, 2018 at 6:37 am

    5 stars
    These apple bars look fantastic. I have not been baking nearly enough lately.

    Reply
  7. Dana DeVolk

    January 12, 2018 at 5:25 am

    5 stars
    Apple pie for breakfast? Sign me up!

    Reply
  8. Kristen Chidsey

    January 12, 2018 at 5:08 am

    5 stars
    I adore oatmeal and apple pie–so the combination of the two is perfect. And while the holidays may be over, I still think we can enjoy these 🙂

    Reply
  9. Gina Marie

    January 12, 2018 at 3:17 am

    5 stars
    I’m so meal prepping this for my snacks this week!?

    Reply
  10. Natalie

    January 12, 2018 at 12:45 am

    5 stars
    I love apple pie and these bars look so delicious! Oatmeal and apple pie filling is such a great combination ♥

    Reply
  11. Christine

    January 11, 2018 at 10:27 pm

    5 stars
    These bars look so tasty! I love that you’ve added cardamom -Such a great spice!

    Reply
    • Trang

      January 11, 2018 at 10:58 pm

      I absolutely love cardamom! Thanks Christine!

      Reply
  12. Brian Jones

    January 11, 2018 at 10:20 pm

    5 stars
    What wonderful flavours gotta give these a try!

    Reply
  13. Laura

    January 11, 2018 at 8:37 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe, thanks for the tips

    Reply
  14. Ken and Mai

    January 11, 2018 at 2:31 pm

    5 stars
    I can literally taste them!

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Trang and welcome to my blog. This is where I share recipes from my kitchen. From cookies to cupcakes, to pies and ice cream, to treats for your fur babies, I hope you’ll find something you like and stay a while. Read More…

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