Apple pie shortbread squares give you the incredible flavor of apple pie in an easy-to-make cookie bar. This apple pie bar recipe comes together in just a few minutes, and you can easily pick up a square for snacking at a potluck get-together (rather than bothering with a plate and fork, as you would with a traditional pie).
I’m a serious apple pie fiend. I’ve tried it every way you can imagine, even the unconventional. Give me your old-school lard crusts, and I love it.
Make it savory by adding in sage and brie and it’ll be my dinner all week. When I came across a scrumptious summer recipe for blackcurrant shortbread squares, I decided to give it a fall dessert twist using fresh apples. Thus, apple pie shortbread squares were born!
This is a really easy apple square recipe because everything happens in one bowl.
The topping and base are the exact same thing, but the shortbread square base is pressed into the pan, while the topping is sprinkled on so that it forms crisp little bits with toasty brown edges on top. Just look at those tasty nooks and crannies…
The apple pie filling has just enough spice to give it a bit of warmth, but the dominant flavors come from the apples.
Since these are typically made with jam rather than fresh fruit, the filling has a bit more sugar than I’d normally use for a pie, but that helps the sugars and juices caramelize together, and it complements the very lightly sweetened shortbread square base.
The original recipe had a lot of strange measurements, like one cup plus 3 tablespoons. It also had several different baking steps, where one part was baked at one temperature, then more assembly, then more baking. To heck with that.
No crazy measurements and everything gets stuffed into the pan in this easy apple bar recipe. There’s no need to complicate things, and they come out perfectly.
This quick and easy recipe for apple pie shortbread bars uses just one bowl for both the topping and the crust base. Yum!Apple Pie Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Crust and Topping
Apple Filling
Instructions
Apple Recipes
Looking for more tasty ways to use apples?
maryellen smith
How much canned apple pie filling would one batch of these bars require? I’m thinking maybe one pint?
Administrator
I would guess that it is probably more like a quart. This recipe calls for 4 cups of sliced apples. The recipe for apple pie filling calls for 12 cups and makes a little over 3 quarts. https://practicalselfreliance.com/canning-apple-pie-filling/
maryellen smith
How much canned apple pie filling would one batch of these bars require? I’m thinking maybe one pint?
Administrator
I would guess that it is probably more like a quart. This recipe calls for 4 cups of sliced apples. The recipe for apple pie filling calls for 12 cups and makes a little over 3 quarts. https://practicalselfreliance.com/canning-apple-pie-filling/
Laura B
These are so delicious! I was actually hoping I wouldn’t like these squares because the high butter content means they’re not exactly low calorie…but they are so, so good with a cup of tea. I love the crust, which takes just like shortbread. I made this recipe with some Northern Spy apples from our own tree which were quite sour and flavourful, and I used brown sugar instead of white on the apples. YUM!
Admin
I’m so glad you liked them, Laura!
Laura B
These are so delicious! I was actually hoping I wouldn’t like these squares because the high butter content means they’re not exactly low calorie…but they are so, so good with a cup of tea. I love the crust, which takes just like shortbread. I made this recipe with some Northern Spy apples from our own tree which were quite sour and flavourful, and I used brown sugar instead of white on the apples. YUM!
Admin
I’m so glad you liked them, Laura!
Erin
LOVE this recipe! My only tweak is to butter/flour the baking dish before pressing in the shortbread dough. The first batch stuck a bit to the baking dish, and the second batch, after buttering/flouring the pan, came up like a dream. Don’t want to miss a morsel of any of the delicious shortbread!
Administrator
Thanks for the tip Erin. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Erin
LOVE this recipe! My only tweak is to butter/flour the baking dish before pressing in the shortbread dough. The first batch stuck a bit to the baking dish, and the second batch, after buttering/flouring the pan, came up like a dream. Don’t want to miss a morsel of any of the delicious shortbread!
Administrator
Thanks for the tip Erin. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Beth
I’m so excited to taste these yummy bar cookies! Your wonderful recipe was so easy to follow!
Thank you!!
Beth
I’m so excited to taste these yummy bar cookies! Your wonderful recipe was so easy to follow!
Thank you!!
Desire'
I love the simplicity of this recipe, and it’s a great way to use up leftover egg yolks! It’s definitely a crowd pleaser, too!
Desire'
I love the simplicity of this recipe, and it’s a great way to use up leftover egg yolks! It’s definitely a crowd pleaser, too!
Laura R Witt
I made these today, and they were delicious. You mention a savory option with sage and brie – do you include apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or leave these ingredients out. I’m curious about variations to this recipe.
Administrator
The savory option was actually for apple pie and not the shortbread squares. We don’t currently have a recipe on the blog for this but I can add it to the notes and maybe we can work on that for the future.
Laura R Witt
I made these today, and they were delicious. You mention a savory option with sage and brie – do you include apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg, or leave these ingredients out. I’m curious about variations to this recipe.
Administrator
The savory option was actually for apple pie and not the shortbread squares. We don’t currently have a recipe on the blog for this but I can add it to the notes and maybe we can work on that for the future.
Sonja Hagemann
This looks so good! Which apples are best for this kind of recipe (that hold their shape and don’t fall apart into sauce?). Love your website – thank you for all the work that must go into creating such amazing super helpful content.
PS: with your guidance I did up a big batch of Asian pears yesterday … first time canning them and they look great!
Administrator
I am so glad you’re enjoying the blog. You can choose one of the apple varieties that is listed in this post for Best Pie Apples. https://practicalselfreliance.com/best-pie-apples/
Sonja Hagemann
This looks so good! Which apples are best for this kind of recipe (that hold their shape and don’t fall apart into sauce?). Love your website – thank you for all the work that must go into creating such amazing super helpful content.
PS: with your guidance I did up a big batch of Asian pears yesterday … first time canning them and they look great!
Administrator
I am so glad you’re enjoying the blog. You can choose one of the apple varieties that is listed in this post for Best Pie Apples. https://practicalselfreliance.com/best-pie-apples/
Beth G.
These are so good. We might try increasing the apples to 5 or 6 cups next time, but it’s good as it is, too! Thank you!
Beth G.
These are so good. We might try increasing the apples to 5 or 6 cups next time, but it’s good as it is, too! Thank you!
Karina Conrad
This recipe is easy and so delicious My family absolutely loved them. How would you recommend storing them after they are made? Refrigerate? . Thanks for sharing this great recipe
Administrator
You’re very welcome. We’re so glad you enjoyed them. The right answer is probably to refrigerate them but I don’t often do that at my house. It also depends on how long they are going to stick around.
Karina Conrad
This recipe is easy and so delicious My family absolutely loved them. How would you recommend storing them after they are made? Refrigerate? . Thanks for sharing this great recipe
Administrator
You’re very welcome. We’re so glad you enjoyed them. The right answer is probably to refrigerate them but I don’t often do that at my house. It also depends on how long they are going to stick around.
Linda Koshinski
This was delicious. Will be making this easy recipe again for Christmas.
Thank you, Happy Holidays.
Administrator
You’re very welcome. Merry Christmas!
Linda Koshinski
This was delicious. Will be making this easy recipe again for Christmas.
Thank you, Happy Holidays.
Administrator
You’re very welcome. Merry Christmas!