This is a classic, old-fashioned apple pie bar recipe, the kind you'd find in a Midwest church cookbook from the '80s or '90s, or handwritten on a well-loved recipe card, stained from years of use. They're made with simple ingredients and come together with very little effort. You are going to love them!
This Easy Apple Pie Bar Recipe is a delicious way to enjoy apple pie flavors without all the extra work of a traditional apple pie. Sweet homemade vanilla cake batter is topped with store bought apple pie filling, sprinkled with cinnamon, and then topped with the remaining batter. Before it is served it gets drizzled with a delicious Powder Sugar Glaze.
You could also skip the vanilla glaze and opt to serve with ice cream or a drizzle of Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce or Butter Rum Sauce.
Was going to bake an apple pie for Thanksgiving, but didn't have enough pie filling, do I found this recipe and made it instead. HUGE hit with the family and I shared it with my Art Class friends and the ALL wanted the recipe!
It saved Thanksgiving dessert and I impressed my friends ❤️ Mary
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Apple Pie Bars
These make a great sub for traditional apple pie. If you are not a pro-baker this is a great option. It is easy to make and if you serve it warm with a little vanilla ice cream it is just as good, if not better, than apple pie!
If you have a crowd that does not like pie, this will be your GO-TO recipe. Everyone will still get those fall apple flavors that are perfect for the season. This is also a great recipe to save for summer barbecues or pot luck dinners.
Ingredients for this Apple Pie Bar Recipe
- Salted Butter – Softened butter creams smoothly with the sugar, giving you that tender, cake-like base. I
- Sugar – Does more than sweeten, it helps create that light, fluffy texture when creamed with butter. I
- Vanilla – Rounds everything out and enhances the apple flavor without standing out on its own.
- Eggs – bind the batter and give the bars structure while keeping them soft.
- All Purpose Flour – builds the base of the bars. Measure it lightly (spoon and level) so the bars stay tender instead of dense.
- Baking Powder – This gives just enough lift to keep the bars from feeling heavy.
- Apple Pie Filling (21 oz can) – Choose a high quality canned apple pie filling. Use 2 cans for more filling heavy apple pie bar, use 1 can for more cake to filling ratio.
- Cinnamon – adds warmth and enhances the apple flavor.
- Powdered Sugar – Used for the glaze, powdered sugar dissolves smoothly so you get that soft, drizzle-able finish without any graininess.
- Milk – thins out the glaze just enough to make it pourable. Any milk, dairy or non-dairy will work here.
How to Make this Apple Pie Bars Recipe
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grab a 9×13 baking pan. Prepare the pan with a baking spray or oil.
In a mixing bowl, with a hand mixer (or a stand mixer), cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes. (I have used melted butter in a pinch and it works as well as softened butter.)
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat them in. Also mix in the vanilla extract. Add the flour and baking powder into the butter/sugar mixture. Blend until all the flour is incorporated.
Layer the Apple Pie Bars
Spread ⅔ of the batter in your prepared 9×13 pan.
Top with the canned apple pie filling. Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the apples.
Dot the apple pie filling with the remaining batter.
Baking
Place in the oven for 30-35 minutes (dark metal pan), until it is golden on top and around the edges. If you are using a glass baking dish you will need to bake for 45-50 minutes.
Glaze
For the topping, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk.
You can also choose to sub in Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce or Butter Rum Sauce for the Vanilla Glaze.
Serving
After the bars have cooled, drizzle the glaze over top of the bars.
These are great served warm with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream! It will be hard to just eat one!
Variations
This is an old fashioned recipe that is sometimes made with cherry pie filling. Here are some ways to change up the recipe to suit your taste buds:
- Use any pie filling to match the season- apple for the holidays, peach in the spring, or blueberry in the summer. Or make these Cherry Pie Bars. In the Spring you can also try these Lemon Pie Bars.
- If you are using apple pie filling add spices to create your favorite flavor- more cinnamon, pinch of clove, or all spice.
- Top the pie filling with chopped and toasted pecans
- Add some orange or lemon zest to the Powder Sugar Glaze, to match the flavor of pie filling you use.
Apple Pie Bar FAQ’s
Let the apple pie bars cool completely before cutting so the filling has time to set up, this keeps the layers clean and prevents it from spilling out when you slice.
Cool completely (and then some): Don't rush this, once they're cooled they will cut much cleaner. You can even pop them in the fridge for 20 minutes – slightly chilled bars slice much cleaner.
Use a sharp, thin knife: A long, straight-edged knife (not serrated) gives you the cleanest edges.
Wipe between cuts: Keep a damp paper towel nearby and wipe the blade after every slice to avoid dragging filling across the top.
Let them cool completely before storing: This keeps condensation from forming and prevents soggy bars.
Room temperature (short term): Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator (longer storage): For up to 4-5 days, refrigerate in a covered container. The filling firms up even more, which actually makes them easier to slice and serve.
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Did you make this recipe?
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I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me
Apple Bar Recipe
Equipment
- 9×13 pan
- off-set spatula optional- but makes quick work of spreading the sticky batter
Ingredients
Apple Pie Bars
- 1 cup butter, softened - (I have used melted butter in a pinch)
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 3 cups flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 21 oz can apple pie filling - (use 2 if you like more apple filling)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon - (add a pinch of clove and all spice for even more seasoning)
- non-stick spray
Glaze
- ½ cup powder sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Apple Pie Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 9×13 baking pan by greasing the bottom with oil or non-stick spray.non-stick spray
- In a large mixing bowl, with a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer with paddle attachment), cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together for 2 minutes.1 cup butter, softened , 1 ½ cup sugar , 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing them in one at a time.4 eggs
- Slowly add the flour and baking powder into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until the flour is completely incorporated.Pro Tip: Measure the flour and baking powder onto a piece of parchment paper and then use it like a funnel to get all the dry ingredients into the bowl, easily!3 cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Spread ⅔ of the batter into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 baking dish, make sure it is spread evenly in the pan. Pro Tip: an offset spatula sprayed with non-stick spray can make easy work of spreading the sticky batter!
- Pour the apple pie filling over the batter, sprinkle with cinnamon (and optionally other apple pie spices like clove or all spice).21 oz can apple pie filling , ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Dot the top of the apples with the remaining batter.
- In a dark metal pan bake for 30-35 minutes until the top and the edges are golden and the cake is cooked thru. If you are using a glass baking dish you will need to bake for 45-50 minutes.
Glaze
- While the cake is baking make the powder sugar glaze by mixing together the powder sugar and milk, add a dash of cinnamon for extra seasoning!The glaze should be a drizzle consistency. Add a splash more of milk if needed.½ cup powder sugar , 1 tablespoon milk
Serving
- Let the Apple Pie Bars cool for about 20 minutes before cutting. This allows the apple pie filling to cool and set.
- Cut into 12 or 16 squares. Drizzle with the glaze. Could also sub in Brown Sugar Caramel Sauce or Rum Butter Sauce for the powder sugar glaze.
- Optionally serve with a little vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream .
Storing
- Store at room temperature, in an air tight container, for up to 2 days. For longer storage keep in an air tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
Originally published November 2018 – Republished October 2020
Barbara Lochmondy says
Can I bake and then freeze these?
Susie Weinrich says
I know you can freeze apple pie, so I would think that these would freeze really well too (although I have not tested!). I would just leave the vanilla glaze drizzle off until you thaw.
Just like with pie I would thaw at room temp overnight before serving.
Dragoness says
This turned out so well, thank you so much. I had made some fresh apple pie filling for turnovers and didn’t have enough dough left for the amount I had made, this used the rest of the filling and has turned out so well. Everyone loves it and I just want to say thank you!
Alani says
I love this recipe it was very thick,
But I managed to spread it evenly , and cooked it an extra 15 mins and it came out perfectly, I’m 14 and I love to bake things for my family and they loved it
Carole Bowes says
I made this with cherry pie filling and it was amazing.
Jerry says
I made the recipe and cooked it for 30 minutes and let it sit in the oven for an additional 10. Two hours later its all gooey on the bottom.
julie moran says
This was really good even without the glaze. I did have to bake 10 more minutes to bake completely.
Diana Iwaskewycz says
I loved the Easy Apple Pie Bars recipe. My dough was thick and sticky. Would it be possible to use 2 cups of flour and 3 eggs? It took an extra 30 minutes of baking before it got brown.
Susie says
I am not sure about the extra flour and eggs. The batter IS very thick and sticky, but once you divide it (bottom and top), it should cook perfectly!
Teea says
I used a yellow cake mix and added cloves, ginger and cinnamon, used 3 eggs, vanilla and 1/2 cup softened butter.
Tara says
Can you use a box of spice cake mix? Instead of the vanilla cake recipe.
Susie says
Possibly… The batter that you make in this recipe is pretty thick and sticky, so the apple pie filling stays on top of it as it bakes. If you use a box of cake mix the apples might sink into the batter. You could also make the vanilla batter that is in the recipe and add cinnamon, all spice, clove, nutmeg and/or ginger.
Tara says
Sounds great… I can’t wait to try it!! Thank you!
Sasha says
Thanks for the easy recipe!
The only glitch I had involved the dough. It seemed to be thicker than your photo.
The only thing I didn’t do was sift the flour as I don’t have a sifter. This issue seemed to have extended cooking time another 20-30 minutes.
But it finally browned and it’s not now cooling. I won’t be trying it till tomorrow as i’m Off to bed.
I’m sure it’ll Ben as delicious as it looks! Thanks again,
Louise says
Oh my gosh, this sounds sooo good. Could I use Bisquick to make this?
Susie says
They are so good!!! I think you could definitely try using Bisquick! It might not be as sweet as the written recipe. Report back.
Louise says
Thank you so much for your speedy reply!
I looked on Bisquick.com I couldn’t find Apple bars that look as good as yours. The recipes they have call for fresh apples that you would mix in with the ingredients were I have already made the apple filling ahead of time and I’m afraid they might turn out too much like dumplings or their coffee cake. I don’t know I guess I’ll go ahead and try yours I was just trying to take a shortcut but I think I’ll end up caving more problems! LOL I’ll let you know how I love your recipe which I’m sure I will.
Louise says
This is the best!!! For the top I sprinkled almond slices and tiny walnut prices. I didn’t do the powdered sugar drizzle.
It came out perfect! Thank you so much!! I took a picture but I don’t know how to upload it on this site. But it looks beautiful and taste even better!
Bonnie says
THese are so delicious! I added some fried apple we had for breakfast for additional filling and added cinnamon to the glaze. Perfect! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Patty says
Is it baking powder or soda? It’s conflicting
Susie says
Patty, thank you so much for catching that!!!!!!! I changed it, it is baking powder. I hope you love the bars!
Heidi says
Very Good If want more pie filling use 2 cans
I would make these again
Susie says
I’m so glad you loved them! Thank you for making my recipe!
Tawnie says
Stop it these loook sooooo good!! Making ASAP!
Susie says
They are so good! Your whole house will smell like apple pie. YUM
Emily Bruno says
I’ve made this recipe with cherry before and it was SO good. Apple is genius!!! This is the perfect little snack cake or after-school treat.
Susie says
Exactly.. it is an old fashioned cherry bar recipe, just updated with apple. Perfect for Thanksgiving too.