Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars.
Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars. Because everyone knows the more streusel the better. These bars are SO GOOD. Fresh, in-season honey crisp apples, mixed with homemade apple butter, and topped with the most delicious, buttery and cinnamony streusel crumb topping. The perfect treat to celebrate autumn!
Starting the weekend off with a celebratory bar like these apple butter bars is just so perfect, especially for this particular Friday. To say that it’s been a really great productive would be an understatement.
If you guys have been reading and following along this week on both HBH and Instagram, then you know that we’ve been working on a huge shoot with Anthropologie in the new studio barn space. It was a long four-day shoot, but it was also amazing, and has me both elated and inspired. I cannot wait to share all the photos and videos we captured. The space looks stunning, the food was delicious, and I honestly feel so grateful and so excited.
It was a GOOD week! A fun, creative, and busy week, spent with an incredible team, in an incredible space, and with incredible weather. It could not have gone better. Going to share some more behind the scenes photos in Sunday’s Favorite’s post, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Fun photos to come!
In the meantime, I want to dive right in and start telling you guys about these bars.
One, these bars truly are one of the most mouth wateringly delicious apple bars I’ve tasted. And two, I’m a little bit exhausted from one of our longest shooting days of the week and ready for a shower, some food, and then my bed.
SO, let’s talk apple butter bars and get on with our weekend!
Details…because it’s all about the details.
As you can get from the recipe title, these bars are focused on two things, autumn apples and streusel. Lots and lots of streusel. If there’s one thing I love paired with a baked apples, it’s a good, buttery, cinnamony streusel. Just typing that out has my mouth watering.
To start, you’ll need to make the cinnamon and butter filled streusel base. It’s a pretty simple mix up of flour, oats, pecans, and a generous amount of both cinnamon and butter. Of course.
Press some of this streusel mix into a pan and pre-bake it. While that’s happening, make the apple filled center of the bars.
Around this time last year, I made my first batch of homemade apple butter and fell in love. So when the first batch of honey crisp apples arrived a couple of weeks ago, I knew I had to make fresh apple butter again (except this time I made it in the instant pot…do you want the recipe?).
I made a double batch, with this recipe in mind, because the sound of an apple butter bar was just too good.
If you’ve never made homemade apple butter, this is the fall to do so. This sounds dramatic, but if you LOVE apples and jammy type spreads, then this apple butter will be life changing…
Anyway, I layered the pre-baked crust with a good amount my homemade apple butter, then I layered the fresh honey crisp apples over top of the apple butter. From here, I topped off the apples with a full layer of streusel and baked the bars in the oven until they were golden, bubbly, and smelling like all kinds of fall deliciousness.
Honestly, these are the BEST.
Buttery, apple filled, flavored with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla, and topped with delicious and perfectly sweet streusel. Really, not much beats that. Enjoy warm or at room temperature, possibly alongside a mug of steaming hot coffee, cider…or maybe even your favorite pumpkin spiced latte?!?
Total and complete perfection.
Also? If you bake these up this weekend, your house is going to smell like fall, and trust me, it’s going to be amazing. Who’s down? Cool. Cool. Let’s bake!
See you all tomorrow for a fun Cocktail Saturday Post!
If you make these apple butter bars, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Double the Streusel Apple Butter Bars
Fresh, in-season honey crisp apples, mixed with homemade apple butter, and topped with the most delicious, buttery and cinnamony streusel crumb topping. The perfect treat to celebrate autumn!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups old fashion oats
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 sticks (1 cup) cold salted butter, cubed
Filling
- 1 cup apple butter, homemade or store bought
- 2 honey crisp apples, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons cold salted butter, thinly sliced
Instructions
-
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together the flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, baking powder and cinnamon, until the oats are mostly ground. Add the cold butter, pulse until a crumbly dough forms. If the dough seems dry, add 1 tablespoon water.
3. Press 1/3 of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
4. Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl, toss the apples with the maple syrup, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Spread the apple butter evenly over the pre-baked crust. Arrange the apples in an even layer over the apple butter. Sprinkle the remaining 2/3 streusel dough over top of the apples. Lay the butter sliced over the streusel. Return to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the crumble is a light golden brown.
5. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Keep stored in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
Our Favorite Recipes
Rosemary Peach Chicken in a White Wine Pan Sauce.
Yes for that recipe please and thank you!! As for THIS recipe – YUM – and it couldn’t come at a better time as my parent’s garden is TEEMING with apples, so huzzahs all round!
I mentioned you in today’s post -> https://peppermintdolly.com/2018/09/14/lovely-links-5/
Rebecca | http://www.peppermintdolly.com
That is so sweet! Thank you so much for mentioning me as well!
Ooh, can’t wait to see the photoshoot results! How exciting! And wow, these bars – the epitome of autumn decadence (especially love the use of honeycrisp apples).
Thank you so much Liz!
Hooray for an apple recipe.! No were near ready for pumpkin recipes.
Can’t wait to see the new Studio Barn in all its glory.
Thank you so much Charlotte!
I’m going to make this on Sunday (along with your chicken noodle casserole). Will you be posting the recipe for the Instant pot version of the apple butter? And if so, do you think the instant pot really and truly gives your recipes the same flavor as slow cooking it all day?
I don’t post to you much, but I do make your recipes every single week and pretty much go to your blog or cookbook exclusively for all my recipes. My Instagram is filled with all your recipes. (KLevru) They are simply the best. They don’t really help with keeping a slim figure, but I can’t really resist. Speaking of which, I was wondering how you stay so slim with cooking and baking all of this- do you not actually eat it?
Hey Kim! Really glad you enjoy my recipes, that makes me so happy to hear! I live a pretty active lifestyle and am on my feet most of the day as well as hiking everything single day too! I do eat what I cook, but I also don’t site and eat cakes all day long. One bite does the trick 🙂
Also, no plans to post the apple butter for the instant pot, but yes, I do love cooking with my instant pot! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
it seems to be tasty. congratulations
Thank you!
Hi! How long would I put the ingredients for the apple butter in the instant pot and what setting did you use when you made it that way? Thanks! 🙂
Hey Carolyn! Cook on manual for 12 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
Yes! Absolutely want Instant Pot version of Apple butter. The bars look yummy. Can’t wait to make.
Thank you so much Joyce!
What amazing timing – I just made your apple butter recipe earlier this week! It is sooo so so good (and I would love an instant pot version). Can’t wait to try out these bars!
Do you have a list somewhere of all the apple butter-related recipes? Because I am loving it on everything!!
That is so amazing! I am so glad you have been loving the apple butter, Jamie! I have a recipe for an apple butter old fashioned, but I am excited to try more! Thank you!
Hello!
These look delicious! I was wondering if they would work without the pecans? I’m allergic to nuts.
Thanks!
Hey Megan! Yes, you can just omit the pecans and replace them with an equal omit of oats. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I love this article! I been looking for different smoothie recipes and this is just awesome! Thank you for this I will surely do this at home for my family. delicious and healthy I couldn’t ask for more. I also want to recommend this site which may probably help you in making you delicious and healthy smoothies.
Love how this makes a larger pan for a crowd!! So many more servings than a pie which is AWESOME. also, so excited this includes apple butter…yum! 🙂
Thank you Brittany!
Normally I love your recipes but this one was a disappointment. There was not nearly enough filling, pretty much all we could taste was the steusel topping and crust.
Hi Rosina! I am so sorry about that. I hope you try some other recipes of mine and enjoy them!
Such perfect bars, double the streusel is a must!
Thank you!
Made this for my life group/bible study last night! Topped it with some Tillamook ice cream. It was a hit!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Ali!
Just made these this morning, and they are amazing! My new favorite apple dessert.
Thank you so much!
Such a great recipe! I made this for a dinner with some friends. They were so simple to make, and everyone loved them. I added some vanilla ice cream to them- perfection! Thanks for the great recipe!
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you Jackie!
Hi Tieghan! I’ve just pulled mine from the oven and have high hopes for them! They don’t look as photo-worthy as yours do, as I ended up covering all the apples with the streusel. I’m anxiously awaiting them to cool so I can taste test a small piece before sending the rest in with my husband for his office’s pitch-in tomorrow. I’ve just found your Caramelized Condensed Milk Mini Apple Pies, so those’ll be next on my apple baking list.
Side question for you – have you ever considered linking to a couple of photos in your directions, such as when you write to thinly slice your apples or arrange in an even layer before coverin so we can see your methods? Nothing involved, just a shot of a pan with the apples before streusel on top, for example, so we can see if they’re nicely placed or just poured on and evened out. My family jokes that I slice things so thin that you can see through them, so i hesitated to slice my regular “thin”. I may just be a worrier, though 🙂
Hey Bonnie!! Thanks so much for your kind words and thank you for the suggestion! I always try to take more process photos, but it can be very hard with messy hands and such. I will work on it though as I know most readers would love more process photos. 🙂 I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I had extra apples and this came along in the perfect time. Made them twice already!! The Fiance’ can’t get enough. I added 2 pears in the filling to make it a little more fuller in the middle. Definitely will become a go to Fall item 🙂
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Stephanie!
HI! I don’t have a food processor…what’s the next best alternative for step 2?
🙂 Thanks!
I recommend using your hands to mix the cold butter with the dry ingredients. that will be just fine, Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thanks! xTieghan
I made these apple butter bars and they were loved so much by my dinner guests. I felt they were big, so I cut them in half on a diagonal. They were delish, even if they were not as pretty as yours. I feel like I would put more dough on the bottom and less crumble on top, but they were amazing and perfect for Fall!! I also live in Montana and wondered if my elevation requires more baking time…which I had to do! I love everything you do!!
I am sure they looked amazing Jane! Thank you so much!
I made these for a dinner party and everyone loves them. I cut them in half on a diagonal because I felt the squares were too big and I did have a large gathering of friends!! I would absolutely make these again!! So perfect for Fall! I do not Yet have a food processor, so I used my Vitamix at first and then my pastry blender like I was making pie crust. It worked just fine, but I am still going to invest in a food processor! Love all that you create and share!!
Thank you so much Jane! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
Made the maple apple butter last weekend and just happened to have all the ingredients on had for these delicious looking bars this weekend. They turned out so darn good! Thank you so much for the yummy treat…. me and the BF have been enjoying them all week!!
I used a (delightfully heavily) spiced apple butter that I made last fall, then added extra cinnamon to everything because WHY NOT. I could eat that streusel topping on its own. I opted to just hand-mix everything instead of processing it because I like my oats chunky in a streusel. MAN, this is so good. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Leilani! I am so glad you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I am planning on making these to bring into work for the first day of Autumn. If I am looking for a “fuller” bar, would you recommend doubling the filling? Do you think that would increase my bake time? Just ordered your book and so excited for your new book to come out!! Thanks <3
Hey Carrie! It’s hard to say how that would turn out. If you double the filling, yes I would bake almost double the amount of time. I might pre-bake the crust a bit longer to ensure it does not become soggy. Please let me know if you have any other question and how they turn out too. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan,
Tried this yesterday and brought it over to my cousin’s. Everyone seemed to like it, thank you for the recipe! While very tasty and soft, my bars did not look so picture perfect though and were falling apart a bit. Should I increase the baking time next time?
I used my Mom’s apple butter that she prepared by your recipe posted last year, it was delicious. I wanted to make a batch again this year, but the old recipe is gone from the site. Neither one of us owes a slow cooker. Any chance it would be back?
Thank you again for your great ideas and fantastic photos, can’t wait to get your new book (already have the first one).
Hey Lena! Yes, try baking the bars an addtion 10 minutes. That should help!
You can make the apple butter on the stove top. I would cook in a large pot, covered over low heat for 2-3 hours, puree, then simple until the apple butter thickens to your liking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Thank you for your quick reply! Will do as you suggested and will report 🙂
My fiance said this was the best thing I had ever baked!!! These bars are incredible. They’re sweet, warming, and a bit hearty with the oats and pecans. This recipe will be a keeper for sure. I am actually starting a baking blog and am hoping to do a baking challenge with my readers. This recipe will be the featured recipe for this month – it’s just too good to pass up!
That’s awesome Cecilia! Thank you for sharing! X Kelly
Would coconut butter work as a butter substitute?
Hi Danika! Yes, I would imagine coconut butter will work great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Made these yesterday – delicious! Will definitely make again!
Thank you so much Rebecca! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
These are great, made them last night! Who doesn’t like double streusel?!
Right?! So happy this turned out so well for you, Jessica! Thank you! xTieghan
Just went apple picking so super excited to try these! Do you have a substitute for apple butter? Can I just use plain butter and if so, should it be at room temp?
Thanks much for what is sure to be yet another winner!
Hey Ellen,
So sorry, I haven’t tested this recipe without the apple butter and I am afraid you would lose some of the apple flavoring. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tiegen,
These look amazing! I’m planning on making either these or the brown butter blondies with cinnamon maple glaze for dessert this evening, hard to pick between the two! I’m wondering if I could make either of the bars ahead and then keep in the fridge before baking? Thank you so much!
Hey Kristin,
Sure that would work with both, just bring back to close to room temp before baking! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These look delicious, and I am looking forward to baking up a batch. Do you think these would freeze well? (Apologies if I missed this in the other comments.) I am looking for several items that I can bake/cook/prep ahead of time, so holidays are a bit more relaxing (especially this year). In addition, I’m an avid home canner and love the recipes you post that involve homemade preserves. So many uses for them other than just on toast!
Hey Lisa,
Sure you could freeze these! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan