Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1/3 cup Granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This “sling” makes it incredibly easy to lift the bars out of the pan once they have cooled. Lightly grease any exposed pan surfaces with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 cup brown sugar until creamy. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt. Gradually add the flour, mixing until a soft, crumbly dough forms. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the topping. Press the remaining dough firmly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan in an even layer. Bake the crust for 12-15 minutes until it is just barely golden around the edges.
- While the crust pre-bakes, toss your sliced apples in a medium bowl with the lemon juice. In a small ramekin, whisk together 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch. Sprinkle this dry mixture over the apples and toss thoroughly to coat every slice. The cornstarch is the secret to a thick filling that doesn’t make the crust soggy.
- Remove the hot crust from the oven and layer the apple slices over the top, spreading them out evenly. Take the reserved 1 cup of crust mixture and crumble it over the apples using your fingers. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the apples should be tender when pierced with a fork.
- Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely at room temperature. For the cleanest bakery-style slices, refrigerate the pan for at least one hour before cutting. Use the parchment paper handles to lift the entire block out of the pan, then slice into 16 squares using a sharp knife.
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes