Description
Apple Cobbler Bars combine a tender buttery crust with a sweet apple pie filling, finished with a smooth vanilla glaze drizzle. This easy-to-make dessert bar offers all the comforting flavors of apple cobbler in a convenient handheld form, perfect for gatherings or a cozy treat.
Ingredients
Bar Dough
- ¾ cup butter (softened – 12 tablespoons, or 1½ sticks butter)
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp apple pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
- 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 21 oz apple pie filling (1 21-ounce can or homemade)
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 Tbsp heavy cream (or whole milk, or half & half)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray to ensure the bars do not stick.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, salt, and apple pie spice (or cinnamon) using a hand mixer or stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to combine fully. Stir in the vanilla extract. If the batter begins to curdle, add a tablespoon or two of the flour to stabilize.
- Mix in Flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour to the wet mixture and mix just until a dough forms. Be careful not to over mix. Reserve 1 cup of this dough for the topping and set aside.
- Layer Dough and Filling: Press the majority of the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan to form the crust. Spread the apple pie filling evenly over the dough layer. Drop the reserved dough in rounded spoonfuls evenly across the top of the apple filling.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cobbler bars are golden and the topping is set and no longer doughy. Remove from oven and transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Prepare Vanilla Glaze: In a small bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and adjust thickness by adding more cream or sugar as needed to obtain a drizzle consistency.
- Drizzle Glaze: Once the bars are cooled, drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly across the top. Allow the glaze to set before cutting into bars. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Using room temperature eggs helps achieve a smooth batter and better incorporation.
- If your mixture curdles after adding eggs, adding a little flour helps prevent separation.
- Apple pie spice can be substituted with ground cinnamon or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
- The glaze thickness can be adjusted depending on your preference by adding more cream or confectioners’ sugar.
- For a homemade apple pie filling, use peeled and sliced apples, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice cooked until tender.
- Allow bars to cool completely before glazing to prevent melting the glaze.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
