Indulge in a slice of sweet autumn with these Apple Oatmeal Crumble Bars. These bars are so easy to make from scratch. Made with oatmeal crumble and cinnamon apple filling make these bars so perfect to celebrate the fall season!

Double crumble is always a great idea, amirite?! These Apple Oatmeal Crumble Bars feature an oatmeal crumble crust, plenty of honey crisp apple slices in the middle, and more oatmeal crumble on top! Also, they’re packed with all the warm and cozy fall spices. Enjoy these bars with a cup of tea or coffee and you can also enjoy it with ice cream on top! Sure to become one of your favorite apple desserts!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe >

Ingredients Needed & Notes >

Equipment You’ll Need >

Step By Step Instructions >

Baking Tips >

Serving & Storage >

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) >

Recipe Card >

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE APPLE OATMEAL CRUMBLE BARS

Double crumble! I think everyone agrees the more crumble the better.
Apples + crumble, are two things you just can’t go wrong with.
Full of cozy fall spices.
Simple and easy to make!
You can use your favorite apples or even pears!
These bars are just as good as a slice of apple pie.
So buttery and delicious with just the right balance of sweetness.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED & NOTES

Apples – You’ll need 2 medium apples. This recipe uses honey crisp apples, but feel free to use your favorite apple! Gala and Granny Smith are my favorites too.

Oat – This recipe uses old-fashioned rolled oats. I have never tried

Flour – Only all-purpose flour to make these Apple Oatmeal Crumble Bars.

Leavening agent – You’ll need baking powder to make the crumble. Adding baking powder to the flour mixture helps the crumble topping more tender. This is optional, but recommended.

Sugar – This recipe uses brown sugar and granulated sugar, the combination of these two makes a perfect sweet flavor. I use light brown sugar, but dark brown works too!

Spices – Ground cinnamon and nutmeg! If you want extra spices like ginger, cardamom, or allspice, you can add those spices for about 1/4 teaspoon – 1/2 teaspoon.

Salt – This will do the job of balancing out the sweet flavor.

Vanilla – A little bit of vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.

Butter – I prefer unsalted butter for baking, but both salted and unsalted butter work for this recipe. If you use salted butter, I recommend skipping the salt.

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL NEED

8-Inch square pan
Large bowls
Pastry cutter
Knife
Parchment paper

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THESE APPLE OATMEAL CRUMBLE BARS

(Be sure to check the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions)

STEP 1 – Make the Oatmeal Crumble

Cut the cold butter into small cubes, and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices, then whisk everything until well combined. Add the cold butter cubes, and gently toss the butter through the flour-sugar mixture until each piece is well coated.

Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients mixture until it resembles a coarse meal, pea-sized chunks with a few larger chunks of butter. Keep tossing the butter through the flour mixture as you work. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or until you’re ready to assemble it.

STEP 2 – Prepare the Apples

Clean, peel, and cut the apples in half from the stalk down, then remove the apple core using an apple core remover or small knives. Cut the apples into thin slices then soak the apples into lemon water to stop the apples from browning. 2 cups water + 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

STEP 3 – Assemble and Bake

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray. Set aside

Reserve 1/3 of the crumble mixture for the topping, then transfer 2/3 of the crumble mixture to the prepared baking pan. Use your hands to evenly press the crumble into the bottom of your pan, then transfer to the oven and bake the crust for about 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Meanwhile, make the filling. Dry the apples with a kitchen paper towel, then combine all the filling ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined.

Take the crust out from the oven, then arrange the apples in an even layer over the pre-baked crust and sprinkle the remaining crumble over top of the apples. Immediately return to the oven and bake on the middle rack for about 35 minutes or until the crumble is light golden brown.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE BEST APPLE OATMEAL CRUMBLE BARS

Measure flour correctly. When measuring the flour with cups, make sure to spoon and level the flour into your measuring cup. Do not scoop and pack the flour. By doing this, you will yield too much flour and make the dough dry. A kitchen scale is the best option, it’s so much more accurate than cup measurements, that’s why I always write the recipe with grams. 1 cup flour = 125 grams.
Line every side of your pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
Let it cool completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting it into bars. This helps to make clean-cut bars.
When you make the crumble, rub and cut the cold butter cubes into the dry ingredients with your fingertip or pastry cutter. Mixing with a food processor can make the crumbs too fine, and it will end up with a cakey texture rather than a crumbly texture.
Make sure the crumble mixture is always cold. If the butter becomes too soft before baking, put the crumble mixture in the fridge and let it cool again.
Keep your eyes on the bars, think of baking times just as suggestions, because every oven is different! The temperature can vary greatly, even when you set it to the same temperature as in the recipe.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Make sure to let it cool completely in the pan and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting it into bars. You can enjoy these bars cold or at room temperature. I highly recommend enjoying this cake with a cup of coffee or tea, so good!
If the weather is still hot, enjoy it with ice cream! Vanilla ice cream is my favorite, it matches perfectly with all the fall flavors in these bars.

HERE’S HOW TO STORE THE LEFTOVERS

These bars should be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you want to freeze these bars for later, wrap each slice with layers of plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer-safe container. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can I use frozen apples?

Yes, you can! But I highly recommend fresh if you can, fresh apples are always the best option.

Can I freeze it before baking?

Absolutely! Wrap the entire pan with layers of plastic wrap, then place the pie in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, don’t thaw it. Place it in the pre-heat oven straight from the freezer. It will take longer to bake, about 10-15 minutes.