With fall just a few weeks away, I’m already getting anxious about making a few pies. My list of various kinds to make is continually growing but the first pie will most definitely be an apple pie. It’s a classic pie flavor with so many variations. But until the fall comes, these Apple Slice Bars will hold me over.
This is a recipe that was shared by a foodie friend of mine, Al. It’s pretty much a pie baked in a 9 x 13 inch pan and sliced in bars. Even though it’s not a traditional pie, it definitely was a hit at our recent Low Country Boil. Sliced fresh apples sweetly seasoned with cinnamon sugar are sandwiched in between buttery pie crusts. However, there’s a little trick to keep the bottom crust crisp!
I’ve made this recipe a few times now and loved it each time. Aside from apples, I’ve made one using fresh peaches, pears and even blueberries. It’s super easy and the neat trick that I learned was topping the bottom pie crust with panko breadcrumbs before filling. The panko absorbs any juices from the fruit filling, resulting in a crisp bottom – no more soggy pies! I loved this trick and will be applying it many more times with the pies I make in the future.
Apple Slice Bars Recipe
recipe from foodie friend, Al
Apple Slice Bars Recipe Ingredients
- 1 cup Panko bread crumbs or crushed cornflakes
- 8 cups peeled, cored and sliced Granny Smith apples (about 6 large or 8 medium) tossed with two TB lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar mixed with 1 to 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- 2 TB butter
- Egg wash
- 1 package refrigerated pie crust doughs (2 crusts) – can use homemade too
Apple Slice Bars Recipe Glaze Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 TB milk
Apple Slice Bars Recipe Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Divide pie crust dough into 2 pieces on a ratio of 6 to 4. Roll out the larger of the two pieces into a rectangle about 11″ x 15″. Place in a 9″ x 13″ cake pan. Push the pastry up the sides of the pan a bit to make a shallow container for the apples.
- Spread the bread crumbs over the pastry.
- Spread the apples over the bread crumbs and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and the nutmeg over the top. Cut the butter into small pieces and dot over the top.
- Roll the remaining piece of pie dough into a 9″ x 13″ rectangle and cover the apples. Brush with egg wash.
- Slash the crust 6 or 8 times to allow steam to escape. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes until crust is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool completely while you prepare the glaze.
- Combine the glaze ingredients and stir until smooth. It should be thick but pourable. Adjust the ingredients to achieve the consistency you need. Pour over pastry.
- Allow the icing to set before serving.
Never would've imagined panko in a dessert, I like it!
These bars look amazing! I'll have to try them in a few weeks at the peak of apple season 🙂 I was wondering though, because it doesn't say in the ingredients, how much puff pastry is needed?
Hi Sarah – the recipe calls for 2 pie crusts, either homemade or store bought. Thanks for asking!
oh boy a recipe without home made pie crusts tossed in my face!
I have a huge hole in my baking skills. yet to get a consistent pie crust. so store bought it is
Apple pies are on my list of things to make in the Fall, too! These bars will have to be sooner rather than later though. Thanks for the recipe!
These look simply delicious and easy to make. I like that they are made with the pre-made crusts as I'm not much of a baker and my crust never comes out right.
When I saw panko in this dessert I was a little concerned, but looking at the final product I'm digging this dish! It looks like a pie, a bar, or a cookie. I like anything apple so I want to try this!
Yum! I love apple desserts!
This looks yummy! But a little history to this recipe: My Gram made this many many years in every flavor imaginable. She called it "Pie Slice" and baked it in a cookie sheet. When they were farming, her mother made this, rather than making a standard pie they would make the pie slice so they could transport it easily to the fields for the noon time meals for the men. And it works great for a large crowd! Toni
Just found your blog through Pinterest (yay!) This looks delicious- I love apples- can't beat an apple dessert. 🙂
-Miriam
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. It looks easy to make. I can't wait to give it a try.
I like everything about this recipe! All of the ingredients are easy to get, most I already have on hand. I used to buy apple slices, from the supermarket. Did not know they were so easy to make! Aside from slicing the apples,this couldn't be easier and I know its delicious!
What about nutritional values?
Hi Anonymous – I don't have nutritional values for my recipes (I wish I had more time to have them included which is a challenge as a single working mom to a toddler!) but here are links to some sites that can help you get that info! – https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-websites-give-nutritional-information-eat-smarter/
I have made very similar for 35 years no fail. However, I find when making an apple pie or apple bars, putting 2 caps full of almond extract on filling makes it an award winning apple pie or bar. I bake bottom crust a few minutes with fork holes in it and instead of panko, ( not good for soy alergies ), I use small tapioca pearls.
I've been making these very apple slices my whole life! Almost exactly the same recipe as the one my mother obtained from her German friend at church. These have a subtle nuance of floral flavor all their own as an apple pastry, and they're easier to successfully serve than apple pie. As a food stylist, I love the look of the translucent glaze against the flaky pastry. Absolutely lip-smackingly, finger-lickingly delicious!
I've been making these apple slices my whole life! We obtained the recipe a German recipe from my mother's friend at church, probably around 1974. They possess such a subtle nuance of flavor all their own as an apple pastry, and are easy to serve. Absolutely lip-smackingly, finger-lickingly delicious!
How is this if made the day before?
My grandma gave me her recipe for these… A great memory after reading this pin! Thanks.
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This sounds Yummy! Going to make for my family that just arrived from Florida! Tailgating for Football Game! I believe this is going to be a Hit!!!!:-))))
Can't wait to try this! I posted it to Stuffdot so I don't forget. We have family visiting this weekend so this will be perfect for dessert.
I used to bake my pies at 350°F. and I always had a problem with a soggy, slimy bottom crust. I looked into it and found some professional bakers who boosted the oven temp to 400°F. all through the pie baking. I found that 400°F all the way through made for too crunchy a crust. So, after much trial and error, for all fruit pies, I now preheat the oven to 450°F. I set up a system so the filling doesn't stay in the bottom crust long at all. 1) Roll out the top crust and set it in the fridge. 2) Get the egg wash made and sanding sugar ready; set it aside – soften 1 – 2 Tbspns butter. 3) Roll out the bottom crust, prick it well and set it in the pie plate. Set aside. Make the filling, place it in the pie crust, dot with butter, put on the top crust, crimp, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, cut the slits in the top and get it right in the oven. Bake at 450°F for 15 minutes, reduce the oven temp to 350°F. , cover the edges of the crust and bake for another hour, or until the filling bubbles up through the slits in the crust. I always had to tell our children that even if the pie smells done and even if it looks done (tent with foil if it's getting too brown) – but a fruit pie is not done until the filling bubbles up.
My German-Dutch grandmother made these. Her recipe called for covering the bottom crust with corn flakes to prevent it from getting soggy. She also baked them on a 15 x 10 cookie sheet. Bottom crust, corn flakes, apple filling and top crust…edges sealed to bottom crust that was extended up sides of cookie sheet. Glazed with powder sugar mixture when taken out of oven. Soooo good.