Butterscotch Apple Crumb Bars

Rich, gooey butterscotch apple crumb bars made with crisp fall apples.

I’m officially self-employed full-time.

Squirrel, of course, loves that I’m home full-time. “Hey, now that you don’t have to work…”

“Um, excuse me, I work. Sure, I work from home, but I still work. Geez, you make me sound like a bon bon-eating, soap-operea-watching freeloader.”

“I only meant that you don’t have to go to work.”

“Right. And, I still go to work. I get out of bed and walk downstairs–that’s going to work.”

“I don’t think staying in your pajamas all day constitutes as ‘going to work.'”

Do you see what I’m dealing with? Palm to face, you guys.

What he meant to say was that he likes the fact that he now gets to come home to gourmet pan-fried fish lunches, hot meals for dinner at a reasonable hour and not at 9 o’clock at night. The man can cook, but it’s minimal and my food always tastes better.

Of course, I love working from home. Squirrel did make a valid point–I get to work in my pjs. Not gonna lie, it’s the best. I also like not having to sit in Baltimore traffic. If you’re from the Baltimore-Washington area, you know what I’m talking about. That kind of traffic had me wanting to run other cars over.

Overall, it’s a good deal. Sure, I’m nervous, but you won’t know if something is a good fit until you give it a shot, so here I am, giving it a shot.

What do you get out of the deal? More cookies, cocktails, salads, and pie. Honestly, this kitchen needs more pie.

While this recipe isn’t exactly what you would call pie, it is pie-like. The rich, gooey center is made up of fresh apples and butterscotch chips. After 35 minutes in the oven, the crisp apples soften and sweeten, and the butterscotch chips melt to gooey perfection.

The soft center paired with the crunchy pecan-oat crunch is absolutely glorious.

The crust resembles your classic shortbread, only nuttier and overall better. I used a mixture of old-fashioned oats, coarse pecan flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, melted butter, and vanilla extract. The crust bakes up golden brown, perfectly crisp, and buttery.

I really feel like these bars are better than pie. They’re portable pie squares that can be devoured on the go. If you want to make these bars extra special, warm a large hunk in the microwave and top it with a scoop of your favorite ice cream and maybe a drizzle of caramel. Oh. Mah. Goodness.

Print Recipe

Butterscotch Apple Crumb Bars

Thick, buttery oat squares stuffed with fresh apples and butterscotch chips. These pie-like bars are easy to make and portable on-the-go snacks.

Yield: 1 (8-by-8-inch) square pan

Total Time: 45 minutes

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup pecan flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 8-inch-by-8-inch square pan with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, oats, pecan flour, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Stir to combine.
3. Stir in melted butter and vanilla extract until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.
5. Top evenly with the apples and butterscotch chips.
6. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the apples.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and apples are tender.
8. Cool completely in the pan. Remove and cut into squares. Store the cooled squares in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

All images and text ©One Sweet Mess.

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