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Delicious Maple Pecan Apple Bars on a white platter for Thanksgiving

Cozy Autumn Maple Pecan Apple Bars

These Cozy Autumn Maple Pecan Apple Bars feature a sweet and spiced apple filling sandwiched between a buttery oat and pecan crumb base and topping. Perfect for a fall treat, they are easy to make and full of comforting flavors.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 16 bars
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 9x13 inch baking pan
  • Large bowls (x2)
  • Parchment paper (optional)
  • Pastry blender or fork
  • Wire rack
  • Whisk

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Filling:

  • 4 medium apples (e.g., 2 Honeycrisp, 2 Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (Grade A)
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Crumb Topping & Base:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) cold, cut into small cubes
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan by greasing and flouring or lining with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, combine the diced apples, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch for the apple filling.
  • In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients and cut it into the mixture using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a fork until coarse crumbs form.
  • Stir in the chopped pecans until they are evenly distributed throughout the crumb mixture.
  • Press about half of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to create an even base.
  • Spread the prepared apple filling evenly over the pressed crumb base.
  • Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top of the apple layer.
  • Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly and tender.
  • Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting them into squares to ensure proper setting.

Notes

Cooling completely is crucial for the bars to set properly before cutting. Adjust sweetness of the apple filling based on the tartness of your apples. Using a combination of sweet and tart apples (like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith) provides the best flavor and texture balance.