You are not ready for these Apple Crumb Cookie Bars! With a slightly cakey sugar cookie base, a warm brown sugar apple filling, and a jaw dropping crumble topping, I am floored by these.

an apple crumb cookie bar cut into a square with a forkful taken out of it.

Apple Crumb Cookie Bar Recipes

Get ready for me to wax poetic about these Apple Crumb Bars. They simultaneously have soft-baked breakfast cookie bar AND apple crumble vibes. Like, you could comfortably eat these first thing in the morning or warm with ice cream for a happy dessert. You cannot go wrong! The textures are amaze with a slightly melt-in-your-mouth cookie base, great bites of tiny apple, and crunchy crumble topping. My team and I couldn’t stop eating just ‘one more bite.’

Ingredients

*You can find instructions and exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Brown Sugar Cookie Base

Salted butter, softened – I use salted butter, but you can sub in unsalted butter if that is your preference. If you choose unsalted butter, add in an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
Brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract – This acts as the very best flavor base for the cookies.
Molasses – The molasses helps flavor the cookie and gives it a nice soft crumb.
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt

Apple Filling

Diced apples – I like to use honey crisp, they are firm and not overly sweet.
Salted butter, softened – Again, you can sub in unsalted if you’d like.
Brown sugar
Corn starch – This will help the mixture thicken and hold together.
Cinnamon

Crumble Topping

Reserved cookie dough
Rolled oats – You can use rolled or old fashioned, but don’t try instant oats here.
Brown sugar
Cinnamon

Aerial view of a pan of apple crumb cookie bars.

How to Make Apple Crumb Cookie Bars

Start by making the apple filling. In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
Once melted, add the diced apples (¼-inch pieces), brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes, until the apples are fork-tender. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
To make the cookie dough, cream the butter and sugars in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes.
Scrape down the bowl, and add the eggs, vanilla, and molasses; mix until combined.
Once combined, add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just until a dough forms.
Remove 1 cup of dough and set aside for the crumble topping. Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan.
Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough.
Make the crumble by adding the oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the reserved cookie dough. Mix until combined.
Crumble the topping over the apples, leaving some filling visible.
Bake for 22–26 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.
Cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–5 days. This is best enjoyed the first day for the crunchiest topping.

Side view of an apple crumb cookie bar with a sugar cookie base, apple filling, and crumble topping.

How should I store Apple Crumb Bars?

Once cooled, store your cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 3-5 days! The crumble topping will be crunchiest on the first day and soften over time.

Can I freeze Crumb Bars?

Yes! You can freeze these bars for up to 3 months! I recommend placing all cooled and cut cookie bars onto a cookie sheet. Place the entire cookie sheet into the freezer and ‘flash freeze’ until they start to harden slightly. Move the cookies to a ziptop bag or airtight container, with parchment between layers of cookies.

Karli’s Kitchen Faves

Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools that I used to make this recipe!

Kitchenaid Mixer – I really love this thing. It’s not necessary for making good cookies, but I love the size of the bowl and the power. A Hand Mixer is also an excellent option for when you don’t want to mix things by hand.
Parchment paper – I use this to line the 9×13, leaving some hanging over the sides to make it easy-peasy to remove the cooled cookie bars for easy cutting.
Spatula – I love these silicone spatulas for scraping down the sides of the mixer.
9×13 pan – This is one of my fave pans for making cookie bars.

Homestyle Desserts

An apple crumb cookie bar on top of additional bars.

Apple Crumb Cookie Bars

You are not ready for these Apple Crumb Cookie Bars! With a slightly cakey sugar cookie base, a warm brown sugar apple filling, and a jaw dropping crumble topping, I am floored by these.

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Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 18

Servings: bars

Calories: 215kcal

Ingredients

Brown Sugar Cookie Base

1 cup (222g) salted butter, softened
2/3 cup (162g) brown sugar
1/3 cup (76g) granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp molasses
3 1/4 cups (494g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Apple Filling

4 cups diced apples (About 5 medium apples)
4 Tbsp salted butter
1/3 cup (81g) brown sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Crumble Topping

1 cup reserved cookie dough
1/2 cup (50g) rolled oats
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Start by making the apple filling. In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter.
4 Tbsp salted butter
Once melted, add the diced apples (¼-inch pieces), brown sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes, until the apples are fork-tender. Set aside.
4 cups diced apples , 1/3 cup (81g) brown sugar, 1 Tbsp corn starch, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
To make the cookie dough, cream the butter and sugars in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes.
1 cup (222g) salted butter, softened, 2/3 cup (162g) brown sugar, 1/3 cup (76g) granulated sugar
Scrape down the bowl, and add the eggs, vanilla, and molasses; mix until combined.
2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp molasses
Once combined, add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix just until a dough forms.
3 1/4 cups (494g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
Remove 1 cup of dough and set aside for the crumble topping. Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared pan.
Spread the apple filling evenly over the dough.
Make the crumble by adding the oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon to the reserved cookie dough. Mix until combined.
1 cup reserved cookie dough, 1/2 cup (50g) rolled oats, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Crumble the topping over the apples, leaving some filling visible.
Bake for 22–26 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.
Cool completely before removing from the pan and slicing.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–5 days. This is best enjoyed the first day for the crunchiest topping.