Apple Pie Bars with Sweet Glaze — Chewy Cinnamon Dessert Bars

These easy Glazed Apple Pie Bars feature a tender buttery crust, canned apple pie filling, and a simple vanilla glaze. They’re an ideal fall dessert for family gatherings, potlucks, or any time you want a crowd-pleasing treat.

Think of these as a slab pie without a top crust—the dough is straightforward, and using canned apple pie filling keeps the process quick and reliable. This recipe yields a large batch, perfect for serving many: about 60 small bars or 30 larger pieces.

Ingredients

• Butter – 1 cup, softened to room temperature (remove from fridge 30–60 minutes before starting)
• Sugar – 2 cups granulated sugar
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Eggs – 4 large, room temperature
• Vanilla extract – 1 1/4 teaspoons, preferably pure vanilla
• All-purpose flour – 3 cups
• Apple pie filling – 2 cans (approximately 540 ml each)
• Glaze – 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 2–3 tablespoons milk

How to Make Glazed Apple Pie Bars

Prepare: Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Tip: A stand mixer or electric hand mixer makes creaming the butter and sugar much easier. Creaming by hand is possible but will take longer.

1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt for 5 to 7 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla extract.
3. Gradually add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing just until combined. Avoid overmixing.
4. Remove about 3 cups of the dough and press it evenly into the prepared baking pan to form the base. You can use clean hands to gently press the dough across the pan.
5. Spread both cans of apple pie filling over the dough, leaving roughly a 1 1/2-inch border around the edges.
6. Drop the remaining dough by teaspoonfuls (or use a small cookie scoop) across the top of the filling. The dough will create a rustic, scattered topping.
7. Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
8. While the bars cool, make the glaze: whisk together the powdered sugar, vanilla, and 2–3 tablespoons of milk until you reach a smooth, drizzling consistency. Adjust milk as needed.
9. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars, then slice and serve.

How to Serve

These bars are delicious warm or at room temperature. Serve them with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra-special dessert.

Notes & Details

Yield: about 60 small bars (or 30 larger pieces). Total time is approximately 50 minutes (about 15 minutes prep and 35 minutes baking). These bars are simple to scale up or down if you prefer a smaller batch—just adjust pan size and baking time accordingly.