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Recipes

Grated Apple Pie Bars (Lots of Apple, No Fuss, Just Right Juicy

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"grated apple pie bars dusted with powdered sugar", "grated apples with cinnamon in a bowl", "square of apple pie bar showing the juicy apple layer"
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If you love apple pie but don’t love peeling, slicing and crimping, this one’s for you. These grated apple pie bars are a German-style classic: a tender, buttery shortcrust on the bottom, a thick layer of cinnamon apples in the middle, and a golden crust on top.

There’s lots of apple, very little fuss, and the filling is just right juicy — moist and fruity, but never soggy. The trick is simple: grate the apples, sweeten them, then squeeze out the extra juice before they go into the pie.

Baked in one rectangular pan and cut into squares, it’s easy to serve a crowd, perfect for picnics, lunchboxes and coffee time, and even better the next day.

Recipe at a Glance

  
Prep time30 minutes
Chill time30 minutes (optional)
Cook time50 minutes
Total time1 hour 20 minutes
Makes20 squares
CaloriesAbout 275 per square
Pan9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking pan
Oven180°C / 350°F conventional (160°C fan)

Why You’ll Love These Apple Pie Bars

  • No slicing apples — just grate them, peel on or off.
  • A whole kilo of apples for real apple flavour in every bite.
  • Juicy but never soggy, thanks to one simple squeeze.
  • Easy dough: mix, knead, done. No blind baking.
  • Feeds a crowd and keeps well for days.

Ingredients

For the shortcrust dough:

  • 500 g (4 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 15 g (1 tbsp) baking powder
  • 250 g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) cold butter or margarine, cubed
  • 120 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 8 g (2 tsp) vanilla sugar, or 1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla flavouring
  • 1 pinch salt
  • Up to 50 ml (3½ tbsp) milk, if needed
  • A little butter, for greasing the pan

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Grated Apple Pie Bars (Lots of Apple, No Fuss, Just Right Juicy

Recipe

Grated Apple Pie Bars (Lots of Apple, No Fuss, Just Right Juicy

Be the first to rate this recipe!
Prep30 mins
Cook50 mins
Total1 hr 20 mins
Servings20
Calories275 kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Make the dough. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla sugar and salt. Add the cold butter cubes and the eggs, and knead quickly into a smooth dough. If it feels dry or crumbly, add milk a tablespoon at a time.
  2. Divide and chill. Split the dough into two equal halves, flatten each into a rectangle, wrap and chill for 30 minutes. This makes it much easier to roll.
  3. Prepare the pan and oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) conventional or 160°C fan. Grease a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) pan with butter.
  4. Grate the apples. Peel the apples (or leave the peel on for more texture), remove the cores and grate them on the coarse side of a box grater. Toss with the lemon juice.
  5. Season and squeeze. Mix the grated apples with the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Let them sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze them firmly with your hands (or in a clean kitchen towel) to remove the extra juice. This is the secret to a juicy, not soggy, filling.
  6. Make the bottom layer. Roll one dough half between two sheets of baking paper to the size of the pan and press it into the base. Prick it a few times with a fork.
  7. Add the apples. Spread the squeezed apples evenly over the dough, all the way to the edges.
  8. Cover with the second half. Roll out the second dough half the same way and lay it on top of the apples. Patch any tears by pressing the dough together.
  9. Brush and prick. Brush the top with the egg yolk mixed with milk, then prick it all over with a fork so the steam can escape.
  10. Bake. Bake for 45–50 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown. If it browns too fast, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  11. Cool and dust. Let it cool completely in the pan — the filling sets as it cools. Dust generously with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

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