I know you have apples. I’ve seen you all over Instagram picking them with your families, some in coordinated outfits. Some claiming you don’t know how to make pie. Tis the season. Ina’s Apple Pie Bars are better than pie because well, they’re Ina’s. Also, the crust is more short bready goodness than bland shortening crust. Let’s see you well-coordinate an outfit around these.

Ina’s Apple Pie Bars

Note: this is a half recipe made in a ~8×5″ baking dish

• For the crust:
• 2 sticks of butter, room temp
• 1/4c. + 2T. sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 c. flour
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 c. chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

• For the filling:
• 2 Gala apples, cored and sliced
• 1 golden delicious (or Granny Smith if you’re in the US) cored and sliced
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 T. butter

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Take a 8×5″ baking vessel and line it with parchment paper, including the sides.
3. To make the crust- beat with an electric mixer the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla for 2 minutes until fluffy.
4. Stir in flour and salt.
5. Take 2/3 of the dough and press it into the bottom and up the sides of a parchment-lined baking dish.
6. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
7. Bake 18-20 minutes, until golden.
8. While baking, take the remaining dough and mix in the walnuts and cinnamon. Set aside.
9. Combine the apples, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.
10. Melt the butter over med-low heat and cook the apple mixture about 15 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated.
11. Spread the apples along the bottom of the baked crust.
12. Take the remaining dough and pinch drops along the top of the apples.
13. Bake 25-30 minutes until the topping browns.