The Brown Butter Cookie Bars I Can't Stop Making

Pumpkin spice gets a lot of hype this time of year, but for me, apples are the epitome of fall. Sweet, crisp apples signal to my brain that the days are getting shorter and the air a bit cooler, but it’s all good because there are warm, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth brown butter apple shortbread bars to cozy up to.

A few apple bar recipes are saved in my recipe box, including these Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars and these Apple Cream Cheese Bars. Just like those, this recipe puts the peak fall produce front and center. Here, I opt for a layer of rich, nutty brown butter shortbread to highlight the spiced, sweet-tart apple filling.

Why You’ll Love It

• Brown butter adds an extra layer of flavor. It’s rich, caramelized, and slightly nutty, elevating  this dessert from good to great.

• Tastes like apple pie but is much, much easier to pull off. A combination of tart and sweet-tart apples adds just the right amount of bite to balance the buttery shortbread and sweet filling.

Key Ingredients in Brown Butter Apple Shortbread Bars

• Butter: This shortbread recipe requires you to brown the butter on the stove first to give it a rich and nutty flavor.

• Sugar: A combination of granulated white sugar and light brown sugar offers a balanced sweetness and slight caramel-like depth that complements the apples.

• Eggs: Whisked eggs help bind the filling and create a custard-like layer that beautifully absorbs the apples’ juices.

• Heavy cream: Adds richness and smoothness to the filling.

• Apple pie spice: A warm blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves is essential for fall-inspired apple desserts. No need to buy another thing — just mix your own batch.

• Apples: Using a  mix of Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Gala apples will help balance the sweet and tart flavors. They’ll also soften slightly in the oven while retaining their shape.

Helpful Swaps

• If you don’t have time to brown the butter, regular melted butter will work, but you’ll miss that rich, nutty flavor.

• If you don’t have access to tart apples, you can use whatever apples you have on hand, just be sure to add a tablespoon of lemon juice to the filling.

• You can substitute half-and-half or whole milk in place of the heavy cream (the filling may be slightly less rich).

Brown Butter Apple Shortbread Bars Recipe

These warm, buttery, and melt-in-your-mouth bars are worth cozying up to — and are much easier than making apple pie.

Prep time 40 minutes

Cook time 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes

Makes 12 to 16 bars

Serves 12 to 16

Ingredients

For the shortbread:

• 1 1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

For the apple filling:

• 2 large eggs

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher slat

• 1 1/4 pounds tart and sweet-tart apples, such as a mix of Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Gala (about 4 small), peeled, cored and cut into 1/8-inch slices

Instructions

Make the shortbread:

1. Heat the oven to 350ºF.

2. Melt 1 1/2 sticks cut-up unsalted butter in a medium, light-colored skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom occasionally, until it begins to bubble and pop. Continue cooking until it foams, smells nutty, and the solids turn dark brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Scrape into a small heatproof bowl and stir in 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

4. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper, positioning them perpendicular to each other so that the parchment hangs about 2 inches over all sides of the pan to form a sling.

5. Whisk 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon baking powder together in a large bowl.

6. While stirring with a flexible spatula, slowly pour the browned butter into the flour mixture and stir until a crumbly dough forms.

7. Reserve 3/4 cup of the dough for topping. Transfer the remaining dough to the baking pan and press it into an even layer with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup (reserve the bowl).

8. Bake until lightly golden brown and the top appears dry, about 15 minutes. (This is a good time to cut the apples.) Place on a wire rack.

Make the apple filling:

1. Increase the oven temperature to 375ºF. Whisk 2 large eggs in the reserved bowl (no need to clean) until lightly beaten. Whisk in 1/3 cup granulated sugar, 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.

2. Add 1 1/4 pounds peeled and sliced apples, and toss to coat. Transfer onto the hot crust and arrange into an even layer. Crumble the reserved dough evenly over the filling.

3. Bake until the topping is golden brown, the apples are tender, and the filling is thickened to a jam consistency, 55 to 60 minutes.

4. Let cool completely in the pan, about 2 hours. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the slab out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 12 or 16 pieces.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient/Equipment Variations: For thinner, wider bars, use a 9x9-inch baking pan. Check on the bars after 45 minutes of baking time.

Spice substitutions: Pumpkin pie spice is a good swap for apple pie spice, but if you don’t have either one, use a mix of all or any of these ground spices, leaning heavier toward cinnamon with dashes of ginger and cardamom and pinches of cloves, allspice, and nutmeg:

• Cinnamon

• Ginger

• Cardamom

• Cloves

• Allspice

• Nutmeg

Make ahead: The butter can be browned and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Remelt it on the stovetop or in the microwave before proceeding with the recipe.

Storage: The bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen between layers of parchment paper for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Further Reading

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