by Tanya Schroeder · 85 Comments · Last updated:
Bars
Sugar cookies in a thick and delicious bar!
Lots of apples and cinnamon make these sugar cookie bars the perfect fall treat!
These apple cinnamon sugar cookie bars are a perfect fall treat. Packed with warm spices and all chunks these cookie bars are a fabulous treat for any occasion. You’re going to love the combination of the soft cookies and browned butter frosting, it feels like a cool crisp autumn day with every bite. These fresh apple cookie bars are sure to become a family favorite in your home as it has in mine.
Fall Cookie Bars
These fall-flavored cookie bars are an incredibly easy recipe to make from scratch and one that you’ll enjoy from prep to finish. the cookie dough is as simple as mixing, spreading, and baking. No chilling, shaping or crazy difficulty steps are required. Even the frosting is as simple as melting butter and combining ingredients before spreading on cooled cookies. These low-maintenance treat bars are wonderfully simple, which just adds to their delicious charm.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars, you Will Need:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Flour
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Apples
- Cinnamon
For the Brown Butter Frosting, You Will Need:
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Vanilla
For the exact amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Bars
For the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease the inside of a 13×18 baking sheet and then set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugar on medium speed until creamy.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition until well incorporated.
- Mix in the vanilla. Remember to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda with a whisk.
- Blend the flour mixture into the butter and egg mixture at low speed until completely incorporated.
- Stir in the cinnamon and apple pieces.
- Spread your bars into the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- In a small saucepan over medium heat on the stove, cook your butter. Stir constantly while cooking for 8-10 minutes or until the butter starts to turn a golden brown color, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Pour your browned butter into a bowl.
- Place the butter in the fridge for an hour or so until it starts to solidify.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat the butter until it’s nice and smooth.
- Carefully add in the powdered sugar, alternating between the sugar and the milk so that it starts with powdered sugar, and ends with powdered sugar.
- When the frosting is a spreadable consistency, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Spread your frosting over the cooled sugar cookie bars.
- Slice and serve.
- Enjoy!
FAQs
What is browned butter?
Browned butter is butter that has been cooked past the melting point and to a deep brown color that isn’t black or burnt. Browned butter takes on a new flavor profile and aroma, becoming somewhat nutty in flavor and adding a lot of richness and depth to your baked goods. Some of my browned butter recipes on Lemonsforlulu include Homemade Carrot Cake with Bourbon Browned Butter Frosting, Browned Butter Homemade Waffles with Spiced Pear Topping, and Browned Butter Blondies with Chai Spice Frosting. Browned butter is great for a wide variety of recipes and is always delicious.
How long are frosted sugar cookie bars good for?
these apple cookie bars can be kept stored in an airtight or well-covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days. They could also be stored at room temperature for about 2-3 days but storing them in the fridge is best to keep them from spoiling before you get the chance to enjoy them all.
What type of apple works best for baking?
I like to work with Granny Smith or Gala apples but other baking variety apples like Honeycrisp and Pink Lady work well too. you want a nice firm apple, unlike a Red Delicious, as these are the apples that can withstand baking without losing their textural qualities.
Check out these other great dessert bar recipes:
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Coconut Key Lime Bars
- Chocolate Caramel Brookie Bars
- Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Pie Bars
Yield: 2 dozen
Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Bars
Lots of apples and cinnamon make these sugar cookie bars the perfect fall treat!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Chill1 hour
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 5 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 cups diced, peeled apples
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
Frosting
- 1 cup butter
- 1 16oz package powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x18 baking sheet and set aside.
- In a mixer, combine butter and sugar and mix on medium until creamy. Mix in eggs one at a time, making sure to mix well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking soda. Blend in flour mixture on low until completely incorporated. Stir in cinnamon and apples.
- Spread bars onto prepared sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, cook butter in a small saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly for about 8-10 minutes or until butter starts to turn a golden brown color. Remove from heat and pour until a bowl. Cover and refrigerate butter for an hour or until it begins to solidify.
- In a mixer, beat butter until smooth. Carefully add powdered sugar alternately with the milk beginning and ending with the powdered sugar. When frosting is a spreadable consistency, stir in vanilla. Spread frosting over cooled sugar cookie bars.
Nutrition Information
Yield
24Serving Size
1
Amount Per ServingCalories 390Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 10gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 72mgSodium 252mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 1gSugar 36gProtein 4g
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