Brown Butter Apple Crisp Bars
Description
This brown butter apple crisp bar recipe features brown butter in both the crust and topping of these bars, adding a crunchy, nutty flavor to every bite.
Ingredients
•
1/2 cup unsalted butter
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2 large Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
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2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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1 teaspoon lemon juice
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1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
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1 pinch salt
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2 teaspoons water
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1 teaspoon cornstarch
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1 1/2 cups rolled oats
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3/4 cup all-purpose flour
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1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
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1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x9-inch square baking pan with enough parchment paper for overhang on all sides.
2
Melt ½ cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; simmer, stirring frequently, until butter is browned, fragrant, and foamy, with brown bits in it, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour into a large mixing bowl.
3
Combine apples, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 pinch salt in the same saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until apples are softened, about 10 minutes.
4
Mix water and cornstarch together in a small bowl: stir into the saucepan until combined. Cook until mixture thickens slightly, 1 to 2 minutes more. Cool slightly.
5
Mix in remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon, oats, flour, ½ cup brown sugar, vanilla, baking soda, nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon salt to the brown butter mixture until well combined. Reserve 1 cup of oat mixture for topping.
6
Pour remaining oat mixture into the prepared pan; firmly press into an even layer. Pour apples and sauce over top in an even layer: sprinkle with reserved oat mixture.
7
Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cut into 16 bars.