Gooey Snickerdoodle Cookie Apple Bars
OH BOY. This one is very exciting.
Because first of all, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. And this is such a perfect Thanksgiving dessert. This, and last week’s pumpkin pie crumble. And the list of Thanksgiving desserts I compiled last week for you.
But mostly, it’s exciting because this is an epic recipe. Thanksgiving or no Thanksgiving.
I mean, just read that title again - gooey snickerdoodle cookie apple bars. Need I go on? You know I will, either way.
Here’s what we’ve got. We’ve got bars that have a soft, gooey, rich layer of snickerdoodle cookie dough that’s topped with sweet, cinnamony apple slices. And then, those apple slices are topped with more of that delicious snickerdoodle cookie dough.
To summarize: Juicy, tender, cinnamony apple slices. Encased in snickerdoodle cookie dough. All sprinkled with a cinnamon-sugar coating.
So you understand why these apple snickerdoodle bars have become my favorite apple dessert at the moment, right?
Oh, and did I mention that these snickerdoodle cookie apple bars are completely dairy-free? And completely easy to make?
The simple vanilla dough is mixed together in one bowl. Regular (canola, vegetable) oil is used, so there’s no creaming or melting involved in the process.
The apples are peeled and sliced and coated in brown sugar and spices so that they get nice and caramely and tender and flavorful whilst baking.
Half of the dough is spread into your baking pan, all the coated apple slices are piled atop the dough, and the remaining dough is sprinkled/clumped over the apples.
A mixture of sugar and cinnamon is sprinkled over the bars. The pan is placed into the oven.
And then the bars bake up into a gooey, soft, rich, cinnamony, apple-filled dish of bliss.
Aside from the fact that these snickerdoodle cookie apple bars are perfect for Thanksgiving and life in general, they’re also the best last-minute Thanksgiving dessert. Because unlike say, a pumpkin or pecan pie, which requires dough-chilling and rolling and designing and a big, floury countertop mess, these bars come together so quickly and are simple to make and don’t require any waiting, aside from the baking time.
Soft and gooey. Rich and tender. Cinnamony and sweet. Juicy and tangy. Quick and easy. Dairy-free and a Thanksgiving dessert dream.
Gooey snickerdoodle cookie apple bars - you know what’s up. You knowwww.
Gooey Snickerdoodle Cookie Apple Bars
Yield: 16 bars
Snickerdoodle Cookie:
½ cup oil
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups packed flour
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
Apple Mixture:
2 large, tart apples
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ heaping teaspoon cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 8” square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some excess hanging over the rim for easy removal later.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugars until smooth. Vigorously whisk in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth again.
3. Pour dry ingredients over the wet and mix everything together until just combined. Spread a little over half the dough in a thin layer into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Set rest of dough aside.
4. Peel and slice the apples into thin wedges. Add slices to a medium bowl and toss with the rest of the apple mixture ingredients until apples are evenly coated. Spread apples in an even layer over dough in the baking pan.
5. Drop clumps of the remaining dough over the apples. Flatten and spread the clumps out so that the majority of the apple slices are covered with dough.
6. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon coating. Sprinkle it all over the top of the dough.
7. Bake bars for 28-32 minutes, until golden brown all over. Let bars cool completely before lifting out of pan by the excess parchment paper and slicing into 16 bars.
