Sour Cream Apple Squares

These Sour Cream Apple Square bars are filled with apples, a hint of cinnamon and have an amazing shortbread crust. Slice these bars warm or at room temperature into oversized squares and serve with whipped cream or ice cream. They are the most perfect fall dessert!

These Sour Cream Apple Squares bars taste just like a cinnamon graham cracker. They have the most amazing shortbread crust that pairs perfectly with the soft sour cream and apple topping.

While you might think these would come out creamy from the sour cream, they actually aren't creamy at all, it's more like an apple pie filling. Adding whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the top makes this a favorite fall dessert!

For more dessert recipes, try: Homemade Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Treats with M&M's, Salted Pretzel Scotcheroos or Simple Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Chips (No Flour).

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love These
• Ingredient Notes
• Step by Step Instructions
• EXPERT TIPS
• FAQ
• Storing and Freezing
• Using Leftover Ingredients
• Recipe

Why You Will Love These

• The shortbread crust. The buttery shortbread crust with walnuts and brown sugar is probably the best part about these bars. It bakes up perfectly under the apple and sour cream mixture.
• The apples. The apples in these bars bake up nice and tender. The cinnamon and walnuts combined with the juicy apples really create a delicious layer to these bars!
• They are easy. So easy to put together! You can make these in about 10 minutes and they don't require any special culinary skills!

Ingredient Notes

Here is some helpful information about some of the ingredients. For the full ingredient list, see the recipe card below.

• Flour: All-purpose flour is best for this.
• Brown sugar: You can use light or dark brown sugar.
• Butter: Unsalted, softened butter is best for this recipe. Pull the butter out of the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to use it.
• Walnuts: I prefer to use walnut chips. If you have whole walnuts or walnut pieces, you will want to be sure to coarsely chop them before adding.
• Sour cream: Full fat sour cream will work best and give you the best results in this recipe.
• Apple - I have used both Kanzi and Honeycrisp apples and thought both were a perfect choice for these bars.

Step by Step Instructions

Here is how to make these delicious apple treats. You will need a hand mixer or a stand mixer to mix the crust and the apple layer.

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350° and spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

STEP 2: In a medium sized bowl or the bowl of your mixer, combine the flour, sugar and butter. Mix at a medium speed until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the walnuts.

STEP 3: Measure 2 ¾ cups of the flour mixture into your prepared baking pan. Using your fingers or a measuring cup, press mixture into the bottom of the pan. Set this aside.

STEP 4: Add the sour cream, cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, egg, and salt to the remaining flour mixture in the bowl of your mixer. Mix on low just until it is combined, then stir in the apples.

STEP 5: Pour the apple mixture on top of the pressed flour mixture in the prepared pan. Spread the apple mixture in an even layer with a spoon or spatula.

STEP 6: Bake in the 350°F oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.

STEP 7: Once they are cool, cut them into 24 squares and top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

EXPERT TIPS

• Make a parchment paper sling for easy removal from the pan. To do this use two pieces of parchment paper, one that will fit In the pan lengthwise with some excess hanging over, and one that fits in the pan crosswise with excess hanging over. Spray your pan with cooking spray and press your two pieces of parchment into the bottoms and up the sides of your pan.
• You can fully cover the tops with whipped cream, plop a dollop on top or pipe a pretty design. You can do whatever you choose!
• Let the bars cool almost completely before cutting or removing them from the pan.

FAQ

Storing and Freezing

These bars should be covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They are delicious cold from the fridge, at room temperature, or place them in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm them up a bit.

Alternatively, store these bars in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them come to room temperature before serving.

Using Leftover Ingredients

If you have some sour cream leftover after making these bars, try one of these recipes:

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Recipe