Ingredients
Method
Reduce the Cider
- Simmer 2 cups apple cider in a small saucepan over medium low until it reduces to about 1/2 cup. It should look darker and slightly syrupy. Cool completely before using.
Make the Dough
- Whisk the all purpose flour, oat flour, maple sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt.
- Cut in the cold butter until you have small irregular pieces.
- Whisk the Greek yogurt, egg, vanilla, and 3 tbsp reduced cider in a separate bowl.
- Fold the wet into the dry just until a thick dough forms. Do not knead. Chill 20 minutes if it feels very soft.
Make the Filling
- Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the diced apples, maple sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Cook over medium until the apples are very soft and starting to break down.
- Add the reduced cider and vanilla. Cook until thick, dark, and jammy, mashing some apples against the pan as you go.
- Sprinkle in the cornstarch and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Drag a spatula through it, the trail should hold for a second. Cool completely.
Assemble and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment.
- Press half the dough firmly and evenly across the bottom. Spread the cooled filling over it, leaving a small border.
- Roll the remaining dough between two sheets of parchment into an 8x8 square. Flip it over the filling, peel away the parchment, and press the edges to seal. Poke a few fork holes across the top.
- Bake 30 to 38 minutes until lightly golden and set to the touch. Cool completely before glazing.
Glaze and Finish
- Blend the maple sugar until powdery. Whisk with the melted butter, vanilla, salt, and 2 tbsp reduced cider until thick and opaque. Add more cider only if needed.
- Spread over the cooled bars. Mix the cinnamon crunch and sprinkle over while the glaze is still wet.
- Let the glaze set, then cut into 9 squares.
Nutrition
Notes
Why the cider reduction matters. Two cups down to half a cup gives you concentrated apple cider flavor without adding liquid to the dough, filling, or glaze. It goes into all three, which is why these taste like cider rather than just cinnamon apple.
Dice the apples tiny. They should melt into the filling instead of sitting in it as chunks. This is a pop tart, not a pie.
Do not overbake. The whole point is a thick soft interior. Pull them when the top is lightly golden and just set, not dry.
Keep the glaze thick and opaque. It should sit on top like real pop tart frosting instead of soaking in. Add the cider a tablespoon at a time.
Cool completely before glazing. Warm bars will melt the glaze straight into the pastry.
Storage. Airtight at room temperature for 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 5. They freeze well unglazed for up to 2 months.
Swaps. Coconut sugar works in place of maple sugar in the filling. Any firm sweet tart apple works if you cannot find Honeycrisp.