It’s not exactly apple season right now, but we had a hankering (yes hankering, y’all) for a really good, sweet dessert so this family favorite came to mind.
Sour Cream Apple Squares have been a favorite pot luck, family gathering go-to recipe for over ten years and the pan has always been emptied wherever I take them.
You can see the evolution of the squares in the photos. The first is the prim apple square with a plop of Blue Bell (the ONLY ice cream eaten in this household) placed strategically to make sure the simple beauty of the bar is seen.
Then there’s the close-up of the decadent warmed bar with melting ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce so you can see how it is moist and chock-full of apples it is (my favorite).
Then there’s the husband’s bowlful with a yummy melted ice cream mess and more caramel sauce on a warm apple square that screams “enough with the pictures, give me dessert!”
These Sour Cream Apple Squares are so easy and quick to throw together – chopping the apples is the hardest part.
There’s a chewy, sweet crust on the bottom that’s hard to see from the photos, but it pulls the textures together and makes a delicious dessert.
Whipped cream will work on top and because the bar is so sweet you may not need the caramel sauce, but really it’s best warmed and topped with a dip of vanilla ice cream.
Sour Cream Apple Squares
A great dessert for pot lucks and picnics. Sweet and soft and cinnamony with a chewy crust.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 egg
- 2 cups (2 med- large) apples, peeled and finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Combine first 3 ingredients in mixing bowl and blend on low speed until crumbly. Stir in nuts.
- Lightly spray a 13x9" pan with cooking spray and press 2 3/4 cups of crumb mixture into the pan.
- To the remaining crumb mixture add the cinnamon, baking soda, salt, sour cream, vanilla, and egg and blend well. Stir in the apples.
- Spoon the apple mixture over the base. Bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cut into squares. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Tips and Stuff:
The first time I made this I accidentally put 1 tsp. of salt instead of 1/2 tsp. and it came out with that sweet-salty thing going - not too much, just perfect, so I always up the salt to 1 tsp.
About 27 minutes was perfect on the baking time.
I didn't use nuts this time. It's nice with that extra crunch, though.
Update : I usually make this for gatherings, so none is left, but this time I made it for just us two. After three days (enclosed in the pan with a lid), the bottom crust got soggy. Still tasted OK, but I didn't care for the texture of the crust. So....if you're making this, make it for a gathering where it will be eaten within a day or two! Easy and delicious!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 pieceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 184Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 24mgSodium: 142mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g
Nutrition Values are Approximate