Apple Cider Doughnut Chaos Bars (Printable)

Soft apple cake, cinnamon streusel, and tangy cider glaze create a delightful bar with autumn flair.

# Components:

→ Apple Cider Cake Layer

01 - 1 cup (240 ml) apple cider
02 - 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
09 - 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, packed
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Cinnamon Streusel

12 - 1/2 cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
13 - 1/3 cup (70 g) light brown sugar, packed
14 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
15 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
16 - 1/4 cup (55 g) unsalted butter, melted

→ Apple Layer

17 - 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and diced

→ Cider Glaze

18 - 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
19 - 2-3 tablespoons reduced apple cider

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a small saucepan, simmer 1 cup apple cider over medium heat until reduced to 1/3 cup (approximately 10-12 minutes). Allow to cool slightly and reserve 2-3 tablespoons for the glaze.
03 - In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in melted butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Set aside.
04 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg for the cake layer.
05 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar until creamy. Incorporate eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two installments, alternating with the reduced apple cider. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Gently fold the diced apple into the cake batter.
08 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the prepared streusel topping uniformly over the batter.
09 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.
10 - Allow the bars to cool entirely in the baking pan.
11 - In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar with the reserved 2-3 tablespoons of reduced apple cider until a smooth, pourable consistency is achieved.
12 - Drizzle the cider glaze over the cooled bars. Let the glaze set for 15 minutes before slicing into individual bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Ready in just 1 hour from start to finish
  • Uses simple pantry ingredients you likely already have
  • Perfect make-ahead dessert for fall gatherings
  • Features concentrated apple cider for authentic flavor
  • Combines multiple textures in one delicious bar
02 -
  • These bars can be made up to 2 days ahead of serving
  • The recipe doubles easily for a 9x13 pan just increase baking time by about 5 minutes
  • The concentrated apple cider is the secret ingredient that makes these taste authentic
  • The texture improves after sitting for a few hours as flavors meld
03 -
  • For the most intense apple cider flavor, look for fresh, unfiltered apple cider rather than apple juice. The cloudy appearance indicates more apple solids and flavor compounds.
  • When reducing the cider, resist the urge to rush the process by using high heat. A gentle simmer concentrates the flavor without burning the sugars.
  • If you want perfectly clean-cut bars, refrigerate them for an hour after the glaze has set before cutting with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts.

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