Lift chilled lattice strips with a broad spatula; softened butter makes long thin strips tear.
A jam-tart-style shortbread bar with a reduced apple filling and a true pastry lattice.
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Apple Butter Lattice Shortbread Bars Recipe
Follow the tray sizes, portions and baking intervals in the instructions below.
Total time includes hands-on preparation, required chilling or resting, whole-batch cooking, cooling and finishing.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- 8-inch square metal pan
- parchment
- rolling pin
- ruler
- knife
- wide spatula
- rack
Ingredients
US measures are approximate. Gram weights help keep portions consistent; spice weights vary with density.
Instructions
Mix the dough
- Mix the dough: Stir butter and sugar smooth, add flour and salt and mix until a firm dough gathers. Use thick apple butter with no visible free liquid; applesauce is too wet for this thin lattice bake.
Shape the lattice
- Shape the lattice: Line an 8-inch square metal pan. Reserve one-third of dough and roll between parchment into an 8-inch square about 1/8 inch thick; chill 20 minutes. Press the remaining dough into the pan and chill alongside it. Cut reserved dough into 1/2-inch strips.
Parbake and assemble
- Parbake and assemble: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) conventional or 325°F (165°C) fan. Bake base 18–20 minutes until just pale gold. Spread apple butter over it, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Lay strips in a diagonal crisscross grid without stretching, pinching ends to the base edge. Bake another 25–30 minutes until lattice is golden and filling bubbles lightly. Total oven time is up to 50 minutes.
Cool and slice
- Cool and slice: Cool in the pan on a rack for 90 minutes, including the pan rest. Lift and cut into 16 squares once the filling is firm and no longer warm.
Timing and scaling
- Timing and scaling: 35 min hands-on + 20 min required chill/rest + 50 min whole-batch oven baking + 90 min cooling/setting = 195 min. Cooling includes tray/pan rests and runs from the final tray; earlier-tray cooling may overlap later baking. Ingredient warm-up and frozen-dough thawing are extra; preheat during shaping/chilling. Scale ingredients and US equivalents, not oven temperature, piece sizes or per-tray bake time; extra trays extend the whole-batch time.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Ingredient science
Reduced apple butter carries less free water than applesauce, and the open lattice lets remaining moisture escape.
Technique & texture
Lift chilled lattice strips with a broad spatula; softened butter makes long thin strips tear.
Finishing & serving
The lattice should be crisp at the edges with a softer apple layer; pack only after the filling is completely cool.
Storage and make-ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 2 days | Up to 2 days. Seal fully cooled filled bars airtight in a cool dry room. Separate layers with parchment; the filling gradually softens the crumb. |
| Refrigeration | up to 7 days | Unnecessary; up to 7 days if needed. Baked refrigeration is unnecessary for this formula; use only if the room is warm. Seal airtight to prevent condensation and odors. |
| Raw freezing | 1 month | Up to 1 month. Freeze the unfilled dough tightly wrapped. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then shape and complete the stated chill. Prepare the filling fresh. Thawing time is additional. |
| Baked freezing | 2 months | Up to 2 months. Freeze completely cooled bars airtight with parchment between layers. Thaw sealed at room temperature for 1–2 hours. |
| Restoring | As described | Serve after thawing. Do not oven-refresh the assembled or coated bars. Serve once thawed; reseal unused portions. |
Notes
- Scale ingredients, including US measures, without changing cookie size or oven temperature. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Nutrition
Approximate values per portion from the listed ingredient weights divided into 16 equal portions. Includes required fillings and finishes. Brands, unused coatings and actual portion size affect the estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use applesauce instead?
Reduced apple butter carries less free water than applesauce, and the open lattice lets remaining moisture escape.
Why do my lattice strips break?
Lift chilled lattice strips with a broad spatula; softened butter makes long thin strips tear.
How cool must the bars be before packing?
The lattice should be crisp at the edges with a softer apple layer; pack only after the filling is completely cool.
