When that first chilly gust of wind hits your neck sometime in late September and makes you reach for a sweater, do you know what time it is? “Fall,” you say. Yes, fall. But more importantly … it’s the beginning of baking season!

While not an official day on the calendar, it might as well be. Summers have their berry pies and fresh fruit muffins, but fall is baking’s dream date. Give me your falling leaves and chilly evenings, it says, and I will give you every way to bake an apple, pear tarts and pear cakes, decadent chocolate cakes, cheesecakes, pumpkin pies and pecan pies, oatmeal muffins, and Brookies. (Because they’re wonderful year-round).

If you want to be set to bake this season, check out our list of essential, editor-approved baking pans. This collection will enable you to bake almost anything your tastebuds desire!

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For me, the smell of autumn is the scent of apple pies baking and cooling in the kitchen. And though I love baking a classic apple pie, sometimes I don’t feel like going through the process of making pie crust, chilling it, and rolling it out. Apple pie bars are my easy solution!

Apple pie bars feed a crowd! No need to worry about using a pie server and knife to cut out messy slices. The bars can be brought to a gathering or individually wrapped as gifts to lift someone’s spirits and to serve up and share with ease.

On top of all that, the bars are easy to make.

The dough you make for the crust doubles as the crumb topping. A little addition of optional pecans along with the rolled oats means the pie bars have texture and crunch to balance the sweet apple filling packed with all those glorious warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Think of these bars as a great fall flavor treat that you can hold in your hand.

WHAT APPLES ARE BEST FOR APPLE PIE BARS?

I like to use a mix of different apples for these bars, as each apple tends to have different characteristics.

Some are tart, some are firm, some mushy, and some softer. If you use a mix of apples (I use two or three different varieties), you get more interesting texture and apple flavor.

I recommend using Granny Smith apples, which are almost always firm and tart in the mix. They ensure that your filling has some bite, firmness, and texture, without being completely mushy like applesauce. I also like to pick a sweeter apple.

For sweet apple options I like:

• Braeburn
• Jonagold
• Gala
• Jazz
• Cortland
• Honeycrisp apples are super sweet and crisp.
• Pink Lady and Opal apples are nicely balanced with acidity and sweetness.

And if you’re lucky enough to get a hold of Gravenstein or Arkansas Black apples, both heirloom apples, grab a bunch. They are some of my favorite apples and I look for them every year. Their season is fleeting but they have great intense apple flavor.

Certain apples are better for sauces where they are prized for disintegrating easily. This means they are best to avoid for an apple bar (or pie) recipe. For this recipe, stay away from:

• Red Delicious
• Rome
• McIntosh

For more information on the best apples for baking, check out the Guide to Apples.

THE BEST NUTS FOR CRUMB TOPPING?

These bars use pecans in the topping for crunch and flavor. If you aren’t a fan of pecans, you can easily swap out the same amount for another kind of nut. Any of these would work:

• Walnuts
• Pistachios
• Almonds

If you are allergic to nuts or don’t like them in your desserts, just omit them. Instead, add an additional 1/2 cup of rolled oats in place of the nuts.

To up the “crunch” factor, try sprinkling two tablespoons of sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar (sometimes sold under the name brand Sugar in the Raw). The larger sugar crystals will give a sweet crunch to the top of the bars.

HOW TO DRESS UP APPLE PIE CRUMBLE BARS!

The beauty of these apple bars is the simplicity in making them!

Make a crumbly dough, use half for the crust, layer it with some sliced apples tossed in sugar and spices, then crumble the remaining dough over the top with some nuts. Once baked and cooled, dust it with a little powdered sugar to fancy them up a bit.

But you can take the bars in a few different directions. Try mixing up the spices in the filling. I kept the filling of the bars straightforward with a heavy dose of cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg. But any wintery warm spice works!

Add an additional 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of these spices to take it up a notch:

• Ground ginger
• Cloves
• Mace
• Allspice
• Ground cardamom
• Black pepper
• Coriander
• Chinese five-spice blend

And, if you have a super well-stocked pantry or want to splurge on some esoteric spices, grains of paradise and long pepper both add warmth and earthy depth that folks won’t be able to place, but that blends wonderfully with apple.

MAKE CARAMEL APPLE PIE BARS

Skip the powdered sugar step in this recipe and drizzle the top of the apple bars with caramel. You can even get more fancy pants and, after you drizzle the bars with caramel, sprinkle them with a bit of finishing salt for salted caramel apple pie bars!

Make it easy on yourself and use a store-bought caramel sauce or make your own homemade caramel sauce. Either way, the results are sure to be fantastic.

HOW TO STORE, FREEZE, AND REHEAT APPLE PIE BARS

These bars are best eaten the day they’re baked (as most desserts are), but they keep surprisingly well.

To Store: Keep the bars layered between pieces of parchment paper in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. The longer they are in the fridge, the more the crust and crumb soften.

To Freeze: Yes, you can freeze these bars! Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put in the freezer until frozen solid (about two hours).

To store the frozen apple pie bars transfer them to an airtight container or resealable freezer ziptop bag, with a piece of parchment paper between layers, for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before serving.

To Reheat: You can refresh the bars by placing them on a baking sheet and warming them in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to dust the bars with more powdered sugar right before serving, as the powdered sugar tends to absorb into the bar as it sits.

MORE DELICIOUS FALL BAR RECIPES

These quick and easy Chicken Taco Poblano Rice Bowls are perfect for dinner or to make ahead for meal prep! Made in a skillet, with diced chicken breast, poblano peppers, corn, pico de gallo and cheese.

Chicken Taco Poblano Rice Bowls

This healthy chicken taco rice bowl recipe takes boring chicken breast and makes it exciting with taco spices and veggies. They are servedover brown rice instead of a tortillas. Great for dinner or to make ahead for meal prep. For more Mexican-inspired bowl recipes, try my Chipotle Chicken Bowls, Spicy Pork Brussels Bowls, Shrimp Fajita Bowls, and Quinoa Huevos Rancheros Bowls.

These chicken taco and rice bowls are ready in under thirty minutes and are very family-friendly since they are so customizable. Set out all the toppings, and your family members can skip any they don’t like. Plus, these bowls are great for meal prep. You can cook the chicken, veggies, and rice ahead of time and then assemble the bowls and top with the pico de gallo, cheese, and sour cream at dinner time. You can also put all the ingredients, including the toppings, in a glass container and take it with you to work for an easy lunch.

How to Make Taco Seasoning from Scratch

I season the chicken with my homemade taco seasoning blend. Of course, you could buy it, but it’s super simple to make homemade taco seasoning with spices you probably already have. And making it yourself is less processed, and you can control the amount of sodium. All you have to do is mix all the spices below in a small bowl:

• garlic powder
• cumin
• kosher salt
• chili powder
• sweet paprika
• dried oregano

How to Make Pico de Gallo from Scratch

Pico de gallo is a fresh tomato salsa that’s perfect on top of tacos, chips, and so much more. To make pico de gallo from scratch, combine chopped tomatoes, onion, and cilantro and season with lime juice and salt. You can also add some chopped jalapeno if you prefer it spicy.

Chicken Taco Bowl Tips and Variations:

• Sub the chicken for boneless chicken breast, steak or ground meat.
• Swap the poblano pepper for bell pepper or jalapeño to make it spicy.
• Add black beans for more protein and fiber.
• Top your bowl with sliced avocado or guacamole.
• Add some hot sauce or fresh jalapenos for some extra spice.
• Switch out the brown rice for cauliflower rice for a low-carb bowl.
• Use my Cilantro Lime Rice or my cauliflower rice version as the base instead of brown rice.

To Meal Prep: Divide chicken and rice into four meal-prep containers. Pack the pico de gallo and toppings in a separate container. Keep covered and refrigerate up to four days. To reheat, microwave in 30-second intervals until heated through.

More Chicken Taco Recipes You’ll Love:

Bacalao Guisado, or salted cod stew, is a rich, tomato-based stew flavored with onions, peppers, and garlic, then bulked up with potatoes. The only salt in this dish comes from rehydrated, flaked codfish. The whole lot is spooned over rice and served on its own, or with a side of sliced avocado.

Salted Cod Stew is one of Puerto Rico’s most popular foods and often served during Lent. It’s also the dish that made me realize that I was different from most of my schoolmates.

My mother was very traditional when it came to the meals she cooked at home, so she never sent me to school with sandwiches for lunch. Whatever was for dinner the previous night became tomorrow’s lunch for us kids. The day I broke the seal on my Tupperware container, and the aromatic smell of cod fish and onions and tomatoes wafted through the air, I became the talk of the lunchroom. Not good talk, either.

They labeled me a “jibara” (a hick or country girl). The fact that I’d never even visited Puerto Rico at that point was irrelevant to my classmates. I was mortified. I swore I’d only bring PB&Js to lunch in the future. But as an adult, this dish has become important to me, because it serves as the link to my Puerto Rican culture.

WHAT IS SALTED COD?

Cod is a round fish with firm, white flesh that flakes easily. To make salted cod the fillets are coated in salt and left to dry, thus preserving the meat for storage and later use.

Salted cod was most likely brought to the Puerto Rico by European sailors who docked at the island’s port during the early 15th or 16th century.

Though this island nation is dependent on the sea’s bounty, Cod is a cold water fish, which means all of it is imported. The mix of cultures who traded and intermingled with the native Tainos brought their own flavors to the island and this dish is one of the delicious representations of that marriage.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND SALTED COD?

Salted cod seems to be common in most of the larger grocers these days. Look for it in the refrigerated section of your supermarket’s fish section. Because it’s not a fresh fish, it’s usually found in bags or boxes near the canned crab meat.

If you live in a city with a high immigrant population, you may be able to find sides of heavily salted, darn near desiccated cod laying on shelves or hanging in the marketplace. This type of cod will require a longer amount of soaking to remove that high amount of salt from it to prepare it for cooking.

HOW TO PREPARE SALTED COD?

Salted cod must be soaked and rehydrated to remove most of the salt it’s been preserved in prior to using in your recipes. When cooked as is, its sodium content will make your dishes inedible.

Traditional Soak Method: Soak cod in cold water for at least 8 hours and change the water after 4 hours.

Fast Soak Method: Rinse the exterior layer of salt off before soaking the salted cod in cold water for 45 minutes. Once it’s softened a bit, feel through the meat and remove any remaining bones. Place the cod in a pan, cover with more cold water, and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Drain the saltwater and rinse the fillets a final time. Now the cod can be flaked and used in recipes.

I prefer the fast soak method—one hour versus eight hours.

If you’re on a low-sodium diet, the flaked fish can be simmered once again and drained a second time to remove virtually all of the salt.

CAN YOU MAKE BACALAO GUISADO WITH FRESH OR UNSALTED COD?

Bacalao Guisado is traditionally made with salted cod, but fresh cod can be used. It’s the salted cod itself that seasons the stew. To replicate that salinity, you only need to add a teaspoon of kosher salt to the recipe along with the oregano and black pepper.

WHAT IS RECAO?

One of the most popular ways to season Puerto Rican dishes is with a sofrito that begins with an herb paste called recao. Recao, sometimes called Mexican coriander, is both the name of the herb and the paste. The paste is made by blending recao leaves, which taste verdant and almost garlicky, with onions, garlic, and sweet peppers. You can make it yourself or buy it at the store.

If you can’t find recao paste your local grocery store, and you can’t find the actual herb to make the paste yourself, it’s best just to make a basic sofrito by combining the onions, garlic, and sweet peppers and skipping the racao.

WAYS TO ADAPT THIS RECIPE

Most white fish can be used in this recipe. Haddock, pollack, hake, mahi mahi, catfish, and (my personal favorite) orange roughy are good substitutes for the cod used in this recipe. If using any of these other types of fish, you’ll add a teaspoon of salt to the dish to compensate for the salted cod.

You can also switch up the ingredients. If you’re looking for another version of Salt Cod Stew you might want to check out this Portuguese version made with eggs, olives and loads of olive oil.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH BACALAO GUISADO

Rice is the most common accompaniment to this dish. In some rural parts of Puerto Rico, and among my older family members, a cornmeal mush called funche often accompanies Bacalao Guisado. Funche is just really thick cornmeal polenta. A few slices of avocado or a green salad would also go well with this dish.

CAN YOU MAKE BACALAO AHEAD OF TIME?

The beauty of this dish is that it grows more flavorful as it sits. You can prepare the Bacalao Guisado the evening before you plan to serve it. Reheat it in a covered dish on the stovetop over medium heat until it’s warmed through. This comes in handy if you’re planning to use the old school, longer soaking time.

CAN YOU FREEZE BACALAO?

If you’re a freezer meal lover like I am, you’ll be happy to know that Bacalao Guisado is freezer-friendly. Add the stew to freezer-safe containers and cover the fish in the liquid to protect it from freezer burn.

MORE INCREDIBLE PUERTO RICAN RECIPES