Any of you who wear glasses and/or have had your eyes checked are surely familiar with this opthalmological multiple choice test. When the choice is between two apple dessert bars (apple of your eye; get it?), as long as choices 1 and 2 taste the same, there is no better. However, it is a question of which looks best to you, and your intended serving situation.
When posting my fall favorites, the lead-off recipe was Apple Pie Bars,, a new discovery that, if tallying the votes of my neighbors is any indicator, is a crowd pleaser. The original recipe calls for making the bottom crust and streusel topping by hand (Better1?). I wanted to see if there was a processor option (Better 2?).
Admittedly, the original recipe version gives a very pleasing, somewhat rustic, handmade look, that complements the historic flavor of an apple pie, from which the bar gets its name. And thicker apple slices allow a pleasing touch of color from the peel.
With an urge to experiment and explore, and with the goal of making a bar that had a more traditional ‘bar’ look, and was easier to serve, I undertook to make a batch with the help of my food processor. Nothing in the recipe changed insofar as the ingredients go; it was only the method of preparation.
I started by putting all of the crust ingredients, with the exception of the butter, in the bowl of the processor, pulsing it a few times to fully mix them. This also ground the oats to give a smoother texture. Then I added the butter, pulsing a few more times until I got the pea-sized pieces of butter called for in the recipe.
To assemble, I put a layer of the crust mixture in the bottom of the pan, and baked it according to instructions. While the crusts were cooling, rather than slice the apples, I shredded them in the processor, mixing them with the remainder of the filling ingredients afterward. This gave we a more uniform filling, one that I could spread evenly using a small offset spatula. I topped it with the reserved streusel mixture, baking as called for.
Bingo! I got the look and texture I was anticipating. Is it better? The answer probably depends on how you plan to serve the bars. For family or a small group I’d go with the hand-made version. Making a batch to put out on a festive table, the processor version is easier to handle. As said, the taste is the same A topping of whipped cream or ice cream is still optional. Optional? Ha!
Enjoy! And, if you’re like me, be patient until fresh cranberries are available in the store so that you can scatter a few in the filling before adding the topping and baking. The tartness, and the pop of color, will scream “FALL!”
never 2 old 2 start cooking 
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