Apple Pie Snickerdoodle Bars

I have no idea where I got this recipe. I think maybe someone posted it on FB. Hmm...seems like more and more of my blog posts start out this way... What can I say? I see something that looks good, set it aside, and by the time I get back to it I can't remember where I got it. Oh well, guess it really doesn't matter. Anyway, where was I... OH! the Apple Pie Snickerdoodle Bars! YES. This dessert falls squarely into the "How can this not be good?" category. (See what I did there? SQUARELY?)
You only need a couple store bought items, you quick throw 'em together, and in no time you have a fabulous dessert. Yes yes, of course you could make you're own apple pie filling and you could make you're own sugar cookie dough from scratch, but in this case, you might as well take the short cut! Sometimes the quick and easy route is just as good! Oh btw, I posted the recipe as I originally found it, but I added a few hints right after the recipe. Be sure to read them before you start! Great then.


One 16.5 oz tube of Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
One 20 oz. can of apple pie filling
Cinnamon sugar (1/4 cup of granulated sugar + 4 tsp of ground cinnamon) -Note: some suggest reducing this amount.

Press 2/3 of the cookie dough into the bottom of an 8x8 or 9x9 baking pan. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the cinnamon sugar. Spread the apple pie filling over the cookie base. Take small amounts of the remaining cookie dough, flatten it slightly and place over the pie filling. It will not cover the pie filling completely. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake in a 350º oven until the cookie dough is baked, approx. 35-40 minutes. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

Tips:
-I found it easiest to slice the first 2/3 of cookie dough into about 9 or 10 slices. Then you can line them up in the bottom of the pan and then press them together to make one even layer. It's quicker than trying to flatten out a huge tube of dough.
-The chunks of apple, in my opinion, were FAR too big and I wanted every piece to get the same amount of apple. So I just dumped them onto a cutting board, chopped them up a bit and then it was much easier to spread them evenly over the cookie base.
-I didn't bother with trying to flatten out the pieces of cookie dough for the top as the recipe directs. Just crumble the remaining dough into small pieces and they'll flatten out when they bake. 
-Oh, one other thing... when I made this, I kind of thought the cookie crust would be, you know, like a cookie! But actually, it turned out to be more cakey than cookie. I think, perhaps, the next time I make it, I'll bake the crust for a few minutes to get a crisper crust before adding the apple pie filling.
-I think this SCREAMS to be served with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, because that's just how I roll. Who's with me on this??