Description
These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars combine a buttery shortbread crust, tender cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and a crunchy oat streusel topping. Finished with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce, they offer a perfect balance of sweet and tart with a delightful contrast of textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
Apple Filling
- 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Streusel
- 1/2 cup (43g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1/3 cup (70g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Topping
- homemade salted caramel or store-bought caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring there is enough overhang on all sides to lift the bars out easily later. Set aside.
- Make the Crust: In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until combined. Add the all-purpose flour and mix until a uniform dough forms. Press this mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven while you prepare the filling and streusel.
- Combine Apple Filling: In a large bowl, toss the peeled and sliced apples with 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg until every slice is well coated. Set aside.
- Make the Streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry blender, forks, or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Assemble & Bake: Increase oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Layer the apple mixture evenly and tightly over the warm crust, pressing gently to fit the apples. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apples. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the streusel turns golden brown.
- Cool & Chill: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to set fully.
- Slice & Serve: Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into 12 to 16 bars depending on your preferred size. Drizzle each bar generously with salted caramel sauce before serving. These bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or cold.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Store bars fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight before serving with caramel drizzle.
- Special Tools: An 8-inch square baking pan, parchment paper, pastry blender, mixing bowls, whisk, and spatula are helpful for this recipe.
- Apple Varieties: Use a mix of tart (like Granny Smith) and sweet apples (like Pink Lady) for more complex flavor. About 3-4 cups of sliced apples works well.
- Larger Batch: Double the recipe for a 9×13-inch pan. Increase crust baking time to 18 minutes and bake the assembled bars between 45-55 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
