Caramel Apple Pie Bars

These caramel apple pie bars are made with shortbread crust, fresh apples tossed with warm fall spices, an oat streusel and drizzled with salted caramel.

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 30

Refrigerate: 2

Total Time: 2 55

Servings:

Ingredients

Crust

½ cup unsalted butter , melted
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Apple filling

2 large apples , cored and thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar , packed
1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

Crumb topping

½ cup old-fashioned oats
⅓ cup light brown sugar , packed
¼ cup all-purpose flour
5 Tablespoons chilled salted butter , cubed

Optional: Salted Caramel Sauce, Maldon salt for sprinkling

Instructions

Prep. Preheat the oven to 300°F degrees. Spray 9×9-inch pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.

Crust

In a medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Add 1 cup flour and mix again. Using your hands, press the crust mixture into the pan until it's evenly distributed. Bake 15 minutes.

Apple filling

In a large bowl, place 2 large apples. Stir in 2 Tablespoons flour, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon until apples are coated. Set aside.

Crumb topping

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar, pinch of cinnamon, and 1/4 cup flour. Using your hands or a pastry blender, mix in 5 Tablespoons butter until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
Bake bars. Remove crust from the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour the apple filling over the warm crust and use the back of a spoon to press down the apples to lay flat. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples until covered. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool, chill and enjoy. Remove from oven and let cool 20 minutes. Chill in the fridge to set at least 2 hours. Cut into bars and serve warm or cold. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the top, if desired, just before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

Apples: I like using 2 different apples (1 granny smith and 1 honey crisp or pink lady apple). Slice them as thin as you can.

Spice: If you want to add a little bit more spice, feel free to add in 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.

Caramel: If drizzling caramel on top, you can use this salted caramel sauce recipe or simply melt down store bought caramels with a little bit of cream.

Storage: These bars will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If you have extra, you can freeze them individually for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and add desired toppings. You can eat them warm or cold - both ways taste delicious!

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