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salted caramel apple pie bars Recipe

salted caramel apple pie bars Recipe
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★★★★★

5.3 from 27 reviews

These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars combine tender spiced apple slices nestled in a buttery oat and flour crust, topped with a golden crumbly layer, and finished with a luscious homemade salted caramel drizzle. Perfectly balanced with warm spices and rich caramel, these bars offer the classic flavors of apple pie in an easy-to-serve bar form, ideal for dessert or an indulgent snack.

Ingredients

Scale

Apple Filling

  • 5 medium apples, sliced between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thick (744 grams)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (21 grams)
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (73 grams)
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon (7 grams)
  • 3/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • Pinch of salt

Crust & Topping Mixture

  • 1 and 1/2 cups salted butter, melted (340 grams or 24 tbsp)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled or weighed out (390 grams)
  • 2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats (195 grams)
  • 1 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed (330 grams)
  • 1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Salted Caramel Sauce

  • 1 cup granulated sugar (210 grams)
  • 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed (85 grams)
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream (135 grams)
  • Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the ends so you can lift the bars out easily for slicing later.
  2. Mix the apple filling: In a medium bowl, combine the sliced apples with lemon juice, flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ground cloves, and a pinch of salt. Gently stir with a silicone spatula to coat the apples evenly without breaking the slices. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
  3. Prepare the crust and topping mixture: In a large bowl, melt the salted butter. Stir in the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. The mixture will be crumbly but should stick together when pressed.
  4. Assemble the bars: Reserve 2 cups (about 330 grams) of the crust mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the base. Stir the apples once more, then spoon the apple filling over the crust, leaving behind any excess liquid in the bowl. Evenly sprinkle the reserved crust mixture on top of the apples.
  5. Bake the bars: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 38 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 1 to 2 hours before slicing.
  6. Make the salted caramel sauce: While the bars bake, prepare the salted caramel sauce. Heat granulated sugar in a saucepan until it melts into a rich amber syrup. Remove from heat and carefully stir in the cubed salted butter until melted. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and add a pinch of fine sea salt. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool slightly.
  7. Serve and store: Once cooled and sliced, drizzle the bars generously with the salted caramel sauce. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The caramel sauce can be refrigerated separately in an airtight container. Warm slightly in the microwave before serving if desired.

Notes

  • Use firm apples like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Fuji for the best texture and flavor.
  • The caramel sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and reheated gently before serving.
  • Bars are delicious served warm, at room temperature, or chilled straight from the fridge.
  • Make sure to line the baking pan with parchment paper with overhang for easy removal of the bars.
  • Store bars and caramel sauce separately to preserve texture and freshness.

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel apple pie bars, apple bars, caramel apple bars, spiced apple bars, fall dessert, homemade caramel sauce

Find it online: https://topreci.com/salted-caramel-apple-pie-bars-recipe/