Description
Delicious Caramel Apple Bars featuring a tender crumb crust and topping, loaded with spiced diced apples and drizzled with rich caramel sauce. Perfect for a cozy dessert or snack, these bars combine the warm flavors of cinnamon and nutmeg with a buttery, crumbly texture baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
Apple Filling
- 3 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced (preferably Granny Smith)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir these together until evenly mixed.
- Add butter: Pour in the melted unsalted butter and stir until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, ensuring even distribution of moisture.
- Form crust: Press half of this crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to create an even crust layer. Set the remaining half aside for the topping.
- Prepare apple filling: In a separate bowl, toss the diced apples with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg until the apples are evenly coated with the spices and sugar.
- Assemble filling: Spread the spiced apple mixture evenly over the crust layer in the pan.
- Add topping: Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the apples, covering them completely.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Cool: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to set properly before slicing.
- Drizzle caramel: Once cooled, drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the top of the bars for a sweet, gooey finish.
- Serve: Slice into 16 bars, serve, and enjoy this delightful caramel apple treat.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples or other tart apples for the best balance of sweetness and tartness.
- For a homemade caramel sauce, simmer 1 cup sugar with 6 tablespoons butter and 1/2 cup heavy cream until thickened.
- Ensure the bars are completely cooled before slicing for clean cuts.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
