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Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

These salted caramel apple pie bars transform classic apple pie flavors into a portable dessert with a buttery crust, cinnamon-kissed apples, crunchy streusel, and a delightful caramel drizzle.
Print it Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 9 bars
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, Baking
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the apple filling
  • 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced Firm varieties like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady work best.
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the streusel topping
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For serving
  • to taste Homemade salted caramel or store-bought caramel sauce For drizzling

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 300°F (149°C) and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in 1 cup of flour until no dry streaks remain. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  3. Blind-bake the crust at 300°F for 15 minutes until just set. Remove from the oven.
Filling
  1. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg until evenly coated.
  2. In another bowl, combine rolled oats, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 cup flour. Cut in the chilled butter until the mixture is crumbly.
Assembly and baking
  1. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust, then sprinkle the streusel on top.
  2. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and the apples are tender.
Cooling and serving
  1. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up before slicing.
  2. Cut into bars and drizzle with salted caramel just before serving.

Notes

If you're looking for variations, you can add nuts to the streusel or use a mix of sweet-tart apples for better flavor balance. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge.