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Salted Caramel Apple Crumb Bars Recipe

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4 from 8 reviews

Salted Caramel Apple Crumb Bars are a delightful fall dessert featuring a thick buttery crust, a spiced apple filling, a layer of rich salted caramel sauce, and a sweet crumb topping. These apple pie bars offer a perfect blend of tart and sweet flavors with a satisfying crumbly texture, ideal for serving warm or at room temperature, and optionally paired with vanilla ice cream for an indulgent treat.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

  • 5 cups peeled and diced apples (Granny Smith recommended)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground all-spice
  • ¾ cup Salted Caramel Sauce (store-bought or homemade)

For the Crust and Crumb Topping:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For Serving (Optional):

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Extra salted caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Set aside to prepare the layers.
  2. Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, combine the diced apples with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and all-spice. Sprinkle this dry mixture over the apples and mix gently to coat all pieces evenly. Set this filling aside.
  3. Prepare the Dough: In another large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your hands until small butter pieces remain. In a small bowl, beat the egg with vanilla extract, then add it to the flour mixture and gently combine until the dough is crumbly but cohesive.
  4. Assemble the Bars: Pat half of the crumbly dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the crust. Spread the apple filling evenly over this crust layer. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce evenly over the apple layer. Finally, crumble the remaining dough over the caramel-apple layer and gently pat it down without pressing too hard.
  5. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely on a wire rack.
  6. Serve: Once cooled, cut into 24 squares. These bars are delicious as is or served warm with vanilla ice cream and extra salted caramel sauce on the side if desired.

Notes

  • Storage: Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
  • Freezing: After cooling completely, freeze bars in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
  • Apple Variety: Granny Smith apples provide a nice tartness that balances the sweetness; however, you can use your preferred baking apples.
  • Salted Caramel Sauce: You can use a store-bought sauce or make your own for a more homemade touch.

Find it online: https://lauracooks.com/salted-caramel-apple-crumb-bars-recipe/