Description
Delight in these Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars, a perfect fall treat combining tender, cinnamon-spiced apples with a buttery crumble and rich salted caramel drizzle. Baked to golden perfection, these bars make a cozy dessert or snack that’s easy to prepare in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Apple Filling
- 3 cups peeled and thinly sliced apples (about 3 medium apples)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Topping
- 1/2 cup salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
- Prepare Crumble Mixture: In a large bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth. Stir in the flour and mix until the texture becomes crumbly, suitable for both the base and topping.
- Form Base Layer: Press about two-thirds of the crumbly mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan, creating the crust for your bars.
- Prepare Apple Filling: In a separate bowl, toss the thinly sliced, peeled apples with ground cinnamon and nutmeg to coat evenly.
- Assemble Filling: Spread the seasoned apple mixture evenly over the crust in the pan.
- Add Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle the salted caramel sauce evenly over the layer of apples for rich flavor contrast.
- Top with Crumble: Sprinkle the remaining third of the crumb mixture over the caramel and apples, ensuring full coverage for a crunchy topping.
- Bake the Bars: Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the topping turns golden brown and the apples are tender underneath.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan to set properly, then cut into 24 bars and serve.
Notes
- Choose your favorite apple variety like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji for different flavor profiles.
- Use either homemade or quality store-bought salted caramel sauce depending on your preference and convenience.
- Let the bars cool fully before cutting to avoid crumbling and ensure clean slices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approx.)
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
