Caramel Apple Crumb Bars (Printer-friendly)
Buttery shortbread base topped with spiced apples, rich caramel, and golden crumble. Perfect for autumn gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ Crust and Crumb
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Apple Filling
06 - 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
08 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Caramel Layer
11 - 1/2 cup caramel sauce
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and cut in using a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in vanilla extract.
03 - Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture for topping. Press remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
04 - Bake crust for 12 minutes until slightly set. Remove from oven while preparing filling.
05 - Place apple slices in a bowl and toss with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon, tossing until apples are evenly coated.
06 - Spread apple mixture evenly over the hot crust. Drizzle caramel sauce over the apples.
07 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over the apple and caramel layer.
08 - Bake for 28-32 minutes until topping is light golden brown and apples are tender when pierced with a fork.
09 - Let bars cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment paper overhang and cut into 16 squares.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between the tender shortbread base and the juicy apple filling is what keeps people coming back for seconds
- They travel beautifully to potlucks and actually taste better on day two when flavors have had time to meld together
02 -
- Warm bars will crumble apart when you try to cut them, so patience during cooling is absolutely essential
- Using a mix of apple varieties makes such a difference in flavor depth
03 -
- Chill your mixing bowl and utensils if your kitchen runs warm, this keeps the butter from softening too quickly while making the crumb
- Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust into the pan evenly without warming the dough with your hands