Description
These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars are a delightful fall dessert featuring a buttery shortbread crust, tender caramel-spiced apple filling, and a crumbly cinnamon topping drizzled with rich caramel sauce. Easier to make than a traditional pie and perfect for serving a crowd, these bars highlight classic apple pie flavors with a luscious salted caramel twist.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Filling:
- 3 pounds Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Pink Lady apples (about 6 large or 7 medium), or a combination
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Crust and Topping:
- Cooking spray
- 2 1/2 sticks (10 ounces) cold unsalted butter, diced
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided (1/2 teaspoon for dough, 1/4 teaspoon for apples)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup store-bought or homemade caramel sauce, divided (1/2 cup for filling, 1/4 cup for drizzle)
- Flaky salt, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Make the filling: Peel the apples, halve, core, and slice them into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, placing them in a large bowl. Add granulated sugar, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and kosher salt, then stir thoroughly to coat all apple slices evenly.
- Prepare the oven and pan: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat a 9×13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray, then line the bottom and sides with two sheets of parchment paper arranged perpendicular to each other, ensuring ends hang over the sides to create a sling for easy lifting later.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Scatter diced cold butter over this mixture and use a pastry cutter or your hands to work the butter into the flour until pieces are pea-sized. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract, mixing just until combined into a crumbly dough that holds together when squeezed.
- Form the base crust: Transfer approximately two-thirds of the dough (about 4 cups) into the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides about 1/2 inch to form a sturdy base.
- Add cinnamon to remaining dough: Mix 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the leftover dough until combined. This will become the crumb topping.
- Assemble the bars: Spread the apple filling evenly over the crust. Drizzle 1/2 cup of caramel sauce over the apples, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Finally, crumble the cinnamon dough evenly over the top to form the crumbly layer.
- Bake: Bake the assembled bars in the preheated oven until the crumb topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling, about 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan, approximately 3 hours, to allow bars to set for easy slicing.
- Cut and garnish: Using the parchment sling, lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares. Drizzle the remaining 1/4 cup caramel sauce over the bars and sprinkle lightly with flaky salt, if desired, before serving.
Notes
- Use a 9×13-inch metal baking pan for best heat distribution and ease of handling.
- Allow bars to cool fully before cutting to ensure clean slices and prevent crumbling.
- If preferred, make your own homemade caramel sauce for a fresher flavor or use quality store-bought caramel sauce for convenience.
- Store leftover bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For enhanced flavor, you can combine different apple varieties to balance tartness and sweetness.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: apple pie bars, salted caramel, caramel apple dessert, fall dessert, apple bars, shortbread crust, apple pie, caramel sauce
