
Mouthwatering Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
These tasty treats mix the best parts of fall - a rich shortbread base, sweet apple middle, and crispy oat crumble on top. When you add the salty-sweet caramel over everything, they turn into something you can't stop eating. They're great for parties, shared meals, or just snuggling up at home.
INGREDIENTS- Shortbread Base: 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) melted unsalted butter, 1/4 cup (50g) white sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 cup (125g) flour
- Spiced Apples: 2 big apples, skinned and cut thin, 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp white sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/8 tsp nutmeg powder
- Crunchy Topping: 1/2 cup (43g) rolled oats, 1/3 cup (70g) brown sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/4 cup (31g) flour, 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, diced
- Finishing Touch: Ready-made or homemade salted caramel sauce
- Step 8:
- Cut into squares, pour caramel on top, and dig in!
- Step 7:
- Let sit for 20 minutes then put in fridge for 2 hours (or leave overnight).
- Step 6:
- Turn oven up to 350°F (177°C) and cook for 30–35 minutes until golden brown.
- Step 5:
- Put it all together: Spread apples over the baked crust, push them down a bit. Sprinkle oat mix on top.
- Step 4:
- Make the crumble: Combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Mix in cold butter until it looks like small crumbs.
- Step 3:
- Get apple mix ready: Mix apple slices with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Step 2:
- Create the base: Mix melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Add flour, stir well, and flatten into pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Step 1:
- Heat your oven to 300°F (149°C). Put parchment paper in an 8-inch square baking pan.
- For extra flavor, add a tiny bit of sea salt after you've drizzled the caramel.
- Keep any extras in your fridge up to 3 days, and eat them cold or warmed up to room temp.
These bars give you all the good stuff from apple pie but way easier to serve and eat. The buttery crust works perfectly with the sweet, spicy apples on top. The oat crumble adds a nice crunch, and that salted caramel really brings it all together. If you're planning a fall get-together or just want something sweet, these bars will definitely hit the spot!