Caramel Apple Bars
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Caramel Apple Bars are a sweet treat that are perfect for Fall. A delicious combination of a buttery oat crust, topped with caramel apples.
Who doesn’t love the Fall with its crisp air, fresh fruits; apples in so many varieties, pears and peaches? As well as garden vegetables, like squash, zucchini and tomatoes.
This apple recipe is a perfect combination of a caramel apple and an apple pie. The flavors of cinnamon and sugar make these one of the best Fall dessert recipes.
Ingredients for Caramel Apple Bars:
To make these apple caramel bars you will need just a few, pantry staple ingredients, plus some wrapped caramels. To make this recipe you will need:
⭐️ Full ingredient measurements and recipe instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Caramel Apple Bars
This easy Fall recipe starts by making the oat crust, then adding on the cooked apples. It takes a few minutes to put together, but totally worth it. Let’s walk through the simple steps to make this delicious caramel apple treat.
Step 1: start by making the crumb crust and topping. Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and baking soda until well combined. Add in the egg and vanilla and stir. Next, mix in the butter by cutting in with a pastry knife or use two knives to cut it in. You can also use clean hands to mix it up until a sand like mixture is formed.
Press 3/4 of the dough mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish until it makes an even layer. Use your hands or the back of a drinking glass or even a measuring cup to make it smooth.
Bake the crust for 10 minutes in a 350º F oven.
Step 2: While the crust bakes, make the caramel apple filling. Place the unwrapped caramels, apples and heavy cream in a large pot or saucepan over low heat.
Stir the mixture until the caramel is melted and smooth, the apples are heated through and begin to soften.
Step 3: pour the caramel apple mixture over the top of the crust and sprinkle the remaining flour mixture over the top of the caramel apples.
Place back into the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until it is golden brown on top and the apples are soft.
Allow to cool before slicing.
Tips and Tricks
This fall dessert recipe is pretty easy to make, be sure to follow these tips to help make this recipe come together smoothly.
- cook the caramels and apples on a low temperature. It can be tempting to want to turn up the heat to make this step go quicker, but you don’t want to burn the caramels or the cream that are on the bottom of the pan. Low and slow is best.
- cook the bottom crust first to get the best, crunchy crust. This will insure that the bottom doesn’t get soggy.
- allow the caramel apple bars to cool before slicing to make nice, even slices. The caramel will not harden, but will be soft and chewy, perfect for slicing and snacking.
Make These Ahead
This recipe for caramel apple bars is really best made and eaten the day of. Since the apples do contain moisture in them naturally, they will make the crust and top crumble soften after a day.
How to Store
While they are still delicious the next day and can definitely be stored on the countertop and eaten for the next 3 days, I suggest planning on making and serving these the same day.
These can also be frozen as one whole pan or sliced into individual portions and kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Apple Desserts
If you are looking for other Family Friendly meals or desserts follow along with me on YouTube or Facebook where I share simple recipes to help you with Feeding Your Fam! Make sure to subscribe so you will be notified when a new recipe is shared.
Caramel Apple Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted, cold
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
- 1 package Werther's Chewy Caramels 50 pieces, unwrapped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F, grease 9 x 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.
- Mix in egg and vanilla. Cut in butter until a sandlike mixture is formed.
- Press 3/4 of the mixture into prepared baking dish until even. Bake crust for 10 minutes.
- While crust bakes, combine apples, caramels and cream in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until the caramel is melted and the apples begin to soften.
- Remove the crust from the oven and top with the caramel apple mixture.
- Crumble remaining crust mixture over the apples.
- Bake for 15-20 more minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool before slicing.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are just an estimate
