Caramel Apple Crumb Bars (Printable)

Tender shortbread layered with spiced caramel apples and buttery crumbs for the ultimate fall dessert.

# What You'll 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 store-bought or homemade caramel sauce

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fingers until crumbly. Stir in vanilla extract.
03 - Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture for topping. Press remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
04 - Bake crust for 12 minutes, then remove from oven.
05 - Toss apple slices with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon, coating evenly.
06 - Spread apple mixture evenly over hot crust. Drizzle caramel sauce over apples.
07 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top.
08 - Bake for 28-32 minutes until topping is light golden brown and apples are tender.
09 - Cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment and cut into 16 bars.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The three layer magic of tender crust, juicy spiced apples, and buttery crumbs creates texture in every single bite
  • These bars strike that perfect balance between impressive enough for company and simple enough for a Tuesday night craving
  • They actually taste better the next day, making them ideal for make ahead treats
02 -
  • Resist the urge to cut these while they are still warm or you will end up with a delicious but messy situation
  • Mixing tart and sweet apples is not optional, it is what makes the filling complex and interesting
  • The par baked crust step might feel fussy, but it prevents that dreaded soggy bottom layer
03 -
  • Work quickly with the crumb mixture since warm butter will make it clump together instead of staying crumbly
  • If your apples are especially juicy, add an extra tablespoon of flour to the filling

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