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Cozy Caramel Apple Crumble Bars: Easy Fall Dessert

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These cozy caramel apple crumble bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, spiced apple filling, crunchy oat crumble, and a luscious caramel drizzle. They’re the perfect easy fall dessert that tastes like a hug on a plate.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 medium Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • ½ cup store-bought or homemade caramel sauce
  • Flaky sea salt for finishing (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the parchment with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Make the shortbread crust: In a food processor, pulse together 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt until combined. Add ¾ cup cold cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse sand with a few pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Let cool on a rack.
  3. Prepare the apple filling: In a large bowl, toss the diced apples with 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add ¼ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. Toss until every piece is coated. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  4. Make the crumble topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup oats, ½ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add ½ cup cold cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it in until the mixture forms clumps. Refrigerate while assembling.
  5. Assemble the bars: Spread the apple filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the filling is bubbly around the edges and the crumble is deep golden brown. If the top is browning too quickly after 25 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
  7. Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. While still warm, drizzle the caramel sauce over the top. If using flaky sea salt, sprinkle it on now. Let cool completely, about 1 hour, before lifting out using the parchment handles.
  8. Slice into squares using a sharp knife, wiping the knife between cuts for clean edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

For the apples, look for firm, tart-sweet varieties that hold their shape during baking. Honeycrisp is my top choice, but Fuji or Braeburn work beautifully too. If you only have Granny Smith, add an extra tablespoon of brown sugar to balance the tartness. Use dairy-free butter and certified gluten-free oats and flour for a gluten-free version. Keep everything cold for a flaky crust and crunchy crumble. Don’t skip par-baking the crust to prevent a soggy bottom. Dice apples into uniform ½-inch pieces. Let bars cool completely before slicing for clean cuts. These bars taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple crumble bars, apple crumble bars, fall dessert, apple bars, easy apple dessert

Find it online: https://recipebelle.com/cozy-caramel-apple-crumble-bars-easy-fall-dessert/