Description
These salted caramel apple pie bars combine everything you love about classic apple pie—juicy spiced apples, a buttery shortbread crust, and a crumbly oat topping—into easy-to-slice bars. Drizzle with salted caramel for the ultimate sweet-and-salty treat that’s perfect for holidays, potlucks, or cozy weekends.
Ingredients
For the Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the Apple Filling
2 medium apples (one tart, one sweet), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (adjust for apple sweetness)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
For the Streusel Topping
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Topping
1/3 cup salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
Preheat oven & prepare pan: Preheat oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until crumbly. Press firmly into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
Prepare apple filling: Toss sliced apples with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
Make streusel topping: In a separate bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, and melted butter. Mix until crumbly.
Assemble: Spread apple mixture evenly over warm crust. Sprinkle streusel evenly on top.
Bake: Raise oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 30–35 minutes, until topping is golden and apples are bubbling.
Cool: Let bars cool 20 minutes at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) before slicing.
Finish: Drizzle with salted caramel before serving.
Notes
Best Apples: Use one tart apple (Granny Smith) and one sweet apple (Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady) for balanced flavor.
Storage: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
Scaling: Double the recipe for a 9×13-inch pan. Bake a few extra minutes, keeping an eye on browning.
Serving: Delicious warm with ice cream or coffee.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes (15 for crust + 30 for bars)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: ~230
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Salted caramel apple pie bars, apple dessert recipe, fall dessert, easy apple pie bars, caramel apple squares
