Description
Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars are a delightful fall treat. They combine tart apples, sweet salted caramel, and a buttery crumble topping in an easy-to-eat bar. This recipe is perfect for autumn gatherings and offers a cozy, comforting flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Shortbread Crust & Crumble Topping:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- For the Salted Caramel Apple Filling:
- 6 medium baking apples (about 4 ½ – 5 pounds), such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, or a mix of Granny Smith
- ½ cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- For the Salted Caramel Drizzle (Optional):
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream, warmed
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and salt for the crust and crumble.
- Cut in the cold butter and vanilla extract until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Set aside about 1 ½ cups of this mixture for the crumble topping.
- Press the remaining mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Pre-bake the crust for 15-18 minutes, until lightly golden brown.
- While the crust bakes, peel, core, and thinly slice the apples.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with light brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, optional cloves, lemon juice, and salt for the filling.
- Evenly spread the apple filling over the warm, pre-baked crust.
- Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the apple filling.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly and tender.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.
- Use the parchment overhang to lift the cooled bars from the pan and transfer to a cutting board.
- Slice into 12-16 desired bar sizes.
- For the optional salted caramel drizzle, combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook without stirring until it turns an amber color.
- Carefully whisk in the warmed heavy cream (it will bubble vigorously).
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter, vanilla extract, and flaky sea salt until smooth.
- Let the caramel cool to a pourable consistency.
- Drizzle the salted caramel over the sliced bars and sprinkle with extra sea salt if desired.
Notes
- Cooling the bars completely is essential for them to set properly and slice neatly.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Warm bars slightly in the microwave for a gooey texture.
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45-55 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: Approximately 400-500 (estimated)
- Sugar: Approximately 30-40g (estimated)
- Sodium: Approximately 200-300mg (estimated)
- Fat: Approximately 20-30g (estimated)
- Saturated Fat: Approximately 12-18g (estimated)
- Unsaturated Fat: Approximately 8-12g (estimated)
- Trans Fat: 0g (estimated)
- Carbohydrates: Approximately 50-60g (estimated)
- Fiber: Approximately 3-5g (estimated)
- Protein: Approximately 3-5g (estimated)
- Cholesterol: Approximately 60-80mg (estimated)
Keywords: Salted Caramel Apple Crumble, Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars, Apple Crumble Bars, Fall Treat, Autumn Dessert, Homemade Apple Crumble, Easy Apple Crumble, Caramel Apple Bars, Baked Apples, Crumble Recipe