Description
Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars perfectly blend sweet, tangy apples with rich, gooey salted caramel and a buttery, crunchy crumble topping. Easy to make with simple pantry staples and fresh apples, these bars offer a delightful combination of flavors and textures ideal for any dessert occasion, from cozy nights in to festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Apple Filling
- 4 cups crisp and tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crumble Base and Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free option)
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks (or coconut oil/vegan butter for dairy-free version)
Additional Ingredients
- 1 cup salted caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Peel, core, and thinly slice your apples. Toss them in granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of vanilla extract to infuse warm, aromatic flavors that will soften beautifully when baked.
- Make the crumble base: Combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and cold butter in chunks. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press half of this mixture evenly into a lined baking dish to form the crust.
- Layer the filling: Spread the spiced apple slices evenly over the crust. Drizzle a generous layer of salted caramel sauce over the apples, ensuring every bite will have that sticky, salty-sweet goodness.
- Add the crumble topping: Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the caramel and apples. Don’t worry if some larger chunks remain—they’ll bake into delicious crisp topping pieces.
- Bake and cool: Bake the bars at 350°F (175°C) for about 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp, and the apples are bubbling underneath. Let the bars cool completely before slicing to allow the filling to set for clean cuts.
Notes
- Choose tart, firm apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp to ensure the filling holds up well during baking.
- Keep butter cold when making the crumble base to achieve a flaky, crunchy texture.
- Use high-quality salted caramel sauce for the best flavor or make your own for extra richness.
- Allow bars to cool fully before cutting to keep slices intact and neat.
- Optionally sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking for a beautiful salty crunch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: Salted Caramel, Apple Bars, Crumble Bars, Dessert, Caramel Apple, Fall Dessert, Thanksgiving, Gluten Free option, Kid-friendly, Easy Baking