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Best Homemade Caramel Apple Crumble Bars Recipe

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These wholesome caramel apple crumble bars feature a buttery oat crust, tender cinnamon-spiced apples, and a gooey caramel layer. They come together in under an hour and are perfect for bake sales, cozy weekends, or last-minute desserts.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (150g) rolled oats
  • 1 cup (120g) whole wheat flour
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 medium apples (about 450g), peeled and chopped into ¼-inch cubes
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (120ml) caramel sauce, divided

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on two sides.
  2. In a large bowl, combine rolled oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk together.
  3. Add cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  4. Reserve about 1 cup of the crumble mixture for the topping. Transfer the rest to the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly into the bottom. Bake for 12 minutes, until just starting to turn golden at the edges.
  5. While the crust bakes, prepare the apple filling: In a medium bowl, toss the chopped apples with lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
  6. Once the crust is out of the oven, spread the apple mixture evenly over it. Drizzle about ¼ cup of caramel sauce over the apples.
  7. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the apples and caramel. Press down gently with your hands.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  9. Let the bars cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes. Drizzle the remaining ¼ cup caramel sauce over the top. Cool completely (about 1 hour) before lifting out and cutting into squares.

Notes

Keep butter cold for a flaky crust. Don’t skip the parchment paper for easy removal. Cool completely before cutting to prevent crumbling. For extra flavor, toast the oats before mixing. If using frozen apples, thaw and drain well.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple crumble bars, apple bars, crumble bars, fall dessert, bake sale recipe, easy dessert, apple crumble bars

Find it online: https://piperplate.com/best-homemade-caramel-apple-crumble-bars-recipe/