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Caramel Apple Crumble Bars with tender apples, caramel, and oat crumble topping
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Caramel Apple Crumble Bars

Caramel Apple Crumble Bars are made with tender spiced apples, a buttery brown sugar oat crust, gooey caramel, and a crumbly oat topping.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Cooling Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple dessert, apple recipes, fall baking, Fall dessert
Servings: 15
Author: Sandy Clifton

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Apple Filling

  • 1 ½ pounds Apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice

For the Crust and Crumble Topping

  • ½ cup Butter softened
  • ¼ cup Shortening
  • 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Oats (old-fashioned or quick)
  • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ½ cup Chopped Pecans optional

For the Caramel Layer

  • 16 ounces Caramel Candies unwrapped
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter

Instructions

Prep

  • Unwrap the caramel candies and set aside.

Prepare the Apples

  • Peel, core, and slice the apples. Place them in a large bowl and toss with ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice until evenly coated. Set aside.

Make the Crust and Crumble Topping

  • Add the ½ cup softened Butter, ¼ cup Shortening, and 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar to a large mixing bowl.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 cup Oats, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, and the Chopped Pecans, if using. Mix until well combined.
  • Measure out 2 cups of the mixture and set aside for the crumble topping.
  • Press the remaining mixture evenly into an ungreased 13×9-inch baking dish.
  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Make the Caramel Layer

  • Add the 16 ounces Caramel Candies and 3 Tablespoons Butter to a saucepan over low heat.
  • As the caramels begin to melt, stir frequently with a silicone spatula or spoon. Continue heating and stirring until the caramel is completely melted and smooth.
  • Do not allow the caramel mixture to boil. Remove from the heat.

Assemble the Bars

  • Spoon the prepared apples evenly over the crust.
  • Pour the warm melted caramel evenly over the apples.
  • Sprinkle the reserved 2 cups crumble mixture evenly over the top.

Bake

  • Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned. If the topping begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.

Serve

  • Let the bars cool before cutting and serving.

Notes

Butter instead of shortening: If you don’t have shortening or prefer not to use it, replace the 1/4 cup Shortening with 1/4 cup softened Butter.
Apples: Firm baking apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Pink Lady work well (I use half Granny Smith and half Fuji or Honeycrisp).
Oats: Either old-fashioned oats or quick oats can be used.
Pecans: The pecans are optional and can be omitted or replaced with chopped walnuts.
For cleaner slices, let the bars cool completely before cutting.

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 275mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g
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