Description
Irresistible Salted Caramel Apple Bars for Fall bring warmth to your kitchen. Discover my personal recipe for these delightful, sweet-tart autumn treats.
Ingredients
Scale
- Crust & Crumb Topping:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar, divided
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into pieces, divided
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Apple & Caramel Goodness:
- 5–6 medium Granny Smith apples (about 2 lbs), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- ½ cup good quality salted caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling (optional)
- Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Finishing Touches:
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Crust & Crumb Prep:: First, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides – trust me, you’ll thank yourself later for the easy lift-out. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Now, cut 1 stick (½ cup) of really cold unsalted butter into small pieces and use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut it into the dry ingredients until you have coarse crumbs. Honestly, I always get flour everywhere during this step, it’s part of the charm!
- Press & Par-Bake:: Take about 1 ½ cups of that crumb mixture and firmly press it into the bottom of your prepared pan. This is your crust, so make it even! I almost skipped the firm press once, and the crust fell apart when I cut the bars, don’t do that. Pop it into the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until it’s lightly golden. This par-baking step is key to preventing a soggy bottom, which nobody wants in their Irresistible Salted Caramel Apple Bars for Fall. While that’s baking, set aside the remaining crumb mixture for later.
- Apple Filling Fun:: While your crust is doing its thing, peel, core, and thinly slice 5-6 medium apples. I like them about ¼-inch thick, but if you like a chunkier bite, go for it! In a separate large bowl, toss the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. The aroma starts to build here, a lovely warm spice smell. The flour helps absorb some of the apple juices, preventing a watery filling, which I learned the hard way once.
- Layering Magic:: Once the crust is par-baked, pull it out of the oven. Carefully arrange the seasoned apple slices evenly over the warm crust. Try to get them in a single layer if you can, but a little overlap is fine. Then, drizzle about ½ cup of your salted caramel sauce over the apples. This is where it starts looking pretty and tasting even better. I always sneak a tiny taste of the caramel here – it’s a habit!
- Crumb Topping Time:: Remember that reserved crumb mixture? Now’s its moment! Sprinkle it evenly over the caramel-drizzled apples. If you want, you can add a little extra cinnamon to the crumb mixture for an extra spice kick, I do sometimes. My kids love to help with this part, it’s messy but fun and they feel involved. Make sure to break up any big clumps so you get a nice, even sprinkle of that buttery goodness.
- Bake & Cool (The Hardest Part!):: Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 35-45 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. The edges will be bubbly, and your kitchen will smell absolutely divine. Once baked, let the Irresistible Salted Caramel Apple Bars for Fall cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Honestly, this is the hardest part – waiting! But seriously, cooling completely is crucial for clean cuts, otherwise, it’s a gooey, delicious mess, which isn’t always a bad thing, but for bars, you want structure.