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Best Caramel Apple Crumble Bars: Easy Fall Dessert

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These caramel apple crumble bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a layer of tender spiced apples, and a crunchy oat crumble, all topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce. They are the perfect fall dessert for a crowd and are sure to win over even the pickiest eaters.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4–5 medium apples (about 600g), peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (80g) old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) good quality store-bought or homemade caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the two long sides.
  2. Make the Crust: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the flour and salt, and mix until a soft dough forms. Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
  3. Par-Bake the Crust: Bake the crust for 15-18 minutes, or until it is just set and the edges are very lightly golden. Let it cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.
  4. Prepare the Apple Filling: While the crust cools, place the diced apples in a large bowl. Toss them with the 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until every piece is evenly coated.
  5. Make the Crumble Topping: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use your pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
  6. Assemble the Layers: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the apples, covering them completely. Don’t press the crumble down.
  7. Bake: Place the pan back in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is a deep golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling up around the edges. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent it with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  8. Cool and Drizzle: Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cool, lift the bars out using the parchment paper sling. Drizzle the caramel sauce generously over the top just before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip par-baking the crust to prevent sogginess. Use cold butter for the crumble to ensure a crunchy texture. Let the bars cool completely before cutting to avoid them falling apart. For clean slices, chill the pan in the fridge for 30 minutes after cooling.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple crumble bars, apple bars, fall dessert, apple crumble, easy dessert, crowd-pleaser, Thanksgiving dessert

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