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Cozy Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars

salted caramel apple crumble bars - featured image
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Tender apples mingled with buttery crumble and a perfect hit of salted caramel create a cozy and easy fall dessert that’s perfect for gatherings and everyday treats.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315 g)
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar (200 g)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
  • 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, cold and cubed (340 g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 medium apples (about 3 cups sliced / 450 g), preferably Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • ½ cup flour (65 g) for coating apple filling
  • ½ cup salted caramel sauce (120 ml)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups (250 g) of flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and cut it in with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Reserve about 1 ½ cups (190 g) of this mixture for the topping.
  3. Press the remaining crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to create a firm crust layer. Bake for 15 minutes until just beginning to turn golden.
  4. While the crust bakes, peel (optional) and thinly slice the apples. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, cornstarch, and ½ cup (65 g) of flour to coat evenly.
  5. Remove the crust from the oven and spread the apple filling evenly over the warm crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly on top.
  6. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
  7. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Once cooled, drizzle the salted caramel sauce generously over the top.
  8. Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out of the pan. Cut into squares or rectangles with a sharp knife and serve.

Notes

Use cold butter for a tender, flaky crumble. Pre-bake the crust to prevent sogginess. Choose firm, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp to hold shape. Cool bars completely before drizzling caramel to avoid runniness. Tent with foil if topping browns too quickly. Bars can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: apple crumble bars, salted caramel, fall dessert, easy dessert, apple dessert, crumble bars, autumn recipe, quick dessert

Find it online: https://forkifyfun.com/cozy-salted-caramel-apple-crumble-bars-easy-fall-dessert-recipe/