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brown butter apple crisp bars - featured image

Brown Butter Apple Crisp Bars with Caramel Drizzle

  • Author: Sarah Wasserman
  • Total Time: 2 hours 47 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

These brown butter apple crisp bars feature a buttery oat crust, a soft cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and a crumbly streusel topping, all finished with a homemade salted caramel drizzle. They’re the perfect portable fall dessert that tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 medium apples (mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and diced into ½-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides.
  2. Brown the butter: Cut the 2 sticks of butter into pieces and place them in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. The butter will melt, then foam, then start to sizzle. After about 5-7 minutes, you’ll see brown specks forming at the bottom and the butter will smell nutty and toasty. Remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking.
  3. Make the crust and topping mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the warm brown butter over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand and clumps together when pressed.
  4. Press the crust: Reserve about 1 ½ cups of the oat mixture for the topping. Transfer the rest to the prepared pan. Press it down firmly and evenly into the bottom using the bottom of a measuring cup.
  5. Bake the crust: Bake for 12 minutes until just set and lightly golden around the edges. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
  6. Prepare the apple filling: In a medium bowl, toss the diced apples with the flour, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon until every piece is coated.
  7. Layer the apples: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust.
  8. Add the topping: Sprinkle the reserved oat mixture over the apples, using your fingers to break up any large clumps and distribute evenly.
  9. Bake the bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly around the edges. If the topping is browning too quickly, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  10. Cool completely: Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours.
  11. Make the caramel drizzle: While the bars cool, combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a gentle boil. Let it bubble for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and a pinch of flaky sea salt. Let it cool for about 10 minutes—it will thicken as it cools.
  12. Drizzle and serve: Once the bars are completely cool, lift them out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Drizzle the caramel over the top using a spoon or a squeeze bottle. Let the caramel set for about 5 minutes before slicing into squares.

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter—use medium heat for control. Chop apples evenly into ½-inch cubes. Let bars cool completely before cutting to prevent crumbling. For extra crunch, toast the oats for 5-7 minutes before adding to the crust. Use a squeeze bottle for a professional-looking caramel drizzle. Bars taste even better on day two.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 47 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 bar
  • Calories: 385
  • Sugar: 35
  • Sodium: 200
  • Fat: 18
  • Saturated Fat: 11
  • Carbohydrates: 54
  • Fiber: 3
  • Protein: 4

Keywords: brown butter, apple crisp bars, caramel drizzle, fall dessert, apple bars, oat crust, streusel topping

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Find it online: https://flavorfullrecipes.com/brown-butter-apple-crisp-bars-with-caramel-drizzle/