Description
These Cozy Caramel Apple Bars combine tender apples, homemade caramel drizzle, and a nutty crumble topping for a perfect fall dessert that’s easy to make and crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans (optional)
- 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add 1 cup cold, cubed unsalted butter. Use a pastry cutter, fork, or fingers to blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces (about 3-5 minutes).
- Reserve about 1 ½ cups (360g) of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the rest firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake the crust for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
- While crust bakes, toss sliced apples with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Remove crust from oven and spread apple mixture evenly over it.
- Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over apples, pressing lightly so it sticks but remains crumbly.
- Bake bars for 35-40 minutes until topping is golden brown and juices bubble around edges. Check last 10 minutes to avoid over-browning.
- While bars bake, make caramel drizzle: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup light brown sugar with ¼ cup unsalted butter, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly whisk in ¼ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Simmer gently for 3-4 minutes until thickened but pourable. Remove from heat.
- Let bars cool in pan for at least 20 minutes on a cooling rack.
- Drizzle caramel sauce generously over bars while still slightly warm.
- Optional: Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans or flaky sea salt on top.
- Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Use firm Granny Smith apples for best texture. Cold butter is essential for crumbly topping. Toss apples with cornstarch just before baking to prevent sogginess. Drizzle caramel while bars are warm for best texture. Vegan and gluten-free adaptations are possible by substituting ingredients as noted.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 26
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Keywords: caramel apple bars, fall dessert, homemade caramel, apple dessert, easy fall recipe, cozy dessert, autumn baking