Description
These Salted Caramel Apple Bars are your ultimate fall dessert—soft, buttery crust layered with tender cinnamon-spiced apples and gooey salted caramel. Every bite tastes like apple pie and caramel sauce had a baby, and you’re going to want seconds.
Ingredients
**For the Crust & Crumble**
▢ 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
▢ 1 cup brown sugar, packed
▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
▢ 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
**For the Apple Layer**
▢ 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
**For the Salted Caramel Sauce**
▢ 3/4 cup caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
▢ 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (plus more for sprinkling)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper and lightly grease.
2. In a large bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until crumbly.
3. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Reserve the rest for topping.
4. In another bowl, toss diced apples with sugar, cinnamon, and 1 tbsp flour. Spread evenly over the crust.
5. Drizzle salted caramel sauce over the apples and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp sea salt.
6. Crumble the remaining dough over the top.
7. Bake for 30–35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the caramel is bubbly.
8. Let cool completely before slicing. Chill for cleaner cuts. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired.
Notes
• These bars slice best once fully chilled.
• Use tart apples like Granny Smith for the best flavor contrast.
• Add chopped pecans to the topping for extra crunch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 160mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg