Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars (The Only Recipe You’ll Need)

Welcome to the ultimate recipe for salted caramel apple crumble bars. If you’ve been searching for a dessert that perfectly captures the essence of autumn, you’ve found it. These bars are a symphony of textures and flavors, with a buttery shortbread crust, a layer of tender, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a crunchy oat crumble topping, all drizzled with a rich, homemade salted caramel sauce. This is more than just a recipe; it’s a celebration of fall in every single bite.

Forget complicated recipes. We’ve designed these apple crumble bars to be incredibly easy to make, delivering a gourmet bakery-quality treat right from your own kitchen. It’s the perfect dessert for sharing with family and friends.

Why You’ll Love These Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars

• Perfect Texture Trio: A soft crust, gooey apple center, and a perfectly crisp crumble topping.
• Homemade Caramel Sauce: Our simple, 5-ingredient caramel sauce is liquid gold and elevates these bars to another level.
• Incredibly Easy: The crust and crumble are made from the same mixture, saving you time and effort.
• Crowd-Pleaser: These bars are a guaranteed hit at any gathering, potluck, or holiday celebration.

The Three Perfect Layers of Apple Crumble Bars

The magic of these salted caramel apple crumble bars lies in their distinct, delicious layers. Each one plays a crucial role in creating the perfect bite.

The Buttery Shortbread Crust

The foundation is a simple yet sturdy shortbread-style crust. It’s firm enough to hold the hefty filling but melts in your mouth. We press about two-thirds of our crumble mixture into the pan to create this perfect base.

The Gooey Apple Filling

We use tart apples like Granny Smith, which hold their shape beautifully when baked. They’re tossed with cinnamon, a touch of lemon juice, and sugar to create a filling that is sweet, tart, and perfectly spiced.

The Irresistible Oat Crumble Topping

The remaining crumble mixture, enriched with rolled oats, becomes our golden, crunchy topping. It provides the perfect textural contrast to the soft apple filling.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:

For the Crust and Crumble:

• All-purpose flour
• Rolled oats (not instant)
• Light brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Cold unsalted butter

For the Apple Filling:

• Granny Smith apples
• Lemon juice
• Granulated sugar
• All-purpose flour
• Cinnamon

For the Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce:

• Unsalted butter
• Light brown sugar
• Heavy cream
• Vanilla extract
• Flaky sea salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Ready to bake? Let’s break it down into simple, manageable steps. Follow along to create the most amazing salted caramel apple crumble bars.

Part 1: Making the Perfect Shortbread Crust & Crumble

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
4. Form the Crust: Set aside approximately 1 ½ cups of the crumble mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan.
5. Par-Bake the Crust: Bake for 15 minutes, until lightly golden. This step is crucial for preventing a soggy bottom.

Part 2: Preparing the Apple Filling

1. Prep the Apples: While the crust is baking, peel, core, and thinly slice your apples. Add them to a large bowl.
2. Mix the Filling: Add the lemon juice, granulated sugar, flour, and cinnamon to the apples. Toss gently until the apples are evenly coated.
3. Layer the Filling: Once the crust is par-baked, spread the apple mixture evenly over the hot crust.

Part 3: Assembling and Baking Your Bars

1. Add the Topping: Sprinkle the reserved 1 ½ cups of crumble mixture evenly over the apple layer.
2. Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbly and the crumble topping is golden brown.
3. Cool Completely: This is the hardest part! Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, for at least 3 hours. This allows them to set properly for clean slicing. For another fantastic fruit-filled dessert, try this easy peach cobbler recipe.

Part 4: The Easiest Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

1. Melt Butter and Sugar: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar together, stirring until combined.
2. Boil: Bring the mixture to a low boil and cook for 2 minutes without stirring.
3. Add Cream and Vanilla: Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. The mixture will bubble up.
4. Stir in Salt: Let the caramel cool for a few minutes before stirring in the flaky sea salt.
5. Drizzle and Serve: Once the bars are cooled and sliced, drizzle generously with the salted caramel sauce.

Pro Tips for Recipe Success

Want to ensure your bars are absolutely perfect? Here are some tips from our kitchen to yours.

• Use Cold Butter: For the flakiest, most tender crust and crumble, make sure your butter is very cold.
• Don’t Overmix: When cutting in the butter, stop when the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Overmixing will result in a tough crust.
• Cool Completely: I can’t stress this enough! The bars need to cool completely to set. If you cut into them while warm, they will fall apart. For those who love baking, check out these ideas for wholesome baking ideas.
• Parchment Paper is Key: Using a parchment paper sling is the easiest way to remove the bars from the pan for perfect slicing.

Choosing the Best Apples for Baking

The type of apple you use can make a big difference. For these salted caramel apple crumble bars, you want an apple that is firm and tart. Tart apples balance the sweetness of the caramel and crumble, while firm apples hold their shape and don’t turn to mush during baking.

Our top recommendation is Granny Smith. Other great options include Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious. Feel free to use a mix of apples for a more complex flavor. If you enjoy apple desserts, don’t miss our classic apple crisp recipe.

How to Store and Freeze Your Crumble Bars

These bars store wonderfully, making them a great make-ahead dessert.

• To Store: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Store the caramel sauce separately in the fridge and warm slightly before serving.
• To Freeze: You can freeze the entire uncut slab or individual bars. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

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What are the best apples for apple crumble bars?

The best apples are firm and tart to balance the sweetness and hold their shape during baking. We highly recommend Granny Smith apples. Honeycrisp, Braeburn, and Golden Delicious are also excellent choices.

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Can I make these apple crumble bars gluten-free?

Yes, you can make these gluten-free by substituting the all-purpose flour with a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour blend and using certified gluten-free rolled oats.

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How do I prevent my crumble bars from getting soggy?

The key to preventing a soggy bottom crust is to par-bake it for 15 minutes before adding the apple filling. This creates a seal that keeps the crust crisp.

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How should I store salted caramel apple crumble bars?

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. For best results, store the caramel sauce separately and drizzle it on just before serving.

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Can you freeze apple crumble bars?

Absolutely! You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

We Hope You Love This Recipe!

These salted caramel apple crumble bars are a true delight, and we are so excited for you to try them. If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let us know how they turned out! Don’t forget to share your creations and tag us on Pinterest.

Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars Recipe

FL Recipes

Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars (The Only Recipe You’ll Ever Need)

The ultimate recipe for salted caramel apple crumble bars, featuring a buttery shortbread crust, a tender apple filling, and a crunchy oat crumble. Drizzled with an easy homemade salted caramel sauce for a truly decadent dessert.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 16 bars

Course: Desserts, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 350

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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For the Crust and Crumble

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats not instant or quick-cook
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed

For the Apple Filling

• 4 Granny Smith apples medium-sized, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon

For the Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 0.5 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

• 1 9x13 inch Baking Pan
• 1 Large Mixing Bowl
• 1 Small Saucepan

Method

 

Make the Crust and Crumble

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and salt.
3. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Set aside 1 ½ cups of the mixture for the topping. Press the rest firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
5. Bake the crust for 15 minutes until lightly golden.

Prepare the Filling and Assemble

1. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, 1 tbsp flour, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
2. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the par-baked crust.
3. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the apples.
4. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
5. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before making the caramel sauce.

Make the Salted Caramel Sauce

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt ½ cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar, stirring until combined.
2. Bring to a low boil and cook for 2 minutes without stirring.
3. Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.
4. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then stir in the flaky sea salt.
5. Slice the cooled bars and drizzle with salted caramel sauce before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcalProtein: 3gFat: 18gFiber: 2g

Notes

Tip 1: Ensure the butter for the crust is very cold for the best texture.
Tip 2: Allowing the bars to cool completely is essential for clean slices.
Tip 3: Store leftover caramel sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Keyword apple crumble bars,apple dessert,salted caramel apple crumble bars

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