With a lightly spiced apple filling, these Caramel Apple Crumb Bars are the perfect dessert to celebrate the cooling weather, changing leaves, and the season of sweaters, apples, and corn mazes. Moist and tender with just the right hint of sweetness, these bars are both comforting and addictive.
Despite the fact that it is still 80°F in the Chicago area, late September has me already craving everything autumn. I’m not a Pumpkin Spice obsessed kind of girl, but I do enjoy being able to walk outside and feel the wind wrap around me. There’s something about the air that feels fresher as it cools down–in autumn and winter–and it just brings about a sense of comfort without needing to try. (It doesn’t help that I just spent a few days in Scotland where, even though it didn’t rain as much as anticipated, every day was cool and comfortable and perfect).
If there is anything else that brings immediate comfort, it’s these Caramel Apple Crumb Bars. Whether the weather wants to follow or not, it’s apple season, which means fall is pretty much upon us. And there is nothing much that can beat an apple or an apple based dessert.
Chopped bits of Granny Smith and Gala apples make up the filling fo these bars. The apples are lightly spiced with a minimal amount of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg to bring warmth to these bars without overpowering the natural sweet and tart flavors of the fruit. A simple lemon drizzle and sprinkle of salt over the top fully round out the flavor of these bars and take them from good to absolutely delicious.
Moist and full of flavor, these bars are easy to make and a great way to use up any leftover apples you picked from an orchard but haven’t had the chance to eat or bake into a pie.
| Prep Time | 10 minutes |
| Cook Time | 35-40 minutes |
| Servings |
bars
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- 5 apples large, peeled and chopped into cubes (I usually do 3 Granny Smith and 2 Gala)
- 1 cup light brown sugar split into 2 x 1/2 cup
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cardamom
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup salted caramel
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 cup pecans toasted and chopped
- 1 cup salted butter cold and cubed
- 1 egg large, lightly whisked
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Ingredients
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- In a large saucepan, heat the chopped apples, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, stir in the salted caramel.
- With a rack fitted into the center of the oven, preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and line a 9" x 13" baking pan. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, corn starch, baking powder, rolled oats, cinnamon, and pecans. Add the cubed butter to the bowl and, using your fingers or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until you have pea-sized crumbs. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the lightly beaten egg. Use clean hands to finish incorporating the egg and to bring the crumble together.
- Press half of the crumble mixture into the prepared baking pan. Spread the apple and caramel mixture evenly over the first layer. Evenly sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the top of the apples. Bake 35-40 minutes until the crumbs begin to turn golden brown. Allow to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Drizzle over the top of the cooled bars and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt. Allow the drizzle to set then slice into squares.
You can use pre-made or store bought salted caramel. I usually have leftover caramel hanging around from other recipes. My go to recipe for salted caramel can be found in my recipe for these Snickers Cookies.