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Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars Recipe Easy Homemade Oat Crumble Topping

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Cozy salted caramel apple pie bars with a buttery oat crumble topping, tender cinnamon-spiced apples, and a luscious salted caramel drizzle. Perfect for a quick, comforting dessert that balances sweet, salty, and spiced flavors.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (190 grams)
  • ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (70 grams)
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed (67 grams)
  • ½ cup salted butter, cold and cubed (115 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (about 3 medium apples)
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed (67 grams)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (42 grams)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (60 ml)
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit hanging over the sides for easy removal.
  2. Make the oat crumble crust: In a large bowl, combine flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and cut into the dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press about two-thirds evenly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes until edges are just golden.
  3. Prepare the apple filling: Toss diced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Set aside to macerate for a few minutes.
  4. Make the salted caramel drizzle: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt granulated sugar, stirring constantly until smooth and amber. Remove from heat and whisk in unsalted butter until melted. Slowly add heavy cream while stirring continuously. Stir in sea salt. Let cool until thick but pourable.
  5. Assemble the bars: Spread apple filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Crumble remaining oat mixture over the apples, pressing lightly. Drizzle half the salted caramel sauce over the crumble, reserving the rest for serving.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until topping is golden and apples are bubbling. Edges should pull slightly away from the pan.
  7. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for 1-2 hours. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce before serving.

Notes

Keep butter cold until mixing to achieve perfect oat crumble texture. Pre-bake crust to prevent soggy bottoms. Use fresh tart apples like Granny Smith for best results. Caramel needs steady stirring to avoid burning. Bars can be stored at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat gently to revive crumble texture. Vegan and gluten-free substitutions are possible.

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, apple pie bars, oat crumble topping, dessert bars, caramel apple dessert, easy dessert, fall dessert, cozy dessert

Find it online: https://bakebelle.com/salted-caramel-apple-pie-bars-recipe-easy-homemade-oat-crumble-topping/