Description
These Apple Pie Bars combine a buttery shortbread crust, tender spiced apple filling, and a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping, all drizzled with rich homemade salted caramel sauce. Perfectly balanced with warm spices and luscious caramel, they make an irresistible dessert bar that’s easy to prepare and great for sharing.
Ingredients
Scale
Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
- 5 tbsp (70 g) salted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 tsp sea salt
Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 tsp salt
Streusel Topping
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (94 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Apple Filling
- 5 cups (700 g) apples, peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces (about 4 large apples)
- 1/2 cup (140 g) salted caramel sauce
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Make the Salted Caramel Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, add the granulated sugar. Heat slowly as the sugar first crystallizes, then melts into a golden amber liquid over about 20 minutes. When most sugar is melted but with some crystals visible, reduce heat to low to avoid burning. Quickly stir in butter until incorporated, then add heavy cream and stir briskly to combine. If mixture separates, increase to medium-low heat and stir vigorously until smooth. Finally, add vanilla and salt, stir well. Let simmer on low for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and cool completely.
- Prepare the Shortbread Crust: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×9 inch metal baking pan and line bottom and two sides with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla with a hand mixer on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour and salt, mixing on low speed until combined and crumbly. Press dough evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Make the Streusel Topping: While crust bakes, in a medium bowl cream together butter and brown sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add flour, salt, and cinnamon, mix on low speed until large coarse crumbs form. Place streusel in freezer while preparing filling.
- Prepare the Apple Filling: In a large saucepan, combine diced apples, 1/2 cup of the prepared salted caramel sauce, and all the spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves). Stir well to coat apples evenly. Cover and cook over medium heat for 16-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Assemble and Bake the Apple Pie Bars: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread the cooked apple filling evenly over the cooled shortbread crust. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apples. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the topping is lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack until fully cooled, about 2 hours.
- Serve: Cut into 16 bars. Drizzle with remaining salted caramel sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream or enjoy on their own.
Notes
- Ensure butter and cream are at room temperature for smooth caramel sauce.
- Peeling and dicing apples uniformly ensures even cooking.
- Use a metal baking pan for best browning results.
- Cooling bars completely before cutting helps maintain clean slices.
- Optional: add a pinch of flaky sea salt on top for extra flavor contrast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approximately 1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
