Print

Easy Caramel Apple Crumble Bars: The Best Fall Dessert

caramel apple crumble bars - featured image
Print Recipe

These easy caramel apple crumble bars are the kind of dessert that feels special but is secretly simple. They have a perfect crumbly top, a soft apple filling, and a layer of gooey caramel that makes everything better.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 3 cups peeled and diced apples (about 2 large or 3 medium apples)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
  • 10–12 soft caramel candies (like Kraft Caramels), unwrapped
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on two sides.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Set aside about 1 cup of this mixture for the topping.
  3. Press the remaining crumble mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly.
  4. In the same bowl, toss the diced apples with the granulated sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make sure all the apple pieces are evenly coated.
  5. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust.
  6. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the caramel candies and heavy cream. Stir constantly until the caramels are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Drizzle about half of the caramel over the apples.
  7. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the apple layer. Do not press it down.
  8. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbly around the edges. If the topping is browning too quickly, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle the remaining caramel over the top. Let the bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before lifting them out and slicing.

Notes

Let the bars cool completely before cutting to ensure clean slices. For best results, use a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. Cold butter is essential for a flaky crumble. If the caramel seizes, add a tablespoon of cream and stir gently over low heat.

Nutrition

Keywords: caramel apple crumble bars, fall dessert, apple bars, easy dessert, crumble bars

Find it online: https://noshbelle.com/easy-caramel-apple-crumble-bars-the-best-fall-dessert/