Caramel Apple Crumb Bars (Printer-friendly)

Buttery shortbread layered with cinnamon apples and rich caramel topping

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust and Crumb

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
03 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Apple Filling

06 - 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
07 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
08 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
09 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Caramel Layer

11 - 1/2 cup store-bought or homemade caramel sauce

# How to Prepare:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and cut it in using a pastry cutter or your fingers until crumbly. Stir in vanilla extract.
03 - Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture for the topping. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
04 - Bake the crust for 12 minutes, then remove from oven.
05 - While the crust is baking, place apple slices in a bowl and toss with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon, tossing to coat.
06 - Spread the apple mixture evenly over the hot crust. Drizzle caramel sauce over the apples.
07 - Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over the top.
08 - Bake for 28-32 minutes or until the topping is light golden brown and apples are tender.
09 - Let cool completely in the pan, then lift out using parchment and cut into bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of tender shortbread and spiced apples creates the most incredible texture contrast
  • These bars strike that perfect balance between homey comfort and something special enough for company
  • They actually taste better the next day, making them ideal for make ahead situations
02 -
  • Hot butter is the enemy of good shortbread, so keep those cubes cold until the moment they hit the flour
  • The apples shrink significantly as they bake, so do not be afraid to pile them high
  • Letting these cool completely is not optional, the caramel needs time to set or you will have a messy situation
03 -
  • Chill the lined pan for 10 minutes before pressing in the crust for extra clean edges
  • If your caramel sauce is too thick, warm it for 10 seconds to make it drizzle friendly
  • A sharp knife dipped in hot water will cut through the caramel layer without dragging

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