Try these Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars for a delicious fall or Thanksgiving dessert! These caramel apple pie bars are made with granny smith apples, brown sugar cinnamon oat streusel topping, and drizzled with easy homemade caramel sauce.
Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Today I’m so excited to be sharing the recipe for my Homemade Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars, and trust me when I say you’ll want to make these delicious and easy caramel apple bars ASAP.
These delicious salted caramel apple pie bars are just like homemade apple pie except even easier to make!
And because they’re in bar form, they’re great for serving at parties, family gatherings, and at Thanksgiving.
More Delicious Fall Desserts:
Homemade Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Whenever the fall baking season rolls around, there’s a few flavors I just can’t resist.
This includes pumpkin spice, white chocolate-cranberry, and my absolute favorite – caramel apple.
And looking at these tantalizing photos right now sure makes me want to whip up another batch of these delicious salted caramel apple bars.
The slightly tart granny smith apples, brown sugar cinnamon oat streusel, and the sweet/salty flavor of the salted caramel taste so yummy together, and I love the fact that these homemade caramel apple pie bars are so easy to make.
And trust me, they will taste 10,000x better than any store-bought or pre-made apple pie.
Reasons You’ll Love Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars:
These apple bars are so decadent, delicious, and full of flavor. Here’s just a few reasons you’ll love them!
The Delicious Flavor:
These apple pie bars feature a made-from-scratch buttery shortbread crust, a sweet and tart apple pie filling with granny smith apples, a cinnamon and brown sugar oat streusel topping, and an easy homemade salted caramel sauce.
Easier Than Apple Pie:
I’ll be the first to say it – making a homemade apple pie is not the easiest thing in the world, and it can also be quite time-consuming.
That’s where these salted caramel apple bars come to save the day!
They’re easy to make with basic ingredients and simple for even beginner bakers to prepare.
Great For Gatherings:
This recipe makes the perfect amount of apple bars for sharing with family and friends, or you can easily double the recipe for a larger gathering for the holidays.
They’re also a total crowd-pleaser and you’ll for sure receive recipe requests!
Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars Recipe – 4 Delicious Layers
These easy caramel apple pie bars come together quick and consist of 4 delicious layers including a simple shortbread crust, a cinnamon apple pie filling, a brown sugar cinnamon oat streusel topping, and the star of the show- homemade salted caramel sauce.
Below, I’ve outlined each layer and included some helpful tips and tricks!
Shortbread Crust
Instead of a traditional pie crust, these apple pie bars are made with a delicious and simple shortbread crust.
I highly recommend using a food processor or blender for this step, if you have one.
You simply add all your ingredients in, and pulse a few times until you have a perfect, buttery, crumbly crust.
Apple Pie Bar Filling
Forget canned apple pie filling!
You only need 2 apples (I used granny smith), sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg to make your own delicious apple pie filling and it is so quick and easy to mix together.
Save time with this amazing apple peeler.
Cinnamon Oat Streusel Topping
Apples are always made better with a brown sugar and cinnamon streusel topping, and this one also uses old-fashioned oats to add a delicious texture.
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
Again, we’re going all homemade on this one and my delicious salted caramel sauce is a breeze to make!
4 simple ingredients and 15 minutes time are all you need!
Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars FAQs
What are the best apples for caramel apple pie bars?
Whenever I make apple desserts, I always like to use 2 different apple varieties such as granny smith and honey crisp for a balanced sweet and tart flavor.
However, in the case of these salted caramel apple pie bars, I prefer/recommend using all granny smith apples.
The tartness from the granny smith apples perfectly balances out the sweet caramel for an absolutely delicious flavor. They are also a firm apple so they will retain their shape when baked.
Here’s a list of the best baking apples for apple pie bars:
- Tart apples: Granny Smith, Braeburn, Jonathan
- Sweet apples: Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious
Can I use store bought caramel sauce?
Yes, if you want to skip making your own caramel sauce, you can use store-bought, but it’s SO easy and delicious to make yourself, I’d highly recommend giving mine a try!
Do I need to peel the apples?
It’s really up to your personal preference, but I personally do peel them.
How do I store salted caramel apple pie bars?
Store leftover caramel apple pie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze apple pie bars?
Yes! Let the bars cool completely, wrap individually with plastic wrap, and place in a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months total.
Once ready to eat, thaw in the fridge overnight and re-heat in the microwave, if desired.
Variations/Topping Ideas:
- Add some nuts – If desired, you can add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the crumble topping.
- Serve with ice cream – These bars are decadent and delicious as is, but they’re AMAZING alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
How to Make Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Tools Needed for Apple Pie Bars:
- Food Processor
- Apple Peeler
- 7×11 Glass Baking Dish with Lid
- Mixing Bowls
- Rubber Spatula
- Whisk
- Large Pot
- Wooden Spoons
- Cooling Rack
Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Try these Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars for a delicious fall or Thanksgiving dessert! These caramel apple pie bars are made with granny smith apples, brown sugar cinnamon oat streusel topping, and drizzled with easy homemade caramel sauce.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12-16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
Apple Pie Bars Filling
- 2 apples (I used granny smith)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
Oat Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Instructions
- First preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 7×11 pan or 8×8 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Next, make the shortbread crust by adding the flour, brown sugar, and butter to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes a crumbly dough. If you don’t have a processor, use a large mixing bowl and electric mixer and mix together until the crust comes together.
- Add the dough into the prepared pan and gently press evenly (ensuring there are no holes) to reach all edges to form your crust. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, prepare your apple pie bar filling and streusel topping.
- Core, peel, and slice your apples into small slices. Place the sliced apples in a bowl and coat in the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well coated.
- For the streusel topping, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a mixing bowl.
- Next, add in cubed butter and incorporate using a pastry blender, two forks, or your hands (my preferred method) until the mixture is like coarse crumbs.
- Once crust has baked for 15 minutes, top with the apple mixture until all the crust is covered. Sprinkle evenly with the oat streusel topping and place in the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is a light golden brown.
- While the apple pie bars are baking, prepare your homemade salted caramel sauce.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar, salt, and water. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and stir for 5 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Next, increase heat to medium-high and continue to cook without stirring for 6-7 minutes. The sugar will caramelize and become a deep golden color (almost copper looking).
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the heavy whipping cream and butter. The mixture may bubble up in this step, so be careful.
- Allow the caramel to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove apple pie bars from oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack. Once caramel has cooled for 10-15 minutes, drizzle the top of the apple bars with the homemade salted caramel sauce and let it set up completely before slicing and serving.
- If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
Store leftover caramel apple pie bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Bars can be thawed in the fridge and reheated if desired.
Any leftover caramel sauce can be stored in a glass jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. To reheat, simply place in the microwave and warm for 30 seconds at a time.
Keywords: salted caramel apple pie bars, apple pie bars, caramel apple pie bars, apple bars, apple crumble bars, easy apple pie bars, apple pie bars with streusel topping, caramel apple bars, easy apple bars
More Apple Desserts:
- Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake
- Easy Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake
- Best Fried Apple Pies
- Peanut Butter Apple Pie
- Apple Peanut Butter French Toast Roll-Ups
Who’s ready to make a batch of these Easy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars? Do you love caramel apple flavored things too? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for stopping by! – Cara
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I followed the recipe for the caramel sauce & it didn’t caramelize . What am I doing wrong?
Hi Jennifer! Most of the time if a caramel sauce isn’t turning out right, it’s because it wasn’t cooked for the full time. Make sure you bring the mixture to a simmer for a full 5 minutes (with stirring), then increase the heat and don’t stir for 6-7 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the mixture turns a deep gold/copper penny color. Once it’s turned in color, remove from heat and immediately add in your heavy whipping cream and butter. It should be a drizzle consistency once combined, and then you will need to let it cool for 10-15 minutes. I hope that helps and you’ll give it another try!
Thank you! I will definitely try again!
Would a 9 x13 pan work. Should I double the recipe.
Yes, I would double the recipe if doing it in a 9×13 pan. Hope you enjoy it!