Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars: A Sweet and Savory Twist on a Classic Dessert
Apple pie has long been a symbol of comfort and tradition, a dessert that brings people together, evokes fond memories, and fills a home with the warm, inviting scent of cinnamon, apples, and buttery crust. However, there are times when you might crave the delicious flavors of apple pie without the hassle of making a full pie. Enter Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars—a simpler, quicker alternative to the classic that still delivers all the irresistible flavors, but in bar form. These bars combine the richness of shortbread crust, the warmth of cinnamon-spiced apples, and the indulgence of homemade salted caramel. They are a perfect treat for gatherings, potlucks, or just as a weeknight indulgence.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 12-16 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- Butter: The base of the crust is made with unsalted butter, which imparts a rich flavor and helps create that delightful shortbread texture.
- Granulated Sugar: Just the right amount of sugar adds sweetness to the crust without overwhelming the other flavors.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a fragrant, warm undertone that complements the apples and caramel.
- Flour: The all-purpose flour in the crust binds everything together and gives it structure.
- Salt: A pinch of salt helps balance the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor profile.
Apple Filling
- Apples: A mix of tart and sweet apples is ideal for this filling. Granny Smith apples bring a tartness that cuts through the sweetness, while Pink Lady apples or Honeycrisp add natural sweetness and complexity.
- Flour: The flour thickens the filling, ensuring it’s not too runny once baked.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the apples.
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: These classic spices are essential in creating that warm, comforting apple pie flavor that we all know and love.
Streusel Topping
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats give the streusel a hearty texture and a touch of chewiness.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar contributes to the depth of flavor in the topping, adding caramel-like sweetness.
- Cinnamon: A dash of cinnamon in the streusel ties it all together with the warm spiced flavors.
- Flour: Flour helps bind the streusel ingredients together while maintaining a crumbly texture.
- Butter: Cold, cubed butter creates the perfect streusel texture, which should resemble coarse crumbs when mixed.
Salted Caramel
While store-bought caramel sauce can be used for convenience, making your own homemade salted caramel sauce is a simple way to take this dessert to the next level. The salted caramel provides a rich, indulgent finish to the bars, with the salt balancing the sweetness beautifully.
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan Begin by preheating your oven to 300°F (149°C). Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing the edges to overhang. This will make it easy to lift the bars out of the pan once they are baked and chilled. Set aside.
- Make the Shortbread Crust In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well until the mixture is smooth. Add the flour and stir until the dough just comes together. Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, until it’s just golden at the edges. This will create a firm foundation for your apple filling.
- Prepare the Apple Filling While the crust is baking, prepare the apple filling. In a large bowl, combine the thinly sliced apples with the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Toss gently to coat the apples evenly. Set aside while you make the streusel topping.
- Make the Streusel Topping In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Add the cold, cubed butter and use a pastry blender, two forks, or your hands to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Assemble the Bars Once the crust is done, increase the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Layer the apple filling evenly over the warm crust, pressing down gently to fit the apples into the pan. It may seem like there are too many apple slices, but don’t worry—this will bake down nicely. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake the Bars Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and the apples are tender. The filling should be bubbling, and the streusel should be crisp and crumbly.
- Cool and Chill Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. Then, place the pan in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight) to chill. This step is important as it allows the bars to set and makes them easier to cut into neat, perfect squares.
- Drizzle with Salted Caramel Once chilled, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into 12-16 bars, depending on your preferred size. Drizzle each bar with homemade or store-bought salted caramel sauce. The caramel should be gooey and just slightly warm, adding that perfect final touch to the dessert.
- Serve and Enjoy These bars are delicious when served warm, at room temperature, or chilled. They’re fantastic on their own, or you can pair them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra indulgent treat.
Notes
- Apple Variety: As mentioned, using a mix of tart and sweet apples is ideal. Granny Smith apples for tartness and Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, or Fuji apples for sweetness provide a balanced flavor that complements the spices in the filling.
- Homemade Salted Caramel: If you want to make your own salted caramel sauce, it’s quite easy. Simply melt sugar until golden, add butter and cream, then stir in sea salt to taste. Let it cool slightly before drizzling over the bars.
- Spices: Feel free to adjust the spices in the apple filling. If you prefer a spicier kick, add a pinch of ground ginger or cloves. A splash of vanilla extract can also be added to the filling for extra flavor.
- Make Ahead: These bars can be made a day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They actually get better after a day or two as the flavors continue to meld.
- Freezing: You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Just make sure they are fully cooled and wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container before freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.