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Salted Caramel Apple Crumb Bars Recipe

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4.2 from 6 reviews

These Salted Caramel Apple Crumb Bars combine tender, spiced apple filling with a buttery crumb topping and a luscious salted caramel drizzle. Perfectly balanced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, these bars make a delightful dessert or snack, especially when served warm with vanilla ice cream and extra caramel sauce.

  • Author: Emma
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 24 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Apple Filling

  • 5 cups peeled and diced apples (Granny Smith preferred)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ¾ cup Salted Caramel Sauce (can use store-bought)

Dough

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional for Serving

  • Vanilla ice cream
  • Extra salted caramel sauce

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking and set it aside.
  2. Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, place the peeled and diced apples and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning. Gently toss to coat. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Sprinkle this dry mixture over the apples and carefully combine everything ensuring the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
  3. Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly but still has small chunks of butter remaining. In a small bowl, mix the beaten egg with vanilla extract, then add this to the flour and butter mixture. Combine gently until just mixed; the dough will be crumbly.
  4. Assemble the Bars: Press half of the crumbly dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form the base crust. Evenly spread the apple filling over this crust layer. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce evenly over the apple mixture. Finally, crumble the remaining dough over the salted caramel and apple layer, and gently pat it down to cover the filling with a crumbly topping.
  5. Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is a beautiful golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
  6. Cool and Serve: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, cut into squares. Serve optionally with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of extra salted caramel sauce for an indulgent treat.

Notes

  • Granny Smith apples are recommended for their tartness and firmness which hold up well when baked.
  • The salted caramel sauce can be homemade or store-bought depending on convenience.
  • Be careful not to overmix the dough to maintain a crumbly texture.
  • Ensure the bars cool completely before cutting for cleaner slices.
  • For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a vegan butter alternative and use a vegan caramel sauce.

Find it online: https://allcookedup.com/salted-caramel-apple-crumb-bars-recipe/