Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars Recipe

Introduction

These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars combine tender apple slices with a rich caramel sauce and a buttery shortbread crust. Perfect for fall gatherings or any time you crave a comforting treat with a delightful balance of sweetness and spice.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh apple cider
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup prune puree
• 5 tablespoons salted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free cup-for-cup all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 3 large apples (a blend of Granny Smith and Pink Lady), peeled and thinly sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or gluten-free cup-for-cup all-purpose flour)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free cup-for-cup all-purpose flour)
• 1/8 cup almond flour
• 1 large orange, zest removed
• 1/4 cup salted butter, cold and cubed
• 1/3 cup apple cider caramel sauce (for drizzling over baked bars, or store-bought)

Instructions

1. Step 1: To make the apple cider caramel sauce, add the apple cider to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Step 2: Boil for about 20 minutes until the cider reduces to roughly 1/3 cup (80 ml) of liquid.
3. Step 3: Lower heat to low and stir in brown sugar, prune puree, salted butter, heavy cream, and cinnamon. Once combined, raise heat to medium-high.
4. Step 4: Cook for 6–8 minutes until the caramel thickens.
5. Step 5: Remove from heat, add vanilla bean paste and sea salt, then stir. Set aside to cool; the caramel will thicken as it cools.
6. Step 6: Preheat oven to 300℉ (150℃). Line a 9×5-inch Pullman loaf pan or standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
7. Step 7: In a bowl, mix melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Stir in flours until dough forms a soft cookie dough texture. Add almond flour by tablespoons if too wet.
8. Step 8: Press dough evenly into the pan and poke holes with a fork. Par-bake for 20 minutes, then increase oven temperature to 350℉ (180℃).
9. Step 9: Combine sliced apples with flour, sugar, cinnamon, and ginger in a large bowl. Toss until coated and set aside.
10. Step 10: In a small bowl, whisk almonds, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, flours, and orange zest. Cut in cold butter cubes until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.
11. Step 11: Layer the apple slices evenly over the warm crust, filling gaps with smaller pieces.
12. Step 12: Sprinkle the streusel evenly on top of the apples.
13. Step 13: Bake for 30–35 minutes until the streusel is golden brown.
14. Step 14: Cool bars at room temperature for 20–30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight to set.
15. Step 15: For clean slices, chill bars 1–2 hours. Make one lengthwise cut down the middle, then five crosswise even cuts for 12 bars.
16. Step 16: Wipe your knife between cuts for neat edges. Drizzle bars with 1/3 cup apple cider caramel sauce before serving.

Tips & Variations

• Use a mix of tart Granny Smith and sweet Pink Lady apples for balanced flavor and texture.
• The caramel sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge.
• For gluten-free bars, substitute all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.
• Store extra caramel sauce in an airtight container and gently reheat before serving.

Storage

Store the apple pie bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To serve warm, reheat individual bars gently in the microwave for 15–20 seconds. Bars can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use store-bought caramel sauce instead of making my own?

Yes, store-bought apple cider caramel sauce works well for drizzling and saves time. However, homemade sauce offers a richer, fresher flavor.

How do I prevent the crust from becoming soggy?

Par-baking the crust before adding the apples helps prevent sogginess by creating a firm base that holds the filling. Also, chilling the bars before slicing helps them set properly.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars Recipe

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4.8 from 453 reviews

These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars combine a tender shortbread crust with a spiced apple filling, topped with a citrus-laced almond-oat streusel and drizzled with homemade rich apple cider caramel sauce. Perfectly layered and baked to golden perfection, these bars deliver classic autumn flavors in convenient, sliceable form. Ideal for gatherings or cozy desserts, they offer a buttery, fruity, and caramelized treat that transports traditional apple pie into a handheld delight.

• Author: Clara
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes plus chilling time
• Yield: 12 bars 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

• 2 cups fresh apple cider
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup prune puree
• 5 TBSP salted butter
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1 pinch sea salt

Shortbread Crust

• 1/2 cup salted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free cup-for-cup all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 cup almond flour

Apple Filling

• 3 large apples (a blend of Granny Smith and Pink Lady), peeled and thinly sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 2 TBSP all-purpose flour (or gluten-free cup-for-cup all-purpose flour)
• 2 TBSP granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger

Citrus-Laced Streusel Topping

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free cup-for-cup all-purpose flour)
• 1/8 cup almond flour
• Zest of 1 large orange
• 1/4 cup salted butter, cold and cubed

For Serving

• 1/3 cup apple cider caramel sauce (for drizzling over baked bars, homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

1. Make the Apple Cider Caramel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring 2 cups of fresh apple cider to a boil. Boil for approximately 20 minutes until reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 ml). Reduce heat to low, stir in brown sugar, prune puree, salted butter, heavy cream, and cinnamon. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 6-8 minutes until caramel thickens. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla bean paste and sea salt. Set aside to cool. The sauce will thicken further upon cooling and can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.
2. Prepare the Shortbread Crust: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 9×5-inch Pullman loaf pan or standard loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add all-purpose and almond flours, stirring until mixture resembles soft cookie dough. If too wet, add more almond flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Press dough evenly into the pan, poke holes with a fork, and par-bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and increase temperature to 350°F (180°C).
3. Make the Apple Filling: In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and ginger until completely coated. Set aside.
4. Make the Citrus-Laced Streusel: In a small bowl, whisk almonds, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, both flours, and orange zest. Cut in cold cubed butter using a fork or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
5. Assemble and Bake: Spread the apple mixture evenly and tightly over the warm par-baked crust. Fill gaps with smaller apple pieces. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apples. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-35 minutes until streusel is golden brown.
6. Cool and Chill: Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight to fully set before slicing.
7. Slice the Bars: Chill bars thoroughly for 1-2 hours if needed to firm up. Make one lengthwise cut down the middle, then make five evenly spaced crosswise cuts to produce 12 uniform bars. Clean your knife between cuts for neat edges.
8. Serve: Drizzle each bar with about 1/3 cup of the prepared apple cider caramel sauce. The sauce will set as bars cool. Serve bars cold, at room temperature, or warmed as desired.

Notes

• The prune puree used in the caramel sauce helps thicken and add richness; full recipe or substitute options can be found below the original recipe.
• You can prepare the caramel sauce up to 3 days in advance and store it refrigerated tightly covered.
• Extra caramel sauce is perfect for drizzling over ice cream, pancakes, or oatmeal.
• Use a Pullman pan for straight-edged bars, or a standard loaf pan for tapered edges and a slightly thicker crust.
• For the almond and all-purpose flours, you can substitute with gluten-free cup-for-cup flour if needed.
• Wiping the knife clean between slices keeps the bars looking professional and prevents fillings from sticking.
• Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.

Keywords: apple pie bars, salted caramel bars, autumn dessert, caramel apple recipe, shortbread crust dessert, streusel topping, homemade caramel sauce