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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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://kitchenbyclara.com/salted-caramel-apple-pie-bars-recipe/