These caramel apple bars are basically apple crumble you can hold in your hand. A buttery oat crust on the bottom, soft cinnamon apples and caramel in the middle, and more crumble on top. One bowl does the crust and the topping, so cleanup is easy.
They’re all over Pinterest this October, and I get why. They travel well, they slice clean once chilled, and they taste like the fair without the sticky stick.
Quick Facts
- Total time: 3 hours 35 minutes (55 minutes hands-on and baking, plus cooling)
- Makes: 16 bars (9×13-inch pan)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Make ahead: Yes, up to 2 days
RECIPE
Caramel Apple Bars with Oatmeal Crumble
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour 250 g
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 180 g
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed, 213 g
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted, 226 g
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples about 1 1/2 lb / 680 g, peeled and diced 1/2 inch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar 25 g
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 8 g
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup thick caramel sauce 180 ml
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 16 g
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment, leaving some overhang to lift the bars out.
- Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted butter until it looks like damp, clumpy sand.
- Press about two-thirds of the mixture firmly into the pan. Bake 12 minutes, until just set and lightly golden at the edges.
- Meanwhile, toss the diced apples with lemon juice, sugar, flour and cinnamon.
- Spread the apples evenly over the warm crust.
- Whisk the caramel sauce with 2 tbsp flour until smooth. Drizzle it over the apples.
- Scatter the remaining crumble on top, squeezing some into small clumps.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden and the caramel bubbles at the edges.
- Cool in the pan for 1 1/2 hours, then chill at least 1 hour. Lift out and cut into 16 bars.
Notes
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!The 2 Tricks for Bars That Don’t Fall Apart
Pre-bake the bottom layer. Twelve minutes in the oven sets the crust so the apple juices don’t turn it soggy.
Thicken the caramel. Stir 2 tablespoons of flour into the caramel sauce before you drizzle it. Store-bought caramel is thin and runs to the edges of the pan. The flour keeps it gooey inside the bars.
Then be patient. Warm bars are delicious, but they crumble. Chill them for an hour and you get neat squares.
Best Apples for Caramel Apple Bars
Use Granny Smith apples. They’re tart enough to balance the caramel and they hold their shape. Honeycrisp works too if you like sweeter bars. Skip soft apples like McIntosh, which turn to mush.
Here’s a quick swap guide:
| Ingredient | Swap | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Granny Smith | Honeycrisp or Pink Lady | Sweeter, a little softer |
| Old-fashioned oats | Quick oats | Finer, less chewy crumble |
| Store-bought caramel | Homemade caramel sauce | Richer; still add the flour |
| Butter | Salted butter | Skip the added salt |
Love caramel and apples together? My 10-minute caramel apple dip is the no-bake version.
How to Store Caramel Apple Bars
Keep the bars covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. They also freeze well: wrap each bar, freeze up to 3 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
FAQ
Can I use apple pie filling instead of fresh apples? Yes. Use one 21 oz (595 g) can, chopped into smaller pieces. Skip the lemon, sugar and flour in the filling, since canned filling is already sweet and thick. You can also use my freezer apple pie filling.
Why are my bars crumbly? They were cut too warm. Let them cool completely, then chill 1 hour before slicing with a sharp knife.
Make Them This Week
Bake a pan for the weekend and watch it disappear. If you try them, leave a star rating and tell me which apples you used in the comments. Save the recipe to Pinterest, then check out more simple fall desserts.
