Description
Salted caramel apple pie bars bring classic American dessert flavors into a convenient handheld treat. Buttery shortbread crusts cradle spiced apple filling and rich caramel, offering you a perfect balance of sweet and salty in each delightful bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 large apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
Base and Sweetener Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Spices and Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
- Create a buttery shortbread crust by mixing flour, sugar, and salt, then incorporate cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly into the prepared pan and bake for 15-18 minutes until lightly golden.
- While the crust bakes, prepare the apple filling by peeling and slicing apples into uniform thin wedges. Toss with ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and granulated sugar to ensure even coating and maximum flavor infusion.
- Sauté the seasoned apple slices in a skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, allowing them to soften and caramelize slightly without becoming mushy.
- Spread the warm apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust, ensuring complete and uniform coverage.
- Drizzle homemade or store-bought caramel sauce generously across the apple layer, creating beautiful golden swirls.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt over the caramel to enhance the sweet-savory flavor profile.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the edges turn golden brown and the caramel becomes bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let cool completely at room temperature for at least 2 hours to allow the bars to set properly.
- Use parchment paper handles to lift the dessert out, then slice into neat rectangular bars for serving.
Notes
- Choose crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best flavor and texture in your bars.
- Ensure butter is cold when making the crust to achieve a flaky, tender base that crumbles perfectly.
- Toast the nuts lightly before adding to the crust for an extra layer of nutty depth and enhanced aroma.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with almond or oat flour, maintaining the same measurements in the recipe.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 22 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg