Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

by | Sep 30, 2020

CommonGround volunteer Crystal Klug shares a recipe for Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars with Pure Nebraska viewers.

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

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Ingredients
  

  • SHORTBREAD CRUST
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flour
  • APPLE FILLING
  • 2 large apples peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • STREUSEL
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour spoon & leveled
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter cold and cubed
  • Salted caramel sauce homemade or store bought for drizzling over the top of bars

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.
  • Make the crust: Stir the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling and streusel.
  • Make the apple filling: Combine the sliced apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
  • Make the streusel: Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
  • Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F. Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple layer with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold.
  • This recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9×13 pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes and cool completely as directed in this recipe.
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