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Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Bars

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These salted caramel apple crumble bars are a quick and easy autumn dessert featuring a buttery crumble topping, gooey salted caramel, and tart apples. Perfect for cozy gatherings or a comforting treat on chilly days.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g) packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • About 4 medium apples (600 g), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp recommended)
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (120 ml) salted caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving some hangover on the sides for easy lifting.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits. Reserve about 1 ½ cups (180 g) of this mixture for the topping, and press the rest evenly into the bottom of your pan to form the base.
  3. Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crumb base.
  4. Drizzle the salted caramel sauce evenly over the apples. If the caramel is thick, warm it slightly so it spreads easily but doesn’t soak the apples too much.
  5. Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the caramel-covered apples. Do not press down; keep it loose and crumbly.
  6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are bubbling. The edges should be set and the kitchen filled with a warm, buttery aroma.
  7. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour) before slicing into squares to help the layers set and hold together.

Notes

Keep the butter cold to ensure a flaky, crumbly topping. Slice apples thin and evenly for uniform cooking. Avoid overloading caramel to prevent sogginess. Check bake time carefully to avoid burning. Let bars cool fully before slicing for best texture. Bars can be served slightly warm but slice better when cooled.

Nutrition

Keywords: salted caramel, apple crumble bars, autumn dessert, easy dessert, caramel apple bars, crumble topping, fall recipe

Find it online: https://cheerycrisp.com/salted-caramel-apple-crumble-bars-easy-recipe-for-perfect-autumn-dessert/