Caramel Apple Crumb Bars (Print Version)
Buttery shortbread crust topped with spiced apples, rich caramel, and sweet crumble. A classic autumn dessert ready in just over an hour.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust and Crumb
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→ Apple Filling
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→ Caramel Layer
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# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add cold butter and cut in using a pastry cutter or fingers until crumbly. Stir in vanilla extract.
03 - Reserve 1 1/2 cups of mixture for topping. Press remaining dough evenly into pan bottom to form crust.
04 - Bake crust for 12 minutes, then remove from oven.
05 - Toss apple slices with lemon juice. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon, tossing to coat evenly.
06 - Spread apple mixture evenly over hot crust. Drizzle caramel sauce over apples.
07 - Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture evenly over top.
08 - Bake for 28-32 minutes until topping is light golden brown and apples are tender.
09 - Let cool completely in pan. Lift out using parchment and cut into bars.
# Expert Tips:
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- The shortbread crust gets impossibly tender while still holding everything together beautifully
- That caramel layer creates these incredible gooey pockets that surprise you with every bite
- They actually taste better the next day, making them perfect for make ahead dessert situations
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- Hot caramel will slide right off cold apples, so layer everything while the crust is still warm from the oven
- Letting these cool completely is torture but necessary, otherwise theyll fall apart when you cut them
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- If your butter starts getting too soft while making the crust, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes
- Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts for the neatest squares