Salted Caramel Apple Crumb Bars

Ingredients

Crust and Crumble

3 3/4 Cups (18 3/4 ounces/532 grams) all-purpose flour

2 cups packed (14 ounces/397 grams) darl bown sugar

24 tablespoons (3 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

Filling

3 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

¼ inch thick

¹13 cup packed (2113ounces,

66 grams) dark brown sugar

1   tablespoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice

1   teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼  teaspoon table salt

¾ cup jarred caramel sauce, divided

For the crust and crumble:

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Make foil sling for 13x9 inch baking pan

by folding 2 long sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil, first sheet shouldbe 13" wide and second sheet should be

9" wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and sides of pan, smoothing foil to pan. Spray foil with vegetable oil spray.

Stir all ingredients in bowl until no dry spors remain and mixture forms clumps. Reserve one-third of flour mixture, about 2 cups, and refrigerate until ready to use (mixture will firm up as it chills).

Crumble remaining two-thirds of flour mixture erenly over bottom of prepared pan, Using

your hands, press dough into even thickness. Bake until pale golden bron-n 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer

pan to wire rack. Let crust cool for about 20 minutes.

For the filling:

Com­bine apples. sugar, lemon zest and juice cinnamon salt, and ½ cup caramel sauce in large bowl, then spread evenly over layer over crust. Crumble reserved refrigerated flour mixture evenly over the top. Bake until top is golden brown and crisp, 55 minutes to 1 hour and 5 minutes.

Let bars cool in pan on wire rack for 4 hours. Using sling, transfer bars to cutting board, Cut into 24 bars. Drizzle with 1/4 cup caramel sauce and sprinkle with flake sea sallt.

Description

This has to be the apple bar that surpasses all others. It is moist and delicious and the house smells wo .wonderful as it is baking.

Servings

24

Notes

The response to these was overwhelming. They were one of 13 bars and cookies that I made for a holiday. They all got raves but these got so much praise. They are most and delicious. I did serve them in paper cups as they are so moist. It is suggest that you don't use caramel sauce in a squeeze bottle as they tend to be loose.

Source

Cook's County October/November 2025