Indulge in the ultimate fall dessert with these exquisite Caramel Apple Streusel Bars. They capture all the comforting flavors of a classic apple pie but demand only a fraction of the effort, making them the perfect treat for any occasion. Imagine crisp, tender apples nestled on a buttery shortbread crust, crowned with a irresistible crumbly streusel topping, and finished with a decadent caramel drizzle. These delightful bars are not just a dessert; they’re an experience, promising to become a cherished addition to your seasonal baking repertoire.
As the leaves begin to turn and the crisp autumn air signals the arrival of apple season, a craving for warm, spiced apple desserts often emerges. That’s precisely when these stunning Apple Pie Bars, generously drizzled with rich caramel, will sweep you off your feet. Forget the fuss of traditional pies; these bars offer all the autumnal charm and deliciousness in an accessible, crowd-pleasing format. They’re ideal for potlucks, family gatherings, or simply a cozy evening at home with a cup of coffee.
Why You Must Bake These Caramel Apple Streusel Bars
These aren’t just any dessert bars; they’re a celebration of autumn’s bounty and the simple joys of home baking. Here’s why these Caramel Apple Streusel Bars are an absolute must-make:
- A Quintessential Fall Treat: These bars perfectly encapsulate the essence of autumn. Combining the crisp, sweet-tartness of fresh apples with the rich, buttery notes of caramel, and the comforting texture of streusel, they embody everything wonderful about fall baking. They’re fantastic for holiday parties, school events, or as a cozy dessert after a family meal.
- Easier Than Traditional Apple Pie: If the thought of rolling out pie crusts gives you pause, these bars are your culinary salvation. They deliver the glorious taste of sweet baked apples on a simple, press-in shortbread crust, eliminating the more time-consuming steps of a classic pie. You get all the comfort and flavor with significantly less effort, making them a go-to recipe when you’re short on time but craving homemade goodness.
- Irresistible Crumb Topping: Who could ever say no to a generous crumb topping? The streusel layer adds a delightful textural contrast to the soft apple filling and tender crust. Made with oats, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon, it bakes to a golden perfection, offering a slight crunch that complements the gooey apples and creamy caramel beautifully. It’s the crowning glory that makes these bars truly special.
I’ve confessed my profound weakness for caramel desserts before, and my affection for apple treats runs just as deep. From rustic pies and comforting crisps to delightful apple bars, these fruity confections tempt my sweet tooth more powerfully than any chocolate creation. Exploring and preparing each of these 25 All-American Apple Desserts sounds like an absolute dream come true for me!
Expert Tips for Perfect Caramel Apple Streusel Bars
Achieving bakery-quality results with these Caramel Apple Streusel Bars is simpler than you might think. Here are some invaluable tips to ensure your bars turn out perfectly every time. I particularly love the simplicity of pressing a shortbread crust into a baking pan compared to the often-fussy process of rolling out traditional pie dough. If you’re yearning for pie but want to avoid the rolling pin, these bars are your ideal solution – truly “easy as pie”!
- Achieving the Perfect Crust: After mixing your shortbread crust dough, press it firmly and evenly into your prepared baking pan. For a professional, level finish, use the flat bottom of a measuring cup or a glass to press the dough down. This ensures consistent thickness across the entire base, leading to uniform baking and a perfectly golden-brown crust.
- Layering Your Apples: Once the crust is pre-baked, arrange your apple slices—which should be lightly tossed with sugar, a touch of flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg—in neat, slightly overlapping rows. This method not only looks appealing but also helps the apples cook evenly and creates beautiful layers in each bar. Aim for about four rows in an 8×8 inch pan for optimal apple distribution.
- Selecting the Best Baking Apples: The choice of apple significantly impacts the final taste and texture. “Pie” apples, those that hold their shape and flavor well during baking, are key. Granny Smith apples are a perpetually safe and excellent choice due to their firm texture and tartness, which balances the sweetness of the other ingredients. However, for a more complex and nuanced flavor profile, consider using two different varieties, such as a mix of Granny Smith with Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or even a Northern Spy. This blend adds depth and interest to your apple filling.
- Crafting the Ideal Streusel Topping: When preparing the streusel topping made with old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, and butter, don’t be shy about getting your hands involved! Instead of simply sprinkling, I recommend pinching bits of the streusel between your fingers. This creates delightful, chunkier pieces that bake into golden pockets of buttery crispness, adding wonderful texture to every bite.
- Ensuring Apples Are Tender: This is a crucial step! Bake your apple pie bars until the apples are undeniably tender. To check for doneness, carefully insert the tip of a sharp knife into a few apple slices. If the knife slides in easily with minimal resistance, your apples are perfectly cooked and ready. Avoid underbaking, as crunchy apples can detract from the overall experience.
- The Grand Finale – Caramel Drizzle: Before serving these incredibly delicious Caramel Apple Streusel Bars, elevate them further with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce. Whether you opt for a high-quality store-bought caramel or a luscious homemade version, the warm, gooey caramel adds another layer of indulgence and visual appeal. Gently warming the caramel sauce beforehand will make it easier to drizzle beautifully.
- Perfect Slicing Techniques: For clean, professional-looking bars, allow them to cool completely at room temperature, then chill them in the refrigerator for at least two hours (or longer). The firm, chilled bars will cut much more easily and cleanly. For more detailed advice on achieving pristine cuts, you might find my post on How to Cut the Perfect Bar Cookies incredibly helpful!
How to Make Caramel Apple Crisp Bars: A Simple Overview
Crafting these delectable bars involves a few straightforward steps, ensuring a delicious outcome without complexity:
- Preheat your oven and meticulously prepare your baking pan to prevent sticking.
- Prepare the buttery crust mixture and press it evenly into the bottom of the pan, then bake until lightly golden.
- While the crust bakes, combine your thinly sliced apples with their spiced coating.
- In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the delightful streusel crumb topping.
- Once the crust is ready, layer the seasoned apples evenly on top, followed by a generous sprinkle of the prepared streusel.
- Bake the bars until the streusel is beautifully browned and the apples are tender to the core.
- Allow the bars to cool completely, then chill them to ensure effortless, clean slicing. Finally, serve each bar with a generous drizzle of luscious caramel sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions About Caramel Apple Streusel Bars
For these Caramel Apple Streusel Bars, you need apples that can withstand baking temperatures without turning to mush, yet soften beautifully. Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Honeycrisp are fantastic and widely available choices. Granny Smiths offer a lovely tartness that cuts through the sweetness, while Golden Delicious and Honeycrisp provide a sweeter, crisper bite. For the best depth of flavor, I always recommend using a combination of two varieties.
Other excellent baking apples include Northern Spy (a personal favorite for pies due to its balanced flavor and texture!), Pink Lady, Braeburn, Mutsu, Winesap, and Jonagold. Each offers unique characteristics that can enhance your dessert.
To maintain their freshness and prevent the bars from spoiling, especially given their moist apple filling, it’s best to store them in the refrigerator. While they can sit at room temperature for a day or two, refrigeration extends their shelf life significantly. Properly stored in an airtight container, they will keep well for up to 5 days. For the best flavor and texture, simply bring them to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving, or gently warm them if you prefer.
Absolutely! These apple bars freeze wonderfully, making them perfect for meal prepping desserts or enjoying a taste of fall long after the season ends. To freeze, ensure they are completely cooled, then wrap individual bars or entire portions tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. They will stay fresh in the freezer for up to a month. When you’re ready to enjoy them, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature. For a warm treat, you can gently reheat them in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 10-15 minutes.
Making traditional caramel sauce from scratch can be a bit challenging and often requires a candy thermometer to ensure it reaches the correct temperature and consistency. It typically involves carefully melting granulated sugar until it caramelizes, then gradually incorporating butter, cream, and vanilla. It’s a rewarding process, but requires attention and practice.
However, since discovering the magic of Microwave Caramel Sauce, I rarely revert to the old-fashioned technique. This modern method is incredibly convenient and significantly faster, often taking less than 10 minutes from start to finish. While a trial run might be helpful to determine the exact timing for your specific microwave, it’s a wonderfully easy way to achieve a rich, buttery caramel that rivals any stovetop version.
You May Also Like: Other Apple and Caramel Desserts
If you’re a fan of these Caramel Apple Streusel Bars, you’ll surely love these other delightful apple and caramel-inspired treats:
- Dutch Apple Pie from Brown Eyed Baker
- Classic Apple Pie
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Caramel Streusel Bars
- Slow Cooker Apple Monkey Bread
- Traditional Apple Cobbler
- More Bar Cookie Recipes
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Caramel Apple Streusel Bars Recipe
30 minutes
50 minutes
1 hour 20 minutes
16 bars
These Caramel Apple Streusel Bars deliver the delectable taste of apple pie in an easy-to-make bar form, perfect for fall gatherings. Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flour
For the filling:
- 2 large baking/pie apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced, about ¼-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- A few grates of fresh nutmeg (a pinch of ground nutmeg may be substituted)
For the topping:
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
- Homemade or jarred caramel sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300ºF (150ºC). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with non-stick foil (or line with regular foil and spray with non-stick baking spray). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until well combined. Add the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.
- While the crust is baking, combine the thinly sliced apples, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and a few grates of fresh nutmeg in a separate bowl. Gently toss to coat the apples evenly. Set aside.
- In another bowl, prepare the streusel topping by mixing the old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ cup flour together.
- Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Remove the crust from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350ºF (175ºC). Evenly layer the spiced apples over the warm crust (I typically arrange them in 4 neat rows of slightly overlapping slices).
- Generously crumble the prepared streusel topping over the apples.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and the apples are tender when poked with a knife.
- Allow the bars to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up. Once chilled, use the foil to lift the bars from the pan and cut them into 16 squares. Drizzle generously with warm caramel sauce before serving.
Notes
Granny Smith apples are an excellent baking apple choice, readily available year-round. Their tartness beautifully balances the sweetness of the caramel and streusel, while their firm texture holds up well during baking.
Recommended Products
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- Nonstick Foil
- Santoku Knife
- OXO Cutting Board
- OXO Vegetable Peeler
- 8 x 8-inch Baking Pan
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 185Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 127mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 12gProtein: 2g
Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results.
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