Easy Caramel Apple Crumble Bars: The Best Fall Dessert
These easy caramel apple crumble bars are the ultimate fall dessert—a buttery shortbread base, soft spiced apples, crunchy oat topping, and a ribbon of homemade caramel. They come together in under 20 minutes of active work and are perfect for weeknight cravings or holiday gatherings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 minutes (including cooling)
- Yield: 12-16 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (135g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 medium (about 600g) apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn), peeled, cored, and diced into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (about 20–25 unwrapped caramels) soft caramel candies
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.
- Make the crumble mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Set aside 1 ½ cups of this mixture for the topping.
- Press the base: Dump the remaining crumble mixture into the prepared pan. Press it down firmly and evenly. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the apples: In a medium bowl, toss diced apples with granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly coated.
- Make the caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over low heat, combine caramel candies and heavy cream. Stir constantly until completely melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Layer the filling: Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust. Drizzle the melted caramel over the apples.
- Add the topping: Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the apples and caramel. Do not press down.
- Bake: Place pan on the middle rack and bake for 35-40 minutes, until topping is golden brown and apple filling is bubbly around the edges.
- Cool completely: Let bars cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before cutting.
- Cut and serve: Use parchment overhang to lift the entire block out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and slice into 12-16 bars using a sharp knife, wiping clean between cuts.
Notes
Keep butter and apples cold for best texture. Don’t skip the cornstarch—it prevents a runny filling. Let bars cool completely before cutting to avoid the filling running. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats. For dairy-free, use cold coconut oil instead of butter and full-fat coconut cream instead of heavy cream. Bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (based on 16 s
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 180
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 48
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 4
Keywords: caramel apple crumble bars, apple dessert, fall dessert, easy apple bars, crumble bars, apple crumble, caramel apple