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Caramel apple crisp bars with oat crumble and caramel drizzle

Caramel Apple Crisp Bars

I layer tender cinnamon apples over a buttery oat crust, top them with a golden crumble, and finish these easy fall bars with caramel sauce.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 16 8
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Calories: 290
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crust and topping
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour 250 g
  • 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats 135 g
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar 150 g
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter melted (226 g)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Apple filling
  • 5 cups peeled thinly sliced firm apples (about 600 g)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 g
  • 1½ tablespoons cornstarch about 12 g
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • A pinch of salt
For serving
  • ⅓ cup thick caramel sauce about 80 ml

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides.
  2. Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla until crumbly.
  3. Set aside about 1½ cups of the mixture. Press the rest firmly into the pan. Bake for 12 minutes.
  4. Toss the apples with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and pinch of salt.
  5. Spread the apples over the warm crust. Scatter the reserved crumble mixture over the top.
  6. Bake for 38 to 42 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles around the edges.
  7. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Chill for about 1 hour for cleaner slices, if desired.
  8. Lift the bars out using the parchment. Cut into 16 squares and drizzle with caramel sauce before serving.

Notes

I use firm apples and slice them evenly. For the neatest bars, I let them cool completely before cutting. Nutrition is an estimate and will vary with the brands and exact ingredients used.
I chill the pan after it has cooled; the filling firms up and the bars are easier to cut cleanly.