These homemade Caramel Apple Granola Bars taste so much better than any bar you will find in the store.  They are easy to make, and they are so soft and chewy. Perfect for on the go breakfasts or after school snacks.

Granola bars are one of those snacks that are just easy to keep on hand.  Most of the time I make no bake granola bars for the kids to snack on during the week, but this week I pulled out an oldie, but goodie recipe.

It has actually been quite a while since I have made these baked granola bars. I had forgotten just how much I love these simple oatmeal bars.  They have a soft, chewy texture that gets me every single time.

Plus, they are so easy to customize with different ingredients. Pretty much anything you like can be added to them.

The very first time I made these baked oatmeal bars I did a sweet and salty flavor combo.  Potato chips and caramel bits added a great taste to these Caramel Oatmeal Bars. 

Over the years, I have had fun with that recipe and made some pretty delicious caramel granola bars.  These Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Granola Bars and these White Chocolate Caramel Granola Bars are two of my top favorites.

I had a few apples leftover after making these Apple Praline Donuts, so I decided to add them to a pan of apple cinnamon oatmeal bars for everyone to snack on. And of course, caramel had to be added too.

How to make Caramel Apple Granola Bars

You won’t believe just how easy it is to make this homemade granola bar recipe. Here is what you will need to do:

1. Pour all the wet ingredients together in a bowl and beat until mixed together.
2. Add the dry ingredients to the runny mixture. It will be very thick as you mix it. Keeping beating it until everything comes together.
3. Cut the apples into small bite-sized pieces.  You can peel the apples first, or keep it simple and leave them on.  Since you are dicing them small, the peels are ok in these bars.
4. Gently stir the diced apples and caramel bits into the dough and then press the batter into a pan. Rolos are also a great option if you cannot find the caramel baking bits.
5. Bake and cool. Do not over bake these homemade granola bars.  They can dry out really easily if you bake them too long.

Chocolate covered caramel apples are one of my favorite things to get when we visit Disney or Disney Springs.  So, to jazz up these caramel apple bars I added a drizzle of white chocolate and sprinkled them with coarse white sanding sugar.

It just adds a fun and pretty touch to these caramel apple oatmeal bars.  It’s not necessary, but it really does taste good.

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The best thing about these chewy oat bars is that you can customize them with what you have on hand or what you like.

Homemade Granola Bar variations:

• Use rolled oats instead of quick oats for a chewier, heartier granola bar.
• Change up the mix-ins. Feel free to use toffee bits, peanuts, raisins, or chopped up Rolos instead of the caramel bits.
• Want more apple flavor? Use 1/4 cup applesauce or apple butter in place of one egg.
• Need egg free recipes, use 1/2 cup applesauce or flax eggs instead.
• Add a boost of protein by stirring in 1-2 scoops of vanilla protein powder.
• Drizzle the granola bars with chocolate melts instead of white melts. Or skip the chocolate altogether.

More easy oatmeal bars:

If you loved this granola bar recipe, be sure to try a few of these other delicious options.

• No Bake Nutella S’mores Granola Bars
• Raspberry Hot Chocolate Granola Bars
• No Bake M&M Granola Bars
• Thin Mint Granola Bars
• Iced Gingerbread Oatmeal Bars

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Caramel Apple Granola Bars

Yield: 14 bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 22 minutes

Total Time: 32 minutes

These homemade Caramel Apple Granola Bars taste so much better than any bar you will find in the store.  They are easy to make, and they are so soft and chewy. Perfect for on the go breakfasts or after school snacks.

Print

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons apple pie spice + extra
• 1 cup finely diced apples
• 1 cup caramel bits
• 3/4 cup white chocolate melts
• 1 teaspoon coarse white sanding sugar, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.
2. Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and eggs and beat again.
3. Stir together the flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Slowly add it to the butter mixture. The dough will be very stiff.
4. Gently stir in the diced apples and caramel bits. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into 12 bars.
6. Melt the white melts according to the package directions.
7. Spoon into a plastic bag and cut one corner off. Drizzle over the bars. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar and apple pie spice immediately and let set. Store in a tightly sealed container.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 337Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 212mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 5g

Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.

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(original photo from September 2012)

*The post for Caramel Apple Granola Bars was first published September 19, 2012.  The photos and post were updated and republished September 18, 2020.