Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars are the perfect fall treat. The easy crumble crust and topping with a homemade caramel apple pie filling will make your mouth water. They are so good you won't be able to stop eating them.

*This content is sponsored by Dixie Crystals Sugar. All opinions and ideas expressed are entirely my own.

We know that nothing beats a homemade apple pie, but sometimes you just do not want make a pie crust. These caramel apple pie bars have all the deliciousness of an apple pie without any of the hassle of rolling out dough.

Plus, the bar shape makes them so much easier to serve at holiday dinners or parties. Everyone is going to love this delicious twist on the classic dessert.

Why You Will Love Apple Pie Bars

These pie bars are made with real apples and an easy crumble crust and topping and then baked to perfection. The homemade caramel apple pie filling adds the perfect touch of sweetness to every bite, making these crumble bars irresistible!

Want to take this apple dessert to a whole new level? Serve it a la mode because vanilla bean ice cream and salted caramel drizzles make everything amazing.

Ingredients Needed

With just simple ingredients, this apple pie bar recipe that will be sure to become a family favorite in no time at all.

• Butter - We always use unsalted, so we can control the amount of salt. If you are using salted, adjust the amount of salt needed.
• Light Brown Sugar - Sweetens the crust and gives the pie filling a caramel flavor.
• Egg Yolk - Binds and holds the crust ingredients together.
• Vanilla Extract & Sea Salt - Adds flavor and balances the sweetness.
• Flour - Provides structure to the dough. Make sure to use the spoon and sweep method when you are measuring. We have a post on how to measure flour if you are unsure how to do this correctly.
• Oats - We like to use rolled oats because they are sturdier and help the crust hold together. Quick oats will work too if that's all you have.
• Apple Pie Spice - Gives the apple bars a delicious fall flavor.
• Apples - Unpeeled and chopped into bite sized pieces.
• Cornstarch - Helps to thicken the apple pie filling.

How to Make Caramel Apple Pie Bars

You can easily put together these apple bars in under an hour. The crust is an easy crumble topping that goes perfectly with the sweet apples and salted caramel filling. You won't believe how good they taste until you try them yourself!

Step One: Crust

1. Mix the softened butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until creamy. 
2. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix again.
3. Stir in the flour, oats, and apple pie spice until a soft dough forms.
4. Press ⅔ of the dough evenly in the bottom of a prepared 8x8 pan.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, then cool.

Step Two: Apple Pie Filling

1. Stir butter, chopped apples, coarse sea salt, and apple pie spice in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the apples soften and release their juices.
3. Pull the apples aside and stir the cornstarch into the juice. 
4. Stir everything together until the pie filling thickens. 
5. Remove from the heat and let cool while the crust cools.

Step Three: Crumble Topping

1. Spoon the caramel apple pie filling on the cooked crust.
2. Crumble the reserved streusel topping over the top evenly.
3. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for an hour.
4. Chill in the refrigerator at least 2 hours, so the bars and filling can firm up.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure you are using coarse sea salt in this recipe. Reduce the amount if you are using regular table salt, so the filling does not end up too salty.
• Add ½ cup of your favorite chopped nuts to the extra crumble topping. Pecans, walnuts, or almonds are great choices.
• Let the pie bars chill in the fridge for a few hours before cutting and serving. This will help the apple filling set up and the bars hold their shape.
• Drizzle the finished bars with caramel topping and sprinkle with a pinch of coarse sea salt for extra flavor.
• Serving a crowd? Double the recipe and bake it in a 9x13 pan.
• These pie bars are delicious served hot or cold. Try them with this easy whipped cream recipe or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

FAQ

More Apple Dessert Recipes

• Apple Cake Bars
• Apple Pie Parfait
• Easy Apple Cinnamon Rolls
• Apple Crisp Cheesecake
• Snickers Salad
• Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread
• Apple Bread Pudding

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*Dixie Crystals has sponsored this recipe and post.  All opinions expressed are 100% my own. Thank you for letting me share products and brands we use and love. See my disclosure policy for more information.*