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Caramel Apple Streusel Bars

Caramel apple streusel bars with a soft shortbread base, spiced diced apples, and a golden oat streusel. Baked until the topping turns crisp and the apples soften into a jammy filling.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Caramel apple streusel bars
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 0.75 cup cold butter, cubed Keep butter cold for a crumbly streusel.
  • 1 egg
  • 4 apples, diced
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 cup caramel sauce
  • 0.5 cup old-fashioned oats

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the crumb base
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly prepare a 9x9-inch pan for easy release or lining.
  2. Mix the flour, sugar, cold cubed butter, and egg until crumbly, with no large dry pockets.
  3. Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the 9x9-inch pan, pressing firmly into an even layer.
Fill and top
  1. Toss the diced apples with cinnamon and caramel until glossy and evenly coated.
  2. Spread the spiced caramel apples over the pressed base in an even layer.
  3. Mix the oats into the remaining crumbs, then sprinkle the oat-crumb streusel evenly over the apples and lightly press so it adheres.
Bake
  1. Bake for 40 minutes at 350°F until the streusel is golden and the center looks set around the edges.
  2. Cool bars in the pan until warm to the touch so the caramel thickens and the layers hold together.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the butter cold (and handle the dough briefly) so the topping bakes into a true crumbly streusel. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; rewarm briefly if you like. Freezing is yes—freeze cut bars in an airtight container up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use reduced-sugar caramel sauce to lower added sugar without changing the bake time.