Caramel apple crisp bars are loaded with fresh apples and full of warm cinnamon flavor! These bars have all the qualities of a traditional apple crisp, but with a bottom layer of crust as well!
Why you’re going to love these apple crisp bars:
Warm, cold, with ice cream, for breakfast, any way you eat them, they’re delicious! The oats combined with buttery crumbs inside the crisp mixture make this treat super satisfying and hard to stop eating!!! If you’re a fan of apple desserts, you’re going to go crazy for this one!
Ingredients you’ll need for homemade caramel apple crisp bars:
- Apples: peeled and sliced
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- All-purpose flour
For the crisp:
- Old fashioned oats: steel cut and quick oats will not work here!
- All-purpose flour
- Brown sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Baking soda
These caramel apple crisp bars are perfectly gooey on the inside from the baked apples, yet crunchy and sweet on the outside from the crisp topping and caramel drizzle. These bars truly are just as delicious as apple pie, just simpler to make!
How to make easy caramel apple crisp bars:
- Step 1: Set your oven to 375 degrees F and line a 9×9 or 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Step 2: Peel and slice your apples. Add them to a large mixing bowl with granulated sugar, cinnamon and 1 tbsp of flour. Set aside.
- Step 3: In another mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Mix to combine.
- Step 4: Melt a stick of butter in the microwave, then drizzle it into the oat mixture to create the crisp.
- Step 5: Reserve about 1 cup of the crisp and dump the rest into the bottom of your lined baking pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat-bottomed glass to press down the crust. Layer on the apples from earlier and top with the rest of the crisp.
- Step 6: Bake for 30 minutes, then let cool in the pan.
- Step 7: Slightly warm store-bought caramel (optional) and drizzle it on top of the bars before cutting them into squares. For a neat look, transfer the caramel to a Ziploc bag and snip off the corner before drizzling.
You know I’m all about simple recipes, and one of the best parts of this dessert is that you only need one bowl for the crust and topping mixture! By mixing up 2 layers, (the crisp and the cinnamon apples) you’ll be on your way to one of most comforting treats out there!
My top tips for the best apple crisp bars:
- Slice all your apples evenly! This ensures everything cooks in the same timeframe. You’ll want to slice all the apples thinly so that they softened and cook down into each other in 30 minutes.
- Reserve some of the crisp for topping. Don’t forget this step!!! Before forming the crust, you’ll want to reserve about 1 cup of the crisp mixture to sprinkle on top of the bars before baking.
- Use a measuring cup or flat-bottomed glass to press down the crust. I love using this trick to firmly pack down any loose crumbs to ensure the crust is sturdy and holds together.
- Let the bars cool completely before slicing. It’s very important to let the bars come to room temperature or else they won’t hold their shape. As the bars cool, the surface becomes crunchier, and the apples have a chance to suck up all their juices!
FAQ:
I like to use the same apples I snack on! The apples in the recipe don’t bake for very long so you shouldn’t have to worry about the softer varieties becoming too mushy.
The flour acts as a thickener for all the apple juices to prevent the bars from becoming soggy!
This is completely up to you! I like using the Marzetti brand of caramel dip, but it’s a little thick so I warm it up and transfer it to a bag to drizzle on top! Feel free to use homemade caramel sauce as well!
Yes! Follow the recipe as shown, just hold off on drizzling the caramel on top until you’re ready to serve!
If you’re looking for more apple desserts, try these out!
- https://dangthatssweet.com/cinnamon-swirl-apple-cake/
- https://dangthatssweet.com/classic-caramel-apples-with-nuts/
- https://dangthatssweet.com/apple-fritter-cake-with-cream-cheese-glaze/
Caramel Apple Crisp Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
For the apples:
- 6 cups apples peeled and sliced (about 4 large apples)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
For the crisp:
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 8 tbsp melted butter 1 stick
Instructions
- Set your oven to 375 degrees F and line a 8×8 or 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper.
- Peel and slice your apples. Add them to a large mixing bowl with granulated sugar, cinnamon and 1 tbsp of flour. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda. Mix to combine.
- Melt a stick of butter in the microwave, then drizzle it into the oat mixture to create the crisp.
- Reserve about 1 cup of the crisp and dump the rest into the bottom of your lined baking pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat-bottomed glass to press down the crust. Layer on the apples from earlier and top with the rest of the crisp.
- Bake for 30 minutes, then let cool in the pan.
- Slightly warm store-bought caramel (optional) and drizzle it on top of the bars before cutting them into squares. For a neat look, transfer the caramel to a Ziploc bag and snip off the corner before drizzling.
What kind of apples do you use for this recipe?
I am wondering if Honeycrisp apples would work for this crisp.
The recipe sounds really good!!
Hi Colleen, honeycrisp apples would be perfect! I recommend using a firm apple that won’t get too mushy in the oven. Fuji and gala are always easy to find and would be great as well.