Caramel Apple Pie Bars

These festive Caramel Apple Pie Bars are a Fall favorite dessert. Buttery shortbread crust meets spiced Granny Smith apple filling and a crunchy oat streusel, and drizzled with caramel. This fall-inspired treat blends cozy seasonal flavors with comforting textures—perfect for Halloween, or a make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert.

Tips for Perfect Caramel Apple Pie Bars

1. Pre-bake the crust — Baking your shortbread crust for 10 minutes sets a firm base before you add apples, ensuring it stays crisp even under a juicy filling.

2. Use tart Granny Smith apples — Their firmness and tartness balance the sweetness of caramel and hold shape during baking.

3. Toss apples with lemon juice — Prevents browning and keeps flavors bright.

4. Keep streusel crunchy — Use cold, cubed butter and mix only until coarse crumbs form to ensure a crisp, melt-in-your-mouth topping.

5. Chill before slicing — Let the bars cool for at least 20 minutes, then refrigerate for 2 hours so they set nicely and cut cleanly.

Shortbread Crust

3/4 cup (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla paste (or extract)

1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour

Apple Filling

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)

1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping

1 cup (86g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats

2/3 cup (140g) packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (62g) all-purpose flour

1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Homemade caramel or store-bought caramel sauce

Flake salt, for finishing

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

2. Make the shortbread crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla paste. Add the flour and stir until combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.

3. Prepare the apple filling: In a large bowl, toss peeled and sliced Granny Smith apples with flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until well coated. Set aside.

4. Make the streusel topping: In a separate large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Cut in the cold, cubed butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

5. Spread the apple filling evenly over the warm crust and sprinkle the streusel topping over the apples.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40–45 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown and the apples are bubbling.

7. Remove from the oven and let the bars set in the fridge for 2 hours. Drizzle with caramel and top with flake salt before slicing into bars.