Apple Pie Bars | Apple Pie Bars Recipe | Eat the Love (2024)

Apple Pie Bars with Easy Caramel Sauce

By Irvin Lin

The best part of these apple pie bars is how insanely easy they are to make. Reserving part of the bottom crust as the crumb topping means less work for you in the long run. On top of that, the caramel is made in the microwave! You’ll be in and out of the kitchen in an hour with fabulous apple pie bars, something that is perfect for a holiday buffet or a snack when you want it. By the way, if you don’t have bourbon in the house or don’t want to use it in the recipe, feel free to just substitute water or milk for it.

Adapted from a Cuisine at Home recipe

Ingredients
Base dough and crumb topping
1 cup (140 g) all purpose flour
1 cup (150 g) whole wheat flour
3/4 cup (165 g) dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
6 tablespoon (85 g) butter, cold
4 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoon bourbon
3 tablespoon (45 g) butter, melted

Apple filling
3 1/2 cups (350 g or 12 oz) peeled, cored and diced apples, about 3 medium sized apples
1/3 cup (75 g) dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoon bourbon
2 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Caramel
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and lightly spray a 9-inch square pan with cooking oil. Line the bottom and the sides with a piece of parchment paper that overhangs the edges of the pan by 2 inches on two of the sides.

2. Combine the flours, brown sugar and spices together in a bowl. Using a balloon whisk, break up the sugar and stir until the ingredients are uniform in color. Scoop out 3/4 cup of the blended dry ingredients (about 130 g) and place in a small bowl. This will be for your crumb topping. With the remaining amount dry ingredients, cut the cold butter into 1/2 inch chunks and sprinkle over it. Smash the butter into small pieces with your fingers, tossing and squeezing the butter with the dry ingredients until they about pea size. Sprinkle the milk and bourbon over the dough and continue to squeeze and toss until clumps form.

3. Scrap the dough into the bottom of the lined baking pan and press down firmly until evenly distributed throughout the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or measuring cup if that helps. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden at the edges and looks firm and dry.

4. While the bottom crust is baking, take the reserved 3/4 cup of dry ingredients and drizzle the melted butter over it. Toss to forms a sandy crumb topping then set aside. Place all the apple filling ingredients together in a medium sized bowl and toss to coat. Once the bottom has finished pre-baking, sprinkle the apple mixture over the hot crust, spreading it so it coats the bottom evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the apples and place back in the oven to bake for an additional 35-40 minutes or until the apples have cooked and are soft and the crumb is golden brown. Cool to room temperature before lifting the apple pie bars from the pan by grabbing the overhanging parchment paper and lifting up and moving the entire square to a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.

5. Once cooled and cut, make the caramel by placing the sugar, corn syrup and water in a glass measuring cup. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 2-3 minutes. Start watching the microwave after about a 1 1/2 has passed for color (with my microwave, it took 2:45 minutes). Once the sugar starts to exhibit brown color in the center, stop the microwave and pull it out. Watch it slowly darken in color from the residual heat. Once it gets to a nice deep brown (the color of dark rum or bourbon) add the heavy cream and butter and carefully stir. The caramel will bubble and steam so be careful but it won’t be too bad (not like when you make it on the stovetop). Continue to stir to incorporate the ingredients and cool the caramel. Once it starts to cool and thicken, drizzle the caramel over the apple bars (be careful, as the caramel will still be hot). Immediately sprinkle with some sea salt. Let cool completely then serve.

Makes 16 bars.