Description
These apple crumble bars with salted date caramel drizzle blend the cozy elements of both apple crumble and pie into an incredibly delicious bar! A buttery shortbread crust is topped with spiced apples and an oat crumble then baked until golden. Once cool, the bars get a healthy drizzle of salted date caramel.
Ingredients
For the crust and crumble
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- Scant 1/2 cup rolled oats
for the apple filling and serving
- 3 medium granny smith apples, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup salted date caramel
Instructions
Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan then line it with parchment leaving an overhang. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Make the crust by mixing together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the vanilla and melted butter and mix until combined. Place about 2/3 of this mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Leave the remaining 1/3 of the mixture in the bowl then mix in the oats and set aside for later for the crumble topping. Bake the crust for 15-17 minutes until pale in color and the outer edges and corners look just baked. Once you remove the crust, increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
While the crust layer bakes, make the apple filling by tossing together the sliced apples, flour, brown sugar, and spices. Make sure the apples are evenly coated in the dry ingredients.
Arrange the apple filling and any dry ingredients remaining in the bottom of the bowl over the top of the par-baked crust in an even layer, pressing down gently to ensure all nooks and crannies are filled. Crumble the oat mixture over the top evenly. Bake the bars at 350 for 30-40 min until the topping is golden and the juices from the apples are bubbling.
Cool the bars completely before slicing into 9 equal squares. When ready to serve, drizzle with the salted date caramel.
Keep leftovers in a container in the fridge and enjoy within 3-4 days for best flavor.
Notes
- Slice the apples into roughly 1/4-inch thick slices.
- Use an equal amount of vegan block butter or baking sticks to keep this recipe entirely vegan.
- If you want a smaller serving size, cut the bars into 16 equal squares.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-57 minutes