Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars

These apple crisp bars start with a buttery shortbread crust and are topped with warm spiced apples, a sweet crumble, and a drizzle of caramel. They taste like apple pie bars but are cut into easy squares that are just right for sharing.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings bars

Calories 472 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Homemade Caramel Sauce

1 cup brown sugar light preferred but dark will work, packed
½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick
½ cup heavy cream
1 pinch sea salt more to taste, if desired

Shortbread Crust

½ cup unsalted butter melted
¼ cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon salt plain table salt
1 cup all purpose flour

Apple Filling

3 large Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ large lemon juice only

Apple Crisp Topping

½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup brown sugar packed
½ teaspoon salt plain table salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter very soft but not fully melted

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on all sides. The easiest way to do this is to tear two long pieces and overlap them in the middle. So one piece goes top to bottom with overhang on the top and bottom. The second piece goes right to left with overhang on the right and left. Set aside.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking constantly and gently for 5-7 minutes, until thickened. Make sure you scrape the bottom, sides, and corners of the pan often to avoid burning the cream.
Add the vanilla bean paste and cook for another minute or two to thicken further. The sauce will thicken significantly as it cools, and if you overcook it, it will turn out almost solid, and you will need to reheat it to drizzle over your apple squares. (This still tastes amazing, so don't worry if this happens.)
Turn off the heat and allow the caramel sauce to cool while preparing the rest of the recipe. If you have leftover caramel, store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Shortbread Crust

Whisk the melted butter, white sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Add the flour and stir until everything is combined.
Press the shortbread mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Bake shortbread crust for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven to cool. Set aside.
Turn the oven up to 350ºF.

Apple Filling

In a medium bowl, combine the white sugar, flour, cinnamon, and fresh lemon juice. Whisk together.
Add the sliced apples to the mixture and stir until the apples are evenly coated.
Spread apples in an even layer on top of the cooling shortbread crust.

Apple Crisp Topping

In a medium bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar.
Slowly add the very soft butter into the bowl while stirring the crumbs with a fork. Do not over-mix. You do not want dough, but if you end up with dough, spread it over the apples and bake it anyway because it will still taste great.
Sprinkle crumbles evenly over the apples.

Finishing the Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars

Bake finished apple crisp bars at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown. Let cool to room temperature to set.
Once the bars are cooled, drizzle with homemade caramel sauce (the more the better in my opinion), cut into squares, and serve.

Notes

Nutritional information assumes you will use all of the caramel sauce, which you most likely will not do.

Any leftover caramel sauce can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you would like to make caramel candy, follow these instructions:

Prepare a small square or rectangular baking dish by lining it on all sides with parchment paper. (See the instructions in the recipe for doing this.)
Continue cooking the caramel sauce in the saucepan for another 5-10 minutes, stirring constantly. It will still be liquid at this point because it's hot.
When the caramel has thickened significantly, pour it into the prepared baking dish.
Let the caramel sit until it's fully cooled, likely 2 hours or maybe more, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
Lift the caramel out of the dish using the parchment paper.
Cut the caramel into squares and serve. If it's still a little squishy, store it in an airtight container in the fridge and serve it chilled. That will harden it right up.

Nutrition

Keyword apple, caramel, cookies, crisp

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