You’ll love these apple oatmeal bars if you enjoy sweet and tart desserts. These perfectly spiced oatmeal bars are so delicious with Granny Smith apples and caramel sauce on top. I use the same dough for the crust and crumbles. This is a simple easy baking recipe for Fall with a delicious result!
If you like crispy and soft dessert combinations, you’ll enjoy today’s recipe. Softness comes from the apple filling and crunchiness comes from the crumbles.
This apple crisp bar recipe is as delicious and easy as my apple pie bars recipe so I really want you to try this Fall dessert. Let’s see the differences between the two recipes.
- My apple pie bars use only flour for the crust and crumbles whereas my caramel apple bars use a combination of flour and oatmeal.
- You can use any apple you like in apple pie bars but in today’s recipe I especially use Granny Smith or at least an apple on the tangy side as I use my caramel sauce in this recipe.
Before going into the ingredients list, I want to share that recently I posted my apple cinnamon bundt cake recipe where I use caramel with sweet and tangy apples. If you are especially looking for apple caramel desserts, you should also try that recipe.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Apples-As I mentioned above, I especially use Granny Smith apples as they go perfect with caramel sauce. If you can’t find Granny Smith, you should use any apple on the tangy side.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg-These two spices compliment apples so well.
- Oats-I use old fashioned rolled oats.
- Flour-I use all purpose flour both for the dough and for the apple filling to thicken the apple mixture.
- Butter-I use melted butter. Butter not only brings the dough together, it makes delicious crust and crumbles.
- Sugar-I use sugar in the dough, just a little in the filling and while making caramel sauce.
- Heavy Cream-I use it to make caramel sauce but if you already have caramel sauce, you can definitely use it. I make a full recipe but actually ½ cup caramel is enough, I simply use the other half to serve if someone wants extra caramel on top.
Step by step instructions
First I peel and core the apples, cut them into small pieces. I place them into a medium bowl, add nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and flour. Then I stir them until all combined well with a spoon or spatula.
Next, I place the rolled oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir with a spoon or a spatula.
I add the melted butter and stir.
Then I set aside ⅓ of the mixture (to be precise it is 180 grams or almost loosely 1 cup) to use for the crumbles and place ⅔ of the mixture (340 grams) into an 8 inch (20cm) square oven-proof dish that is lined with parchment paper.
You can use your hand or a spoon to press the mixture to the dish.
I place the apple mixture over the crust and then sprinkle the dough that I set aside over the apples. It is important that you should gently press the crumbles so they stick to the apples.
Although this is a simple step, you can’t imagine what a difference it makes. When you cut it into slices, they will hold their shape.
Please note that these Granny Smith apples don’t leave any juice but if you are planning to use another apple variation and it leaves the juice, leave the excess juice in the bowl before placing over the dough.
I bake for almost 50 minutes until the crumbles are golden brown.
Caramel Sauce
While it is baking I make my homemade caramel sauce. But if you already have your caramel sauce, you can use it.
If you do so, you should remove it from the fridge so it will be in a pourable consistency. You can hasten this step by putting it over low-medium heat and stirring.
If you do my caramel sauce, I give you 2 options. You can either use my homemade caramel sauce recipe which is a dry method, meaning I melt the sugar and then add the heavy cream.
Or you can check my how to make caramel sauce post for the wet method where I melt the sugar with water first and then add the heavy cream.
Both recipes are very easy to make as long as you make the recipe as it writes. The key point is, when the sugar melts you should add the heavy cream gradually while stirring at the same time so there won’t be any lumps.
Assembling
Before I pour the caramel sauce on top I let the apple bar cool for an hour.
After I pour the sauce, I gently swirl the dish, so the caramel sauce spreads.
I wait at least half an hour before I place it in the fridge. You should let it completely cool for an extra 1 and ½ hours in the fridge. This step is essential if you want to have proper slices.
I gently cut it into 16 slices with a sharp knife.
If you like you can top these apple oatmeal bars with ice cream and pour extra caramel on top.
I believe you’ll enjoy these caramel apple bars however you serve them!
You can keep these bars in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Other Fall Recipes You May Enjoy!
- Puff Pasty Apple Turnovers
- Apple Crisp Cookie Cups
- Easy Apple Crumble Recipe
- Apple Crumble Muffins
- Dried Apples
- Soft Cinnamon Cookies
I love hearing from you! If you try this recipe or my other recipes please leave a comment and give a star rating!
Caramel Apple Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 3 medium-large (400 grams -3 and ½ cups) preferably Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled chopped into small cubes(almost 0.2 inch/0.5cm)
- 20 g (2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour,
- 14 g (1 tablespoon) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Crust and Crumbles
- 140 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour, dip and sweep
- 130 g (1 and ⅓ cup) rolled oats
- 105 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 150 g(⅔ cup) unsalted butter, melted*
Caramel Sauce
- 1 recipe dry method or wet method
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F(177°C). Grease 8 inch (20cm) square oven-proof dish and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, about 2 inches(5 cm) of overhang on each side.
Apple Filling
- Place the chopped apples in a medium bowl. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, sugar and flour. Stir with a spoon or spatula until combined well.
Crust and Crumbles
- Put the rolled oats, flour, sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir with a spoon or a spatula. Add the melted butter and stir.
- Set aside ⅓ of the mixture (to be precise it is 180 grams or almost loosely 1 cup) to use for the crumbles. Place ⅔ of the mixture into the dish. You can use your hand or a spoon to press the mixture to the dish. Put the apple mixture over the dough.** Sprinkle the dough that you set aside over the apples. You should gently press the crumbles so they stick to the apples and you can cut proper slices once cooled.
- Bake for almost 50 minutes or until the crumbles are golden brown.
Caramel Sauce
- While it is baking, make the caramel sauce. It is important that you add the heavy cream gradually and whisk it at the same time to avoid any lumps. You can find all the detailed information in those posts. If you already have your caramel sauce and want to use it, sure you can. You should remove it from the fridge so it will be in a pourable consistency. You can hasten this step by putting it in a pan over low-medium heat and stirring until you reach a pourable consistency.
Assemble
- Let the dish cool at room temperature for 1 hour before pouring ½ of the caramel sauce on top. Gently swirl the dish, so the caramel sauce spreads. You should wait at least half an hour before placing it in the fridge and you should let it completely cool for an extra 1 and ½ hours in the fridge as well. This step is essential if you want to cut proper slices.
- Cut into 16 slices. If you prefer, you can add the extra caramel on top.
Notes
Nutrition
I originally shared this post on October 11, 2019. Today I share it with extra information and new photos.
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