Ingredients
Scale
For the Streusel
- ½ cup (43g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- â…“ cup (67g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup (31g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons; 56g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For the Shortbread Crust
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons; 113g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (133g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
For the Apple Filling
- 2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2½ cups or 315g; ¼-inch-thick slices)
- 2 tablespoons (16g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the Garnish
- Homemade salted caramel or store-bought caramel sauce
- Flaky sea salt, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides. Set aside.
- Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender, two forks, or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until step 6.
- Make the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and mix until combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. While it bakes, prepare the apple filling.
- Make the apple filling: In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until the apple slices are evenly coated.
- Remove the crust from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).
- Spread the apple filling over the warm crust in an even layer. The apple slices may seem like too much, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the cold streusel evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into squares.
- Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Notes
- Storage: Store the bars tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the bars without the caramel drizzle for up to 3 months. Layer them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag with parchment paper between the layers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm as desired and drizzle with salted caramel before serving.
- Apples: Using two varieties gives the filling a nice balance of flavor and texture. Try one tart variety, such as Granny Smith, and one sweet variety, such as Pink Lady or Honeycrisp.
- Larger batch: Double the recipe and bake in a 9×13-inch pan. Pre-bake the crust for 18 minutes, then bake the assembled bars for 45–55 minutes.
- Special tools: An 8-inch square baking pan, mixing bowls, whisk, apple peeler, silicone spatula or wooden spoon, and pastry blender are useful.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Bars
- Method: Baking