The delicious taste of a caramel apple in caramel apple bars. So easy to make with an oatmeal cookie base, apples, caramel syrup, and oatmeal cookie topping for a tasty fall treat.
Years ago I went to Austria to live for 4 months while I studied German. I lived with the perfect little Austrian family, and I studied with some fellow BYU students at the Austro-American Institute in Vienna. It was seriously the most lovely time I had before I was married and had a family. The friends I made while in Vienna will last a life time. We often had reunions to renew our friendship and the time we had together in another country at another time.
One particular year the reunion theme was apples and I baked caramel apple bars following this recipe from Betty Crocker. I wasn’t even sure I was going to like this fruity dessert. I’m a chocolate girl myself. But because it was so delicious and so easy to make, it became a favorite.
ONLY 6 INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THESE CARAMEL APPLE BARS:
Oatmeal Cookie Mix (or you can use your favorite oatmeal cookie recipe)
butter
egg
apples (the star ingredient)
caramel syrup
flour
That’s it. Amazing isn’t it to be able to make a tasty dessert so simply. I know we all love easy and simple desserts. Something we put together quickly, bake in just a short time, and serve to family or friends that same day. I always love a good cheesecake or pie, but they can be a little time consuming and that is the last thing these caramel apple bars are.
HOW EASY ARE THESE CARAMEL APPLE BARS TO MAKE:
So easy! Especially if you start with a oatmeal cookie mix. You can make your own oatmeal cookie base, it takes about 4 cups of oatmeal cookie base for the whole recipe.
If you use your own recipe, follow the recipe up until ready to cook. If you are using a mix, you will cut in the softened butter with a pastry cutter or fork and then mix in the egg. Press 2/3rds of the cookie mix into a greased 9×13 baking pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.
While the cookie base is baking, take a good firm apple like a Granny Smith or honeycrisp and peel, core, dice the apples. You want about 2 cups of diced apples, which is usually 2 large apples. In another bowl whisk into the caramel syrup 1/4 cup all purpose flour. The apples you will be spreading all over the baked cookie base, then drizzle the caramel syrup all over the apples.
With the remaining 1/3 of the cookie mix, drop tablespoonfuls on top of the apples and caramel syrup. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes until bars are baked through. Cool for 30 minutes at minimum. Cut into squares.
Serve warm or cold. Serve plain or drizzle with caramel syrup or with whipped topping or ice cream. Any way, it is so good.
Caramel Apple Bars
Ingredients
Caramel Apple Bars
- 1 17.5 oz oatmeal cookie pouch
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups apples (peeled, diced - about 2 large apples)
- 1 cup caramel syrup (room temperature)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
Instructions
Caramel Apple Bars
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Grease an 9x13 baking pan
- In a large bowl, mix oatmeal cookie packet with softened butter and egg until combined fully with no dry spots
- Press 2/3rds of the cookie mix into the bottom of the 9x13 pan
- Bake for 15 minutes
- While cookie base is cooking; peel, remove core, and dice apples
- In a medium bowl, add caramel syrup and whisk in 1/4 cup flour to thicken syrup
- After 15 minutes baking remove cookie base from oven and sprinkle apples pieces all over base
- Drizzle caramel syrup all over the apple pieces until covered and all the caramel is used
- Taking spoonfuls of remaining 1/3 cookie dough and spoon drop on top of apples and caramels until most is covered and all the dough is used
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until done; cookie topping looks baked through
- Cool on rack for 30 to 120 minutes before cutting and serving
- Cut into bars, serve plain or with whipped topping or ice cream
Caramel Apple Bars was originally published October 2011; recipe, pictures, and writings updated September 2020.
Leave a Reply