Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for filling)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for filling)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup high-quality caramel sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the parchment with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the filling.
- In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Ensure every apple slice is evenly coated with the spice mixture. Spread the apples in an even layer over the par-baked crust.
- Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crust mixture over the top of the apples. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the apples should be tender when pierced with a fork.
- Remove the bars from the oven. While they are still warm, drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the top. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan at room temperature before transferring them to the refrigerator for at least one hour to set. Lift the bars out using the parchment paper overhang and slice into squares.
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes