Butterscotch Caramel Apple Bars
There’s something cozy and fall-like about a caramel apple. But they’re messy and time consuming to make.
So when Daniel from KELOLAND Living asked me to come on the show this week and share a fall recipe, I immediately thought of butterscotch caramel apple bars. Here’s the link to watch the T.V. segment.
In addition to apples and caramel, these bars are rich with butter and brown sugar with hearty oats to bring it all together. I used to unwrap individual caramels to make my original caramel apple nut bars, but now I mostly just use a jar of caramel ice cream topping to make this a quick and easy recipe.
What Variety of Apple Should I Use?
The variety of apple you use in butterscotch caramel apple bars is up to you. I usually use Honeycrisp because that’s my favorite apple, but I’ve also used Granny Smith and that’s excellent too. Since you dice up the apples pretty small, whichever apple you choose should bake nicely.
Make Butterscotch Caramel Apple Bars
It takes about 30 minutes to assemble this pan of bars and approximately 35 minutes total to bake. They need a long time to cool before you can cut them so it’s best to bake these the day before you need them.
You’ll start with making the base layer which is also the top layer. Once you press the oatmeal crumb mixture into the pan, it bakes for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, dice up the apple and stir the flour into the caramel ice cream topping. (This keeps it from getting too runny.) After 10 minutes of baking, toss the diced apples onto the hot crust. Drizzle with the caramel. Top with the remaining crumb mixture. Bake another 20-25 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.
Have extra apples from the orchard?
I typically use a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples in my Snickers apple salad so if you have extras from making these butterscotch caramel apple bars, whip up this salad.
What recipes do you use your apples in?
Sweet wishes,
Butterscotch Caramel Apple Bars
Equipment
- 1 9×13 pan
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, 2½ sticks
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 7 oz Cook & Serve Butterscotch Pudding & Pie Filling Mix (two, 3.5 oz boxes)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- ¾ cup caramel ice cream topping
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 medium to large apple, peeled and finely diced , approximately 1 to 1½ cups (I use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of 13×9 pan, or use non-stick foil or parchment paper to line the pan.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until completely combined. Beat in pudding mixes.
- Mix in the baking soda and salt. Add the flour and oats. With mixer on low speed, mix until crumbly.
- Press ¾ of the mixture (about 4 cups) into the pan. Bake 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the caramel topping and 2 tablespoons of flour.
- Sprinkle diced apples over the partially baked crust. Drizzle with caramel. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely before cutting. Store in refrigerator but serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
All text and images © Staci Mergenthal • Random Sweets
