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These easy caramel apple bars are a cross between a blondie and an apple cake, with a chewy texture, bits of tart apple, and pockets of gooey caramel throughout. Finish them with a simple caramel drizzle for the perfect fall bite! Make them by hand—no mixer required—in under an hour.
From the second school goes back in session in August until Thanksgiving hits, I am all in on apple recipes. Even better if its a recipe that I can throw together with just a couple of bowls and a wooden spoon without having to dirty up my mixer.
These easy caramel apple bars are exactly that. They are like a cross between my snickerdoodle blondies recipe and my caramel apple cake recipe. The bars are chewy and just a bit cakey, with a spiced sugar topping that goes on before baking. They’re studded with fresh diced apple and caramel bits and finished with an optional caramel drizzle.
(Although is a caramel drizzle ever really optional?)
Mix them together in a matter of minutes, no mixer required. They’re a great dessert for watching cozy fall movies, taking to a Thanksgiving potluck, or sharing with your neighbors.
Jamie’s testing notes and tips
- Line your baking pan with parchment or foil. Any time caramel is involved, I find it best to line the pan as well as use nonstick spray. Once the caramel bits cool, they can make the bars stick in a way that is really hard to get them out of the pan. (Take my word for it; I’ve ended up with some ugly bar pieces thanks to not following my own advice here.)
- Use dark brown sugar for an even chewier, richer bite. The extra molasses in dark brown sugar makes the bars slightly chewier with richer caramel notes throughout the batter compared to when I made these with light brown sugar.
- Tart apples are best in this recipe. The caramel and brown sugar make these bars sweet enough that you want the tart bite of Granny Smith apples to balance out the flavors.
Helpful resources as you bake
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
If you’ve made any of my bar dessert recipes before, most of the ingredients for these caramel apple bars are going to be pretty familiar to you. But there are a few resources I have that can help as you’re baking.
- Make sure you know how to measure flour correctly using the fluff, scoop, and sweep method. This seems like a basic step, but getting it right can make all the difference in the way your baked goods turn out.
- This recipe uses apple pie spice to get the perfect blend of warm fall spices. You can buy it at the store, but I like to use my apple pie spice recipe to make my own instead. (It’s also cheaper in the long run!)
- Brown sugar can harden in the pantry if it’s not stored correctly. If this happens to you, don’t throw it out. Check out my tips on softening brown sugar instead.
- If you’re out of brown sugar, use granulated sugar and molasses to make a quick brown sugar substitute.
Make ahead and storage
You can make these caramel apple bars up to a day ahead of when you plan to serve them.
Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The diced apple causes them to soften a bit as they sit, so they get softer and less chewy after the second day.
If you want to freeze the bars, I recommend doing so before you add the caramel drizzle. Cool the bars, then use the parchment or foil to lift them out of the pan (do not cut them). Wrap in plastic followed by heavy duty foil and freeze for up to a month.
Let the bars thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours. Add the caramel drizzle before serving.
Caramel Apple Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1 ½ cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples about 2 medium apples
- ½ cup Kraft Caramel Bits
For the sugar topping
- ¼ cup coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar
- ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
For optional caramel drizzle
- ⅓ cup Kraft caramel bits
- 1 teaspoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line (1) 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, apple pie spice, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In another large bowl, mix together the melted butter and sugars with a wooden spoon until combined. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Gradually add in the dry ingredients until just combined, then stir in the apples and caramel bits.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, 1 ½ cups peeled and diced Granny Smith apples, ½ cup Kraft Caramel Bits
- Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
- In a cup or small bowl, stir together the coarse sugar and apple pie spice. Sprinkle over the top of the bars.¼ cup coarse sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar, ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
- Bake for 30-35 minutes in a preheated oven; finished bars should spring back when lightly touched. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
- If desired, place caramel bits and milk in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 15 second increments; stirring often, until the caramel bits are melted and smooth. Drizzle the caramel over the bars.⅓ cup Kraft caramel bits, 1 teaspoon milk
Notes
Ingredients
- If you don’t have apple pie spice on hand, make your own with my apple pie spice recipe. You can also use pumpkin pie spice in a pinch.
- Kraft Caramel Bits can usually be found in the baking aisle near the chocolate chips and other baking chips.
- If you don’t have coarse sugar or turbinado sugar for the topping, you can use granulated sugar instead.
Storage
- Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
