Easy Caramel Apple Bars come together in 15 minutes and bake in about 20.
The hardest part is waiting for them to cool long enough to cut!
This crowd-pleasing bar recipe starts with oatmeal cookie mix and then is
layered with apples and caramel topping.
They’re delicious anytime of year since Granny Smith apples are readily available,
but especially good over Labor Day since they
require very little labor for a sweet & satisfying treat!
The original recipe called for baking them in a 9 x 13 pan.
I made two batches of these bars in one week, they’re that good.
After reading the reviews, I made the first batch in an 8 x 8 pan.
This batch was baked in 11 x 7 pan which I think works best.
For a thicker bar that oozes caramel, use an 8 x 8 pan.
Easy Caramel Apple Bars, adapted from Betty Crocker
Ingredients
1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ oatmeal cookie mix
1 egg
1 1/2 cups chopped peeled apple (I used Granny Smith)
3/4 cup caramel topping (I used Smucker’s Salted Caramel Topping)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. Line entire 11 x 7-inch pan with parchment paper or foil,
extending parchment/foil over edge of pan. Coat with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using a fork or pastry blender.
Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly.
Reserve 1 1/2 cups of cookie mixture. Press remaining cookie mixture into bottom of pan
and bake 15 minutes. Sprinkle apple evenly over crust. In a small bowl,
mix caramel topping and flour; spoon/pour over apples. To reserved cookie mixture,
stir in pecans and sprinkle mixture over apples.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool and then refrigerate several hours for easy cutting. When ready to cut lift
parchment/foil by edges to remove from pan and cut into individual bars.
Store in refrigerator using parchment to keep bar layers separated.
For a decadent treat, microwave bars for a few seconds and top with vanilla ice cream!
You find a recipe to make your own easy Apple Cider Caramel Sauce, HERE.
Easy and oh so good, use fresh-pressed cider for maximum apple flavor!
Pin for apple season, you won’t be disappointed
in the flavor of your own easy-to-make caramel sauce!
Easy Caramel Apple Bars
Easy Caramel Apple Bars come together in 15 minutes and bakes in about 20.The hardest part is waiting for them to cool long enough to cut!
Servings: 24
Equipment
- oven
Ingredients
- 1 stick cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1 package (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ oatmeal cookie mix
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled Granny Smith Apple
- 3/4 cup caramel topping (such as Smucker's)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Line entire 11 x 7-inch pan with parchment paper or foil, extending parchment/foil over edges of pan. Coat with nonstick cooking spray.
- In large bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using fork or pastry blender. Stir in egg until mixture is crumbly.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cups cookie mixture.
- Press remaining cookie mixture into bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle apple evenly over crust.
- In small bowl, mix caramel topping and flour; drizzle over apples.
- To reserved cookie mixture, stir in pecans and sprinkle mixture over apples.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool and then refrigerate several hours for easier cutting. When ready to cut lift parchment/foil by edges to remove from pan and cut into individual bars.
- Store in refrigerator using parchment/wax paper to keep bar layers separated.
Find a harvest of fresh picked apple recipes for fall, HERE.
And here I sit with a nice strong cup of coffee and nothing to nibble on… The bars sound great Mary, I’m really beginning to crave apple and pumpkin:@)
Looks scrumptious!
It looks like you and Betty have produced a winner of a recipe for Fall baking, Mary! I’ll be sure to try these out, but wish I had one for breakfast this morning. Thanks for sharing the apple-y goodness!
I don’t know whether to thank you or not Mary, these caramel morsels look awfully tempting! I haven’t seen Smuckers salted caramel sauce, oh my! What a perfect autumn treat, and so easy too! I will have to look at my pans, 11×7 isn’t something that rings a bell, but I do appreciate the tip… I think 9 x 13 is way too big for a lot of recipes. I think this must be a healthy recipe being full of apples and oatmeal, right? :)
Jenna
Those look Soooooo good! I think I’ll make them today – thanks for sharing.
They just look wonderful! Thank You for another easy recipe for fall. PLEASE tell me about your Johnson Bro. dishes. I found a tea cup while second hand shopping (I look everywhere, anywhere and always!) I wanted to collect this pattern for my fall table, but I need to keep looking! I LOVE THESE DISHES, they are soooooo neat! I have collected old turkeys for years, and found new Johnson Bro. turkey plates at T.J.Max. I really NEED old turkey plates( I know, I’m nut’s!) Thank’s Mary
Thanks Barb, The Johnson Brothers Fruit Sampler pieces came from a consignment shop. I only have a handful of pieces. You a find some on Etsy here, or more on eBay. Happy dish shopping :)
Oh my, these are right up my alley, I love anything with apples especially in the Fall! If I had seen this yesterday I would have made these for the pool party I am going to in awhile. YUMMMMM! Thanks, Mary. Once again, beautiful presentation!
Be still my ♥♥♥! These look positively DIVINE!
Thanks for sharing your experiments with the pan sizes…very helpful information.
I WILL be making these for sure, as soon as I have some company to share them with. Otherwise, I’ll eat the whole pan myself.
Oh, Mary!! I can’t wait to make these this weekend!! We’ll love them!! Thank you so much for all the wonderful recipes, ideas and tablescapes you share so unselfishly with us. I love, love, love your blog!!
These should be illegal – they look so divine! Beautiful…A
Mary, this is my kind of recipe. I call it Dr. The Box! These semi homemade caramel apple bars look scrumptious! I’ll be making these for sure!!!
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try this.
~Mary~
These are screaming FALL for sure !! I will be making these for our get together :)
Paula
IN
Oh my goodness…these looks awesome and just in time for Fall….love the easiness of this recipe!…pinning away!!!
Soon to be favorite!! franki
these look so good, and i LOVE your collage showing exactly how to pull it off :-) i was missing apple week this year, this is a sure fire hit for the wee cravings i tend to get hourly…
damn now i want chocolate AND caramel :-(
Oh my goodness. Your caramel apple bars look so tempting.
Madonna
MakeMineLemon
These look amazing! :-)
Oh yum, this looks delicious. Thanks tons for linking to Inspire Me.
I may have to make these! They look Fantastic!
I will feature these tomorrow they look so good!
Made today! Very yummy!!!
Made these yesterday for a small party, and oh my gosh, they were met with raves from all who tried them…including my sugar-avoiding husband who must have said 3 or 4 times, how delicious they were! I will definitely make these again. Thanks for sharing!
So glad they were a hit Kay! My hubby loves them too :)
I am running to the store to pick up these ingredients Mary! Seems easy and looks great!! Hugs to you, Chloe and Gracie!!
I made these today for a quick Friday afternoon treat and that they were!! So very delicious!!
My family LOVED them! I would never hesitate to try anything you recommend !!
I made these for a co-workers birthday and they were a HIT! They are so easy to make and so very delicious! Its a perfect fall treat that is not pumpkin! Thank you for sharing!
They are in the oven as I write this.. I had all the ingredients on hand! Can’t wait to taste them. Karen
Hi Mary,
Revisiting your fall recipes again this year, there is so much to enjoy on your blog it is a pleasure to be able to take it all in. Just want to thank you for this recipe, I have made it several times and it is delicious. It is quick for a moments notice and all the ingredients taste and look so wonderful together.
Hope you are enjoying this beautiful warm fall weather. We are usually wearing a sweater by now but it was 90 degrees today, here in ski country, Utah Kathy g
Thank you for your sweet comments and visits Kathy! I’m so glad you enjoyed the bars, my hubby was just asking when I was going to make a batch :)
Made these for a Sunday afternoon Bunco party. I used snickerdoodle cookie mix and they were a hit! thank you.
I’ve made these quite a few times now, excellent & very easy! It’s a keeper :)