Layers of caramel-sweetened apples are piled on a buttery crust and topped with golden streusel in these amazing caramel apple crumble bars.

These bars. You guys, they are incredible. So much easier than apple pie…but just as delicious (maybe even more so, because, STREUSEL).

Two caramel apple crumble bars stacked on white tray.

5 Reasons to Make These Bars Very Soon

  1. It’s like apple pie without all the fuss. You get that buttery sweet crust, tender caramelly apples, and golden streusel without having to mess with making and rolling pie crust.
  2. The buttery streusel is reason enough. It is easy to make, since we’re mixing in melted butter rather than cutting in cold butter with a pastry blender, and it is everything streusel should be: buttery, sweet, a little crisp, and perfect with the apple filling.
  3. This recipe is perfect if you need to treat a crowd. The 9X13-inch pan yields anywhere from 20 to 24 bars (cut them bigger or smaller!), and the bars are super easy to cut, transport, and serve.
  4. They bars are delicious lots of ways. Serve them chilled, at room temperature, or lightly warmed. They are irresistible every way (trust me – I took one for the team and tried them every way possible).
  5. They can go from simple to spectacular. These bars can be served in squares on a tray…or you can elevate to a showstopper of a dessert by warming them up and serving with vanilla ice cream and an extra drizzle of caramel sauce.
One caramel apple crumble bar on white parchment paper with bite taken out.

Ingredients Notes

  • All-purpose flour: I use unbleached all-purpose flour. Don’t sub in pastry flour, cake flour or bread flour. All-purpose works best!
  • Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar can be used. Pack the brown sugar lightly in the cup to measure.
  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon is used in both the crust and the apple filling.
  • Butter: I use salted butter. The butter in the recipe is melted, making it super easy to mix the streusel together.
  • Apples: Use a sweet-tart crisp apple for this recipe, like Granny Smith or Honey Crisp apples. You’ll need 3 pounds of apples, for about 7 cups sliced.
  • Lemon juice: Lemon juice is tossed with the apples to maintain their bright color and add a pop of fresh flavor.
  • Caramel sauce: Store bought or homemade caramel sauce can be used.

These bars are super easy to make and assemble. The crust and streusel is made all together, and two cups of the mixture is reserved for the crumbly topping. The crust is baked for a few minutes before adding the apple mixture and the reserved, crumbled streusel. The bars bake for 45 minutes or so until the apples are tender.

Glass bowl with sliced apples, caramel and flour.
Glass bowl with buttery streusel.
Metal 9X13-inch pan with parchment and unbaked crust pressed into the bottom.
Metal 9X13-inch pan filled with sliced apples mixed with caramel and cinnamon.
Metal 9X13-inch pan with unbaked layers of crust, sliced apples, and buttery streusel.
Baked metal 9X13-inch pan of caramel apple pie bars.

A Few Last Things…

  • The exact baking time for these caramel apple crumble bars will be dependent on several factors. Bake the bars until the apples can be sliced easily. If the topping is browning before the apples are tender, place foil loosely on top of the bars and continue baking.
  • The baked bars can be covered, refrigerated, and served up to two days later. If doing so, wait to drizzle additional caramel sauce over the bars until serving.
  • The bars hold their shape better while being cut if they are fully set and/or chilled first. They can be cut into bite-size squares or in larger serving sizes, depending on how you are serving them.

I don’t want to be too bossy, but I would like to insist you save at least one small portion of these bars to be enjoyed warm with ice cream and a special little extra drizzle of caramel sauce. Utterly phenomenal.

I’m pretty sure my version of heaven will include a meadow of these caramel apple crumble bars wherein I can face plant and stay there for eternity.

They are sweet and just a bit salty from the caramel sauce, which makes an incredible pairing with the tender, sweet-tart apples. They kind of scream “FALL DESSERT” but would be incredible any time of the year. I hope you love them!

Fork scooping bite of caramel apple crumble bar on white plate with vanilla ice cream.
Two caramel apple crumble bars stacked on white tray.

Caramel Apple Crumble Bars

Yield: 20 to 24 bars
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
5 stars (6 ratings)
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Ingredients

Crust/Crumble:

  • 3 cups (426 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups (318 g) lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ½ cups (340 g) salted butter (3 sticks), melted

Apples:

  • 3 pounds crisp apples, like Granny Smith apples or Honey Crisp apples (about 7 medium apples for about 8 cups sliced apples)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (170 g) caramel sauce, plus more for drizzling, if desired

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven (to ensure the crust doesn't get too hard or burn).
  • Line a 9X13-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving 1-inch overhang on two long sides. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • For the crust, in a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in the melted butter until evenly combined and the mixture forms small clumps.
  • Remove 2 cups of the mixture and set aside. Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  • Bake for 10 minutes until the crust is lightly set (it will cook more in a later step).
  • For the apple layer, peel, core and seed the apples. Cut the apples into 1/8-inch slices.
  • Add the apples and lemon juice to a large bowl and toss together.
  • Stir in the flour, cinnamon and salt, and mix until evenly combined. Stir in the caramel sauce.
  • Spread the sliced apples evenly over the crust.
  • Break apart the reserved streusel into small pieces and sprinkle over the apples.
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the apples are tender and the streusel is golden. Tent the top of the pan loosely with foil partway through baking if the streusel is browning too quickly before the apples are tender.
  • Remove the bars from the oven and let cool. The apple filling will thicken as it cools.
  • Slice into squares and drizzle with additional caramel sauce. Serve chilled, at room temperature or lightly warmed with ice cream.

Notes

Apples: Granny Smith apples and Honey Crisp apples have fairly different flavor profiles since Granny Smith apples are less sweet and more tart. I have made these bars with both types of apples (separate batches), and slightly prefer using Granny Smith apples. I don’t change the amount of caramel sauce between the two apple varieties, but if you like apple desserts a bit more sweet and are using Granny Smith apples, you can consider adding another 1/4 cup caramel sauce. 
Caramel Sauce: This homemade caramel sauce works great in this recipe. 
Author: Mel Gunnell
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Bake
Serving: 1 bar, Calories: 252kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 225mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 22g

Recommended Products

9X13-inch Metal Baking Pan
Mixing Bowl
Measuring Cups

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe