A delightful dessert that perfectly embodies the essence of fall, combining the sweet and tart flavors of fresh apples with a rich, gooey caramel sauce, all nestled beneath a buttery oat crumble topping.
Ingredients
Scale:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats (preferably old-fashioned)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cups peeled and diced apples (about 4 medium apples)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup caramel sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until well mixed.
Pour the melted butter into the dry mixture and mix until crumbly. Reserve about 1 cup of this mixture for the topping.
Press the remaining crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, toss the diced apples with sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and cornstarch until well coated.
Remove the crust from the oven and layer the apple filling evenly over the top. Drizzle the caramel sauce over the apples.
Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the caramel and apple layers evenly.
Return to the oven and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown.
Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
