Caramel Apple Bars

Buttery. Caramely. Flavor bomb. Everything you’ve ever wanted for fall.

That’s how I’d describe these bars.

I knew I wanted a new apple recipe this year and had an idea for something bar like. I wanted something with a crumb topping and caramel filling. I wanted the crust and the crumb to be the same dough to streamline the process. I wanted it to be overall easy to throw together but have a flavor that made you go, “wow!” I wanted it to be buttery, obviously. I searched a bit to see if this idea was already nailed down. I couldn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so I knew it was time to make my own.

First, I started with a gluten free shortbread cookie dough. You don’t get much more buttery than shortbread. After the fist attempt produced great flavor but too mushy of a consistency I had to adjust the baking temperature and time to make it hold up to the caramel filling. To the filling, I added some tapioca starch to make it less runny as the apples cooked. Adding longer bake times helped with firming it up too. It does fall apart a bit for a bar, but I promise it’s worth the mess.

Fun fact with the shortbread crust: it doesn’t need rest time! You’ll see me preach rest times for all gluten free doughs or batters to let the dry ingredients absorb the moisture. With so little moisture in shortbread, the rest isn’t necessary.

Now, I wish I said I made my own caramel for this. Everything I read says, “caramel is easy to make if you give it attention and patience!” Well I have neither. But I did find some recipes for whole milk caramel if you want to make your own with our milk! Just search for them on pintrest! But caramel ice cream topping works like a charm.

Dive into this relatively easy recipe that will have you falling in love with the season!

Caramel Apple Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups gluten free flour blend

• 2/3 cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 14 tablespoons butter, chilled and cut into 1/4 inch or so slices

• 4 cups (about 2 extra large) chopped crisp apple (I used honeycrisp)

• 2 tablespoons tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour)

• 1/2 cup of caramel

• extra caramel for topping

• coarse salt, optional, if your caramel isn’t salted caramel\

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a stand mixer with a paddle or a food processor with dough capacity, blend the flour, powdered sugar, xanthan gum, and salt together. Add in the butter. Beat or blend until it mostly comes together to form dough. It may not all come together: that’s okay.

Take about 1/2 to 2/3 of the dough and press into the bottom of a 8”x8” pan. Set aside the rest of the dough. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the dough looks dry and starts to get golden brown.

While the crust is baking, combine the apples, tapioca starch, and caramel in a bowl. When the crust is done, pour the apple filling evenly over the crust. Take the remaining shortbread dough and crumble evenly over the filling. Return the bars to the oven. Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the crumble starts to turn golden brown.

Let the bars rest for 15-20 minutes then drizzle caramel over the top. Add coarse salt if desired. Cut and enjoy! Best al little warm and on the first day, but still amazing leftover too!