This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Salted caramel apple bars are ooey-gooey treats that have an amazing buttery shortbread crust and a soft and sweet caramel apple center! This is one of the best desserts you will make this fall!
Try these yummy Salted Caramel Butter Bars or Dutch Caramel Apple Pie Bars too! They are two buttery bars that deliver the perfectly sweet and salty caramel flavor that is so popular this time of year.
Salted Caramel Apple Bars Recipe
Fall is the time for apple recipes, and let me tell you, these salted caramel apple bars are so insanely delicious that they are worth every bite. I made this recipe just last week and that tiny square was worth every single calorie! These caramel apple bars are adapted from the Salted Caramel Butter Bars recipe. It’s one of my favorites on the website.
They start with a buttery shortbread crust. The center is salted caramel apple and the top is more buttery shortbread goodness. My very favorite part is the tiny hint of saltiness in these bars. Once you combine that sweet and salty taste with some delicious apples, the rest is history! These are sure to be a hit with your family!
Ingredients in Caramel Apple Bars
Just a few easy to work with ingredients blend together flawlessly to create this family favorite dessert bar. The shortbread cookie crust is flaky and crumbly, while the center is filled with soft caramel coated apples. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.
- Butter: Let the butter sit out for a few minutes and soften to room temperature. Use unsalted butter in this recipe.
- White sugar: This adds sweetness to the shortbread crust.
- Powdered sugar: The powdered sugar creates the melt-in-your-mouth texture in the shortbread.
- Vanilla Extract: I added this to both the shortbread and the caramel filling. This extract brings out all the flavors and adds its own buttery rich flavor.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Apples: Medium sized Granny Smith apples work best!
- Caramels: Unwrap soft caramel candies and melt them in the microwave for super quick and easy caramel.
- Whipping cream: This prevents the caramels from drying out as they melt.
- Coarse sea salt: Just a pinch is enough to add in that contrasting salty flavor.
Let’s Bake These Yummy Dessert Bars!
It’s easier than you think to bake these salted caramel apple bars from scratch. They smell SO GOOD as they bake and they will get devoured right away! The hardest part is letting them cool before cutting into them!
- Prep: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
- Combine ingredients to form dough: In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugar, and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in the flour and combine until it forms a soft dough.
- Add half of the dough to dish: Press half of the dough mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 dish and place the other half of the dough into the refrigerator. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes until they are light golden brown.
- Mix caramel sauce: Remove the pan from the oven and melt the caramels, heavy cream and ½ teaspoon vanilla in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir together until smooth. Stir in the chopped apples. Pour evenly over the hot crust. Lightly sprinkle the coarse sea salt over the crust. I didn’t end up using the entire amount, just lightly sprinkle it evenly on top. You don’t want them too salty.
- Add top layer of dough: Take the remaining dough out of the refrigerator and crumble over the top of the caramel.
- Bake: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until filling is bubbly and the top is firm. Let them cool completely before cutting.
Tips for the Best Butter Bars
Keep these quick and easy tips in mind as you prepare your salted caramel apple bars. They will help you bake the perfect buttery shortbread crust. You will be serving a professional-looking dessert that people will rave about in no time!
- Crumbly Dough: Shortbread dough is supposed to be a bit dry and crumbly. However, if your dough is still too crumbly, even after working it for a while, you can easily adjust it by either adding more butter or more water.
- Chill: Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes before baking. This will help the cookies to be firm and not spread too much while baking.
- Pierce Shortbread: Poking holes in your shortbread dough will help it cook evenly since it is such a dry dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: The creaming process will give the shortbread great texture by adding air pockets that will puff up when the cookies are baking in the oven.
- Do Not Overcook: The shortbread will still be soft when it first comes out of the oven. Do not leave it in too long. As it cools, it will harden. Look for a golden color to know when it is done.
How to Store Leftovers
These salted caramel apple bars are SO good and, if possible, taste even better the next day! Once the bars have cooled completely, then cover them in an airtight container and store them at room temperature. They will last for up to 5 days!
More Fall Apple Recipes
Don’t skimp on the apple recipes this fall! If you don’t know what to make, then I have got you covered with all of these delicious recipes. Apples are what make the fall season the absolute best and these recipes really take this season over the top!
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Salted Caramel Apple Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups butter softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 and ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla
- 4 cups flour
- 2 medium apples chopped (I used Granny Smith)
- 1 14 ounce bag caramels (unwrapped or 11 oz unwrapped Caramel Bits work great)
- ⅓ cup whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, sugar, and powdered sugar. Add vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in the flour and combine until it forms a soft dough.
- Press half of the dough in the bottom of a 9×13 dish and place the other half of the dough into the refrigerator. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and melt the caramels, heavy cream, and ½ teaspoon vanilla in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir together until smooth. Stir in the chopped apples. Pour evenly over the hot crust. Lightly sprinkle the coarse sea salt over the crust. I didn’t end up using the entire Tablespoon. I just lightly sprinkle it evenly on top. You don’t want them too salty.
- Take the remaining dough out of the refrigerator and crumble it over top of the caramel. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the top is firm. Let them cool completely before cutting.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks so good. I’m a caramel lover. I’d like to make these but I have a stupid question. Your recipe is called “Salted Caramel Apple Butter Bars”, where do you use the apple butter in the recipe? Or are you using regular butter and apples only? Please clarify. Thanks. I came across your recipe while looking for uses for apple butter, saw this delicious looking recipe and others I will have to look into too.
Read the directions??? Just a thought.
Followed the instructions and ended up with butter soup. Not sure how the end result looked nothing like the picture. Stay away from tHis recipe.
Hilary here is a previous comment that was left that might help: I’ve made these two times in the last month and they turned out perfectly. I think it’s one of the best bar recipes I’ve made in a while actually. I don’t see what can really go wrong here, but I guess they didn’t work for everyone. Yes, peel the apples. I just used a hand mixer on the crust. I loved that the shortbread was very sweet. I used the caramel bits (Target) with the cream and it was perfect. I did microwave it a little longer than a minute (in 15 minute increments) until it looked like a caramel sauce. For the remaining dough, I didn’t crumble it on top, I just flat disks of the dough and put them on until it covered most of the caramel. I used almost a full Tablespoon of the salt and put it on top of the crust (pressed in a little) and popped it in the oven. Both times I made these they turned out about double the thickness of those in the photo, but seriously one of the best bars I’ve tasted. A definite staple.
I’ve made these two times in the last month and they turned out perfectly. I think it’s one of the best bar recipes I’ve made in a while actually. I don’t see what can really go wrong here, but I guess they didn’t work for everyone. Yes, peel the apples. I just used a hand mixer on the crust. I loved that the shortbread was very sweet. I used the caramel bits (Target) with the cream and it was perfect. I did microwave it a little longer than a minute (in 15 minute increments) until it looked like a caramel sauce. For the remaining dough, I didn’t crumble it on top, I just flat disks of the dough and put them on until it covered most of the caramel. I used almost a full Tablespoon of the salt and put it on top of the crust (pressed in a little) and popped it in the oven. Both times I made these they turned out about double the thickness of those in the photo, but seriously one of the best bars I’ve tasted. A definite staple.
Thanks for your feedback! I have been wondering why others haven’t been turning out. They were awesome for me too!
These were delicious!! Instead of the whipping cream and caramels, I substituted a can of Eagle Brand Dulce de Leche and they were melt in your mouth good 🙂
Wow, here are the comments my sister made after following your instructions:
“Not a lot about this recipe that’s right. When she says use a large mixing bowl, she really means use kitchen aid or add 20 min to prep time. When she says prep time 15 min, she really means 1 hr 15 min and that was with using kitchen aid. It took 20 min of peeling caramel from the wrapper as 1/3 of them stuck quite badly. When she says melt caramel etc in microwave for 1 min, she really meant 3 min. When she said bake for 25-30 min at 325, she really meant bake for 50-60 min and probably at a higher temperature.
It appeared that she used a glass pan also, so I didn’t lower the temp. When she said chop 2 apples, she meant peel then chop 2 apples. It lacked in the gooey caramel taste I was so anticipating, and when it completely cooled, the next day I could see a lot of congealed butter in the bottom of the pan. I was pretty disappointed and for the time involved, I won’t be making them again. The crust never browned, some of it still doughy. And the worse part? I might as well have eaten 1/8 of an apple with 3 caramels and 2 Tbsp of butter. I can’t imagine the calories and fat we’ll consume eating these bars.”
Hope other people’s experiences are better than this. (Tried to rate it with one star, but it won’t go that low.)
Boy if you don’t want calories don’t eat sweets. If you don’t want to unwrap caramels use bits. Peel and chop took me maybe 7 minutes. Sharpen your knife… a thought. If you baked for an hour your oven isn’t working. You don’t melt butter you soften. You don’t need a kitchen aid, a hand mixer is fine. Back to baking 101 for you.
Not a lot about this recipe that’s right. When she says use a large mixing bowl, she really means use kitchen aid or add 20 min to prep time. When she says prep time 15 min, she really means 1 hr 15 min and that was with using kitchen aid. It took 20 min of peeling caramel from the wrapper as 1/3 of them stuck quite badly. When she says melt caramel etc in microwave for 1 min, she really meant 3 min. When she said bake for 25-30 min at 325, she really meant bake for 50-60 min and probably at a higher temperature.
It appeared that she used a glass pan also, so I didn’t lower the temp. When she said chop 2 apples, she meant peal then chop 2 apples. It lacked in the gooey caramel taste I was so anticipating, and when it completely cooled, the next day I could see a lot of congealed butter in the bottom of the pan. I was pretty disappointed and for the time involved, I won’t be making them again. The crust never browned, some of it still doughy. And the worse part? I might as well have eaten 1/8 of an apple with 3 caramels and 2 Tbsp of butter. I can’t imagine the calories and fat we’ll consume eating these bars.
Do they freeze well? If you can add this answer to all your recipes that would be great! Thanks
I made this recipe last night and ended up with a big pan of butter soup 🙁
Even after I dabbed the grease off the top, the bars were kind of inedible.
Just made this recipe and I ended up with a pan full of butter soup 🙁
I’m sorry! Something must have gone wrong. They should have turned out as pictured and taste great!
Look amazing! Must to bake them.
Can you tell me how much in gram is 4 cups of flour, and about the carmel, how can I make this?
Thank,
Shani
Just genius! Caramel goes so well with apples, these bars are dreamy…
Is this a mistake having 2 CUPS of butter? Was it supposed to be 2 sticks? I just made these and they are swimming in butter, haven’t tasted them yet, but looks like a gooey mess, not at all like your picture.
Wishing these were in my kitchen NOW. These look so good and that crust sounds amazing.
The recipes look so wonderful, Just good home cooking that we love.
These look wonderful, Alyssa. I wish I had one right now!
Wow! These look amazing! I bet they are wonderful, I’ll have to give them a try!