Easy caramel apple pie bars, made with a sweet shortbread base, tart apples, thick caramel sauce, and a buttery shortbread crust flavoured with cinnamon!
Just as delicious as homemade apple pie, but much easier to make! Don't forget to pack some for your next picnic! You might also like my blackberry crumble bars too!
I love apple pie (especially during apple picking season), but sometimes I just don't have the time to make pastry! That's where these 6 ingredient apple pie bars come in handy. You get all the flavours of apple pie, but in a handy bar form.
A simple shortbread base mimics the pastry, without all the faff of actually making pastry! Ok, I know making pastry isn't that difficult, but sometimes it just feels like too much effort.
👩🍳 Love apples? You might also like these apple flapjacks (oat bars) Biscoff apple crumble bars, and apple muffins too!
Jump to:
✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick and easy apple recipe with a handful of pantry ingredients.
- These apple pie bars have all the flavour of traditional homemade apple pie, in bar form!
- Easily transportable, so they're perfect for picnics and bake sales.
- Freezer-friendly.
🛒 Ingredients
- Apples - Bramley apples give a lovely tart flavour to the apple bars, which contrasts nicely with the sweet caramel. Alternatively, use Granny Smith apples, or if you have a sweet tooth, Pink Lady apples. Use a sharp knife to cut thin apple slices.
- Flour - self-raising flour gives the shortbread a nice lightness..
- Sugar - light brown sugar for a deep caramel sweetness. You could substitute it with caster sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer.
- Butter - Unsalted butter, cut into cubes straight from the fridge.
- Cinnamon - 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Caramel - I use carnation caramel from a tin, but feel free to make your own or use another brand.
- Lemon Juice (optional) - squeeze the juice over the Bramley apples to prevent them from going brown. If you work fast, you'll be OK without it.
🔪 How to make apple pie bars
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Rub together the flour and cubed cold butter in a large bowl until you get a fine breadcrumb consistency. You can also use a food processor for this step if you prefer.
Two: Stir in the cinnamon and sugar.
Three: Press half the mixture down into a lined tin. Use the back of a metal spoon to make sure it is as tightly packed as possible.
Four: Peel and slice the Bramley apples and lay them in a single layer over the shortbread base.
Five: Spoon over the caramel.
Six: Top with the remaining half of the shortbread mixture. Press down lightly with your hands. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
💭 Top tips
- Make sure the butter is fridge cold for the shortbread. Using cold butter means the shortbread will be light and crisp.
- Bramley apples (cooking apples) have a lovely tart flavour and soften well on cooking. If you can't get hold of Bramely apples, use a tart eating apple instead, like Granny Smith.
- To make the bars easier to cut, once the bars have cooled to room temperature, place the baking tin in the freezer for 30 minutes. It will help harden the caramel enough for you to cut nice clean bars.
🍴 Serving suggestions
The apple pie bars make a great snack with a glass of cold milk. You could also serve them as a quick and easy dessert, with creamy custard, maple syrup, or honeycomb ice cream!
📖 Variations
- Add a pinch of sea salt and one teaspoon of vanilla extract to the caramel sauce, to make salted caramel apple pie bars.
- Add some chopped walnuts to the shortbread topping to give the bars a nutty crunch.
- Make apple and blackberry pie bars by adding 100g of fresh or frozen blackberries to the apple layer.
- Make them extra decadent by drizzling over more caramel sauce after baking!
- Make a streusel crumb topping for the top layer of the bars.
🥡 Storage
The bars will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Freeze in layers separated by nonstick parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together.
❓ FAQs
Cooking apples, like Bramleys, or tart eating apples such as Granny Smith are best for apple pie bars. The flavour contrasts well with the sweet crust.
Fruit fillings that have been prepared with sugar can be safely left out at room temperature for up to two days.
Yes, you can make apple pie bars ahead of time. They can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
😋More apple desserts
Don't forget to subscribe to the newsletter to stay up to date with what's cooking in the Effortless Foodie kitchen! You can also follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram too!
Recipe
Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
- 300 g Self Raising Flour
- 165 g Butter cubed
- 50 g Light Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 250 g Caramel
- 2 Bramley Apples peeled, cored and thinly sliced.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°c (160 fan/ Gas 4/ 350F) and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin.
- Rub together the flour and cubed cold butter in a large bowl until you get a fine breadcrumb consistency.
- Stir in the cinnamon and sugar.
- Press half the mixture into the lined tin. Use the back of a metal spoon to pack it down as tightly as possible.
- Peel and slice the Bramley apples and lay them in a single layer over the shortbread base.
- Spoon over the caramel.
- Top with the remaining half of the shortbread mixture. Press down lightly with your hands. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden.
- Leave to cool in the tin, then place the tin in the freezer for 30 minutes to make cutting into bars easier.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is fridge cold for the shortbread. Using cold butter means the shortbread will be light and crisp.
- Bramley apples (cooking apples) have a lovely tart flavour and soften well on cooking. If you can't get hold of Bramely apples, use a tart eating apple instead like Granny Smith.
- To make the bars easier to cut, once cool, place the tin in the freezer for 30 minutes. It will help harden the caramel enough for you to cut nice clean bars.
- Add a pinch of sea salt to the caramel sauce to make salted caramel apple pie bars.
- Add some chopped walnuts to the shortbread topping to give the bars a nutty crunch.
- Make apple and blackberry pie bars by adding 100g of fresh or frozen blackberries to the apple layer.
- Make them extra decadent by drizzling over more caramel sauce after baking!
Gloria
We are getting into apple season. These bars sound so delicious. I need to make some for Thanksgiving. I know they will be a hit.
Liz
I can't think of a better way to celebrate fall!! These caramel apple pie bars are a winner!
Elaine Benoit
I'm looking forward to trying your apple bars. I love caramel and adore apples so this recipe is right up my alley! Can't wait to see if the bars are as delicious as they look.
Natalie
These bars look delicious. Buttery, and perfectly flavored. Just like grandma's old recipe. But different. I have to give them a try. Yum! Can't wait.
Toni
This is so amazing! My kids really loved these pie bars! Delicious!