Caramel Apple Crumble Bars #SundaySupper

     I love apples.  I love the different colors, the different flavors, and even the different textures of the apples.  So when I heard that this week we were having an Autumn Apple Party for #SundaySupper I couldn't wait to get started!  What a better way to welcome fall then to start cooking with apples?

     The hardest part of choosing a dish was picking out the apple that I wanted to use.  Before I could decide on the dish I had to find my apple and see how sweet or tart it was.  When I went to the market last weekend the McIntosh apples were calling my name.  The brilliant red color of the skin with hints of green were just gorgeous.  I went home and ate one, savoring the tartness of the apple.  

      In the end I decided on a caramel apple bar because the tartness of the apple would be wonderful with the sweetness of the caramel and oatmeal cookie.  First I put the apples into a pan with butter and sugar and cooked them down until they are caramelized.  Then I made the oatmeal sugar cookie base of the bars. 

      The cookie layer is baked in the oven and then when it is taken out caramel is poured over top and then is covered by the caramelized apples.  The oat topping is sprinkled over top of everything and then the bars are baked.  There is nothing quite like the smell of apples and cookies baking in the oven together.  I couldn't wait for them to be finished so I could sneak a bite.

     Both my husband and I adored these cookies.  There was a nice crunch to the cookie, the caramel was soft and sweet, then the apples added a bit of sweet and sourness to the bars.  The oat topping just added a little extra crunch to the bars.  I took these to a party last weekend and they were gone before any of the other desserts.  I'll be making these again soon!

Caramel Apple Crumble Bars (adapted from Annie's Eats)
For the filling:
2 T. butter
5 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
3 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
For the caramel:
9 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped
2 T. half and half
1 t. sea salt
For the dough:
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. oats
1/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter
1/2 c. applesauce
1 egg yolk
1 t. vanilla

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 9 x 9 baking dish (or an 11 x 7 baking dish) with parchment paper.

2.  In a medium skillet melt the butter over medium heat.  Stir in the apple slices, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Cook, stirring occasionally, under the apples are golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, oats, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Stir well to blend.

4.  Add the butter pieces to the flour mixture and cut into the flour using a pastry cutter.  Stir in the applesauce, egg yolk, and vanilla, mixing well.

5.  Place two-thirds of the dough mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Press down into an even layer.  Bake for 12-14 minutes or until it is a light golden brown.

6.  While the cookie layer is baking, combine the caramels and half and half in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Melt the caramels, stirring frequently, until the mixture is smooth.  Add in the sea salt and stir.  Remove from heat.

7.  Once the cookie layer is baked, pour the caramel over top of it.  Layer the cooked apples on top of the caramel.  Crumble the remaining dough over top of the apple slices.

8.  Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Place on a wire rack to cool.  Allow to cool completely before cutting.

Soups, Salads, Starters and Breads

• Cinnamon Apple Chips- Shockingly Delicious
• Apple Celery Salad- In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
• Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – The Daily Dish Recipes
• Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- In the Kitchen with KP
• Curried Apple and Leek Soup-Soni’s Food for Thought
• Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut Salad- The Hand That Rocks the Ladle
• Homemade Apple Jam – My Trials in the Kitchen
  
• Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- Chocolate Moosey
• Caramel Apple Bread – famfriendsfood
• Apple Pie Bread Baker Street
• Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- I Run for Wine
• Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- Family Foodie
• Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- There and Back Again

Main Meals

• Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- The Meltaways
• Apple-Glazed Meatballs- The Messy Baker
• Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- Mama Mommy Mom
• Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – Diabetic Foodie
• Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- Daddy Knows Less
• Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce Sustainable Dad
• #SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions Kwistin’s Favorites

Sides

• Harvest Rice- Webicurean
• Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – Ruffles and Truffles
• Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- Momma’s Meals
• Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Desserts

• Double Apple Pot Pie- What Smells So Good?
• Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
• Apple Streusel Cobbler- Big Bear’s Wife
• Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Apple Pear Kuchen for #SundaySupper (Apfel Birnen Kuchen)- Galactosemia in PDX
• Apple Strudel - Magnolia Days
• Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-Noshing with the Nolands
• Apple Cheesecake- Vintage Kitchen
• Caramel Apple Crumble Bars- Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
• Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas- Juanita’s Cocina
• Nutella Apple Quesadilla- Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• Apple Crisp Ice Cream- Cravings of a Lunatic
• Bavarian Apple Torte- The Lovely Pantry
• Streusel Apple Crumb Pie + Pie Freezer Kits- Meal Planning Magic
• French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream Weekend Gourmet
• Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- Comfy Cuisine
• Apple Butter Spice Cake – Home Cooking Memories
• Apple Pie and Custard- Happy Baking Days
• #GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie- Cooking Underwriter
• Apple Brownies That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Country Apple Dumplings- Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- Tora’s Real Food
• Apple and Cranberry Turnovers- Flour on my Face
• Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze- Hip Foodie Mom
• Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Apple and Pecans Cake- Basic N Delicious
• Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- Gotta Get Baked

Beverages
• Spiced Apple Ale Small Wallet Big Appetite
• Apple Chia Tea- Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again

Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple recipes! All you have to do is follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, or you can follow us through TweetChat! We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our #SundaySupper Pinterest board and share them with all of our followers!

This post linked to:
Scrumptious Sundays, Crazy Sweet Tuesdays,Sweets for a Saturday,