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Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars Recipe
If you're craving a fall treat, these gooey Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars are it. With a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread crust, cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and a rich drizzle of caramel, these bars offer all the warm flavors of autumn in each bite. The combination of green and red apples is the perfect balance between tart and sweet. Best of all, this recipe comes together with simple pantry staples like brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon, making it a must-try for any cozy baking day.
Equipment
- 9×9 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Electric Hand Mixer
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 3/4 cup superfine white sugar (AKA Baker's Sugar or Caster Sugar)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Cinnamon Apple Filling Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3 cups cut apples (A mix of red & green apples, sliced ⅛-¼ inch thick then cut into thirds.)
Topping:
- Caramel Sauce
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Prep and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×9 inch baking pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper.
- Cream together: In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup butter (softened) and 3/4 cup superfine white sugar, cream together until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extractand mix until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Press and Chill: Press about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan, reserving the remaining one-third of dough for the top layer. Chill the dough in the pan for 15 minutes in the fridge.
- Par-Bake: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven in the center of the middle rack and bake for 13minutes or until the dough is just starting to golden. The shortbread will still look somewhat underbaked, but that’s ok as we will bake it again once we add the filling. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you work on the apple filling.
Cinnamon Apple Filling
- Combine: In a small bowl, cream together 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon flour until combined. Slice your apples about ⅛-¼ inch think and then cut each slice into thirds. Add the 3 cups of cut apples to the creamed mixture.
- Spread Filling: Drop the filling by the spoonful onto the partially baked shortbread crust and spread gently into an even layer.
- Create Top Layer: Roll out the remaining shortbread dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place flat clusters of dough on top of the filling to loosely form a lid. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar over the top.
- Bake: Place the assembled bars back in the oven and bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. As oven temperatures can vary be sure to check the bars at the 28-30 minute mark to avoid overbaking. Once fully baked, allow the bars to cool slightly.
- Add the topping and Serve: Drizzle your caramel topping over the cooled bars. Slice into squares and enjoy!
I made these this past weekend and I must say they came amazingly good!
I shared them with my dearest friend and she loved them too.
I will be making them again this fall.
You will not be disappointed making these. That is a fact
Thank you so much for sending me this recipe, Dee!!!!!
Thank you so much, Mike! Makes me so happy to hear that you all loved the caramel apple bars. Thank you for sharing back!
-Dee
Is it possible to leave out the honey? Or replace it?
Hi Cynthia! Yes, you can substitute the honey for a similar ingredient like maple syrup. I’d love to hear what you think once you make it!
-Dee
This was my first shortbread recipe ( definitely not my last) and it was so delicious, I will absolutely be making it again. my husband and I ate the whole thing (oh we shared with our dog Derek, he totally approved it too )
Looking forward to making more of your recipes. I saved quite a few
Hi Kathy! I am so happy to hear that you liked these caramel apple bars. They’re so delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I love hearing from you.
-Dee
Easy to follow recipe and instructions!
Have made these twice in last two weeks, and not lasted very long in this house!
Word of warning though, when they come out of the oven, leave them to cool as instructed.
My husband ate them to early and they were not quite set! Very gooey!
But so tasty, full of flavour and will no doubt be making them again soon!
Thank you.
Tracey, thank you so much for sharing your experience! I love hearing that you’ve already made them twice and loved them. Makes me SO happy.
Also, very good point on letting them set. That’s a great reminder for others here.
Love hearing from you!
-Dee
Absolutely heavenly! I was worried the shortbread was a bit too crumbly but they came together so well.
Amazing! Thank you so much, Sara. So happy to hear you loved it.
-Dee
i don’t have superfine (castor sugar) what do you recommend?
Hello! Regular sugar is ok, too. Just make sure it incorporates well into the dough. I’d love to hear how it turns out for you!
-Dee
I’m guessing these are best still a little warm? I need to make them earlier in the day. Would you suggest warming in the oven prior to serving or serving at room temperature?
Hi Katherine! So happy to hear you’re making this. I love the bars slightly warmer than room temperature. Not too warm or the filling may not hold, and not cooler than room temperature or the shortbread may be hard and won’t taste as deliciously buttery. So room temperature or slightly warmer would be best!
I’d love to hear what you think when you make it!
-Dee
One of the best apple bars I’ve made. They didn’t last long when I brought them to work.
So happy to hear! They truly are amazing. Thank you so much for coming back to share.
-Dee
GREAT RECIPE!! Used homegrown apples and prepared them with an apple peeler, corer, slicer! I love, love your filling!! Going to use it for apple pies in the future. DELICIOUS!!
Thank you so much! I am so incredibly happy to hear this. Enjoy!!
-Dee
If I wanted to make ahead of time what would you suggest to do? Cook fully and refrigerate? Or leave room temp? Help
Hi Dawn. I’m so excited for you. I loved these apple bars.
To make ahead, there are three options I would consider:
1. Make the dough and filling ahead of time but keep them separate until you’re ready to bake and serve. To prep as much as possible ahead of time, but still have a freshly baked dessert, I would even go as far as putting 2/3 of the shortbread in the baking pan, while setting aside the 1/3 dough for the top and the filling separately. On the day that you want to serve it, go through the final steps of partially baking the dough in the pan, then adding and baking the filling and top layer as noted in the instructions. This would enable you to do most of the upfront work ahead of time, while resulting in a delicious freshly baked dessert. This is my favorite option.
2. If you want to make all of it in advance and plan to serve same day, bake it ahead of time and leave it out in room temperature until ready to serve.
3. If you want to make all of it a few days in advance, you can bake it, refrigerate, and then let it sit out in room temperature for a few hours until no longer cold. It’s best served at room temperature or slightly warm for the best texture and flavor.
I’d love to hear what you think when you make it!
-Dee
Amazing recipe! Super easy and can be made dairy free for any allergy sufferers!! Super yummy and gone down well with the whole family
Thank you so much, Sophie! I am so glad you all liked it. Enjoy!!
-Dee