These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars are baked in a sheet pan and perfect for sharing this holiday season.
Every year, Dustin and I talk about how we want to bake holiday treats and share them with friends and family. I can remember thinking it was so nice of people to bring in homemade holiday cookies and snacks when I was working in an office and how sweet people were to bake something special.
This year, we finally got our act together and decided to bake these salted caramel apple pie bars. We had been craving apple pie and thought making them into apple pie bars would be a great way to put them into a gift box to share with friends.
The girls are always wanting to cook with us, too, so it was a great opportunity to bake something that could be shared as a gift or thank you.
Baking for others is such a neat way to show that you care.
I see my three-year-old cooking pretend food in his playroom, bringing me tacos, quesadillas, muffins, and pancakes (and cookie dough too, of course), all pretend and all made with love. He gets it. I see my eight-year-old making lunches for her sister and brother as her daily chore, writing little notes for each of them to read as they enjoy lunch the next day. She gets it.
Cooking for others brings joy to everyone.
WHAT IS THE BEST TYPE OF APPLE FOR SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE BARS?
It’s really neat how different apples add unique flavor and texture to every dish they are added to. I use Granny Smith apples in my Apple Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars because I love the tartness of the apple filling and the texture of my finished dessert. The apples stay firm and never turn out mushy.
Their green skin makes them easy to find in the aisle of the grocery store, and not only that, I leave the pretty green skin on the apple slices (no peeling required!) to add flavor and extra goodness.
Other large apples that are good for baking are:
- Honeycrisp – This apple stays firm, too. It’s sweeter than the Granny Smith but is not easy to find all year long.
- Golden Delicious – This apple carries its name well. It’s delightful in taste but not quite as firm as my go-to Granny Smith.
- Braeburn – Some people say it tastes like a pear, so if you want to really vary the flavor, give it a try.
- Fuji – This sweet apple has a flavor that intensifies as it bakes.
- Pink Lady – It’s a pretty apple that is tart and crisp. I love the color of the skin; it’s compared to a pink blush.
- Gala – This mild tasting apple retains its shape when baked and has a thinner skin than other apples do.
I love cooking for my family. It’s one of my fave things.
They don’t always love what I make them, but — when they do — it’s something special and makes me feel so good to have shared that with them. It’s a moment in time I can share something with them they all enjoy and appreciate and it makes me happy to make them happy. It’s a moment of togetherness that was created from nothing.
I make these apple pie bars on a prepared baking pan (sometimes called a sheet pan) which allows me to make enough to share with even more people and spread the apple pie bar love. And can we just talk about the homemade salted caramel sauce for a minute? We all need this in our lives. On these apple pie bars. On homemade vanilla ice cream topped with nuts. On yogurt. It’s perfection and the perfect topping for these made-with-love bars.
And we can’t forget the two best ever spices for yummy Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars. Just 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and you are good to go for flavor that everyone will love.
HOW SHOULD I STORE MY SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE BARS?
FYI, you can totally freeze these apple pie bars to enjoy later. I use a freezer-safe container and keep them for up to 3 months. I find that storing these bars in the freezer is best and they are amazing cold.
So, if you have any of these irresistible treats left after you serve them fresh out of the oven, pack up the remainder once they’ve reached room temperature and pop them in the freezer. Doing so allows this dessert favorite to maintain its shape and consistency the best. They’ll stay fresh and delicious this way. Be sure to use an airtight container.
ARE SALTED CARAMEL APPLE PIE BARS PALEO?
Yes, these bars are paleo! Not only are these mouthwatering bars hard to resist, but they are paleo-friendly, too. The almond flour (so much better for you than all purpose flour) allows them to slide right into the paleo diet family. They are gluten-free and made without refined sugar. All around, they are a clean-eating bar, wholesome through and through!
This is a delicious bar made with fresh apples and a can’t resist crumble topping with good for you oatmeal. The topping forms coarse crumbs of nothing but goodness with coconut sugar, too. I prefer coconut sugar over brown sugar because it is lower on the glycemic index and even has minerals like iron and calcium.
These Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars are made with love and only the best ingredients. They make the perfect baked treat to package and give to someone for a pick-me-up or thank you. But, with lots of people striving to eat in a healthy way, you may be wondering if this recipe will fit the bill. Well, now you know they do!
MORE HEALTHY HOLIDAY TREATS
If you are looking to spoil your family and friends through food and good times this holiday season, add a few of these healthy, show-the-love recipes to your baking list. Grab your teaspoons and tablespoons, your sheet pan and large bowl, and get ready to bake some goodness!
- Healthy Lemon Bars
- The BEST Pumpkin Pie From Scratch
- Healthy Pecan Pie
- Easy Paleo 7 Layer Bars
- Quick and Easy Quinoa Peanut Brittle
- Healthy Homemade Eggnog Ice Cream
Happy baking and good times all around!
- 4 cups almond flour (AKA almond meal)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 1/3 cups coconut oil, melted
- 4 large granny smith apples, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 tbsp. almond flour
- 3 tbsp. coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp. coconut sugar
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. almond butter
- 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp. sea salt
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Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the almond flour, melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, and sea salt. Stir together well.
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Press this mixture into the prepared sheet pan in an even layer.
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Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly and slightly firm.
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Combine the apples, almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice, and set aside.
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Combine the rolled oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and almond flour in a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
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Remove the crust from the oven, and then increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
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Layer the apple mixture evenly over the crust.
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Sprinkle the apple layer with the oat topping.
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Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
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In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine the coconut oil and pure maple syrup, and stir together.
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Once heated through, add the almond butter, and whisk together until smooth.
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Remove from heat, then add in the vanilla extract and sea salt.
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When the bars are finished baking, remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 20 minutes. Then place them in the freezer for 30 minutes.
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Cut into 12-16 bars and drizzle with the salted caramel sauce.
These apple pie bars are best if stored in the freezer to maintain their structure. They can be stored in an air-tight container for up to 3 months.
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one of my favs 🙂
soooooo goooooooood!!!!!! xoxoxo