In-season apples and spices, rich cream cheese and caramel—what’s not to love about these over-the-top treats?
Caramel Apple Pie Bars
Makes 12
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 6 cups peeled ⅛-inch-sliced Golden Delicious apples (about 4 large)
- ½ cup water
- 2½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 2¼ cups firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ cups unsalted butter, melted
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Caramel topping*
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat. Add apples; cook, stirring frequently, until almost tender, 3 to 4 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup water and cornstarch. Pour over apples. Add ½ cup brown sugar and pie spice. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, letting excess extend over sides of pan. Spray with baking spray with flour.
- In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, pecans, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1¾ cups brown sugar. Drizzle with melted butter; toss with a fork until moistened and crumbly. Reserve 2 cups packed oats mixture in a small bowl and refrigerate until ready to use. Press remaining oats mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake until just lightly browned around edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add granulated sugar and vanilla and beat until creamy. With mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined. Pour cream cheese mixture over cooled crust, spreading into an even layer. Pour apple mixture over cream cheese mixture, spreading into an even layer. Crumble reserved 2 cups oats mixture on top.
- Bake until top is golden brown, mixture is set around edges and jiggles slightly in center, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 155°, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, 8 hours or up to overnight. Using excess foil as handles, remove from pan. Gently peel foil from sides. Cut into bars, and drizzle with caramel.
Notes
*We used Smucker’s caramel topping.
