These caramel apple bars are made with a flavorful salted apple cider caramel layer, nestled in between soft and chewy cinnamon shortbread. Enjoyed at room temperature or straight from the fridge, these chewy caramel bars will be your new go-to fall dessert alongside these apple crumble bars.
Apple cider and warm, cozy spices are the epitome of fall, and we love unique apple desserts! Whether you're having spiced apple cider slushies, apple cider cookies, apple cider cake, or caramel pecan cheesecake...apple cider desserts are some of our favorites!
These caramel apple pie bars are no exception, and they taste like the bar version of our caramel apple pie (but way easier)!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Fall flavors - the caramel apple bars are made with a homemade caramel sauce that uses an apple cider reduction for the ultimate fall flavor. While the caramel can also be made without the apple cider, the extra step during the fall season makes this caramel the most decadent treat.
Texture - At room temperature, the bars are slightly gooey with an ultra-soft bite. But they're also great to eat straight from the fridge which makes for a super chewy caramel bar.
Shortbread - buttery shortbread crust is the perfect vessel for any flavor profile! It's easy to make and assemble and lends the perfect chew to the bars.
Ingredients
- Apple cider. Use the most flavorful apple cider you can find! Typically, the kind you find at fall markets or orchards will be best. Be sure to give it a good shake before pouring it into the pot to reduce it.
- Sugars. Both light brown sugar and granulated sugars are used in the caramel cookie bars. Dark brown sugar can also be used.
- Dairy. Unsalted butter for both the caramel and shortbread, and heavy whipping cream for the caramel.
- Dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, kosher salt, and flaky sea salt are used.
- Spices. Ground cinnamon is added to the apple cider caramel and shortbread dough to bring out the fall flavors.
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
What Kind of Apple Cider Should I Buy?
The first thing you should know is that fresh apple cider is unfiltered apple juice made from whole, crushed apples. While it's close to apple juice, cider is not shelf-stable and isn't processed to remove the sediment. There are also alcoholic versions of apple cider, but that's not what we want for this recipe!
You can find apple cider in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores year-round, but definitely in the fall and winter. However, I think the best place to buy it is from a local apple orchard or farm stand!
It should have an intense apple flavor, be much darker in color than apple juice, and will likely have a layer of sediment at the bottom. This is a good thing and where a ton of flavor lives! Just be sure to give the jug a shake before you use it or drink it.
Substitutions and Variations
- If you don't have access to apple cider, or would like to make these as a standard salted caramel sauce, simply omit the apple cider. We also love to make these with our salted bourbon caramel.
- If the caramel process makes you nervous, or if you don't have a thermometer, use the caramel recipe from these chocolate caramel marshmallow bars. It's made with sweetened condensed milk making it a no-fail option.
- Going to the standard caramel route? Melt some chocolate and drizzle it over the tops of the cut bars, then sprinkle with extra flaky sea salt.
- Brown the butter for the shortbread and allow it to solidify back to room temperature. This will up the flavor profile considerably!
How to Make This Recipe
Timing tip! Make the shortbread once the apple cider is about halfway reduced, then put the base in the oven right before making the caramel.
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One: Add the apple cider to a pot and reduce over medium-high heat until a thick, syrup-like consistency forms.
Three: Allow the mixture to bubble, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230℉. Stir in the salt and cinnamon then allow it to cool and start to thicken.
Hot tip! Place the excess dough in the fridge while the base bakes.
Expert Tips
- Timing is key! You need to allow both the caramel and shortbread base to cool slightly before assembling, without becoming fully cool.
- Add top pieces of dough to the corners and most of the sides.
- Line the pan with parchment paper. This is crucial in the removal of the bars.
- If the bars aren't removing easily from the pan, allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then pull them out.
- Cut the bars while they're cold for the cleanest cuts.
- After cutting, allow the bars to sit out for about an hour to get extra gooey caramel centers. If you like them extra chewy, enjoy them directly from the fridge.
Recipe FAQs
If the bars are still warm and not fully cooled, the caramel will still be very gooey and runny. Try adding them to the fridge. If the caramel is still runny after being in the fridge for at least 1 hour, the caramel was likely undercooked before adding it to the bars.
Cut two strips of parchment paper that fit across each other and hang over the edges slightly. Spray the bottom and sides with cooking spray, add the first piece of parchment, spray the top of the parchment, then add the second piece.
This is because either the caramel or shortbread was too hot. Both the caramel and shortbread need to cool a bit before combining or the caramel will melt through and bake into the cookie base.
Use the parchment paper to pull the bars out of the pan, and add them to a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife and make as few cuts as possible to get through each section. This should be done while the bars are very cold from the fridge. If the knife becomes sticky, wash it off with hot water and dry it, then continue cutting.
They actually need to be made ahead of time to chill and allow the caramel to set. This is a great recipe to make the day before you plan to serve them.
Storage
Store the bars covered in the fridge for one week. Enjoy the bars very chewy directly from the fridge, or allow them to sit at room temperature for an hour or more for a gooier version of the dessert bars.
To freeze, wrap the bars or pieces of bars tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight bag. Freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw uncovered at room temperature before enjoying.
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📖Recipe
Salted Caramel Apple Bars
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
Ingredients
Apple Cider Caramel
- 2 cups apple cider
- ¼ cup unsalted butter room temperature, cut into tablespoon pieces
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Shortbread
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Caramel Layer
- Add the apple cider to a saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer and allow the liquid to simmer until it reduces to a syrup-like consistency, yielding about ¼ cup. Just eyeball this.2 cups apple cider
- Note: once the liquid is close to being reduced, make the shortbread layer and get it in the oven.
- Once the apple cider has become a syrup, add the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and heavy cream and mix until combined. Adjust to a medium heat source.¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- Allow the mixture to come to a boil, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 230℉/110℃ on a candy thermometer.
- Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the cinnamon and flaky salt and set aside to begin cooling and allow it to thicken slightly.½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Shortbread layer
- Preheat the oven to 350℉/180℃. Spray an 8x8" pan with cooking spray, then line it with two strips of parchment paper to cover completely.
- Cream the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium high speed for five minutes until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides.1 cup unsalted butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until combined and no flour streaks remain.2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Press ⅔ of the shortbread into the bottom of the pan, getting it the whole way into the corners, then bake for 20 minutes. Add the remaining shortbread to the fridge.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes as you finish the caramel (or let the caramel cool and thicken).
Assembly
- Pour the slightly thickened caramel over the shortbread base.
- Remove quarter sized pieces of the extra shortbread dough and flatten them with your fingers. Disperse the pieces over the caramel, adding some to the corners and sides.
- Bake the bars for an additional 20 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Sprinkle more flaky sea salt onto the top of the bars, if desired.
- Transfer the pan to the fridge to finish cooling, keeping it uncovered until fully set. About 1-2 hours.
- Use the parchment paper to remove the bars from the pan, then slice into 16 pieces (it's best to cut them cold) with a large, sharp knife.
Notes
- There is a bit of a timing aspect to this recipe. You need to allow both the caramel and shortbread base to cool slightly before assembling, without becoming fully cool.
- Add top pieces of dough to the corners and most of the sides.
- Don't skip lining the pan with parchment paper. This is crucial in the removal of the bars.
- If the bars don't easily remove from the pan, allow them to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then pull them out.
- Cut the bars while they're very cold for the cleanest cuts.
- After cutting, allow the bars to sit out for about an hour if you want extra gooey caramel centers, otherwise, enjoy directly from the fridge.
Birgit Wildeboer says
I loved the recipe! Delicious and everybody is a fan! Made a double batch of the caramel and used half of it in the cookie bars. Any tips on what to use the rest of the caramel with?
Callan Wenner says
Ahh yay! So happy to hear this. I love to use extra on ice cream, cheesecake, dipping pretzels in it for a sweet and salty combo! You can also freeze it and save it for another time - it will last for about a month!
Sarah says
Hello! Any ideas on making this dairy and gluten free? Thanks!
Callan Wenner says
Hi Sarah, to make it gluten free you can use Bob's Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour. I've used this many times and it's a great swap. For a dairy free version, you'd need to use full fat coconut milk in the caramel and vegan butter. Please note that I have not tested this recipe with anything beyond the gluten free flour, so it would be a bit of an experiment for you!
Aubrey says
I was a little nervous to try my hand at the caramel layer, but it worked perfectly! The salt in the caramel is key -- such a delightfully sweet/salty/fall flavors combo. Will make again.
Eve Smith says
These bars are delicious. Making the caramel with apple cider is what takes it to the next level. These bars have such a lovely taste of fall! Also!! Thank you for including measurements after each step, makes it So Much Easier!! Well done!
Thank you Cozy Plum
Callan Wenner says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear this - isn't apple cider caramel the BEST?! Great to hear you found the measurements within the instructions helpful, too!
Abigail C Adams says
This is the best recipe ever. My family & coworkers went nuts over it! I do have a question...could you add a little more butter to the shortbread for more flavor? The recipe is perfect already but I was curious because this shortbread reminded me of pasta frala that my family makes around Christmas...so delicious. The only difference really is the pasta frala dough is a bit more buttery & crumbly. Anyway, thanks for the great recipe!
Callan Wenner says
Hi Abigail, thanks so much for try it! Glad everyone enjoyed it. Adding extra butter would make the dough spread too much and not set properly - I'd try using a more flavorful European-style butter like Kerrygold or Plugra (has a slightly higher fat content) and see if that makes a difference!