Shortcut Cinnamon Caramel Apple Bars

These Shortcut Cinnamon Caramel Apple Bars are a breeze to make and taste like fall!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings 2-1/2 inch by 1-1/2 bars or 51 1-1/2 inch by 1-1/2 inch bars

Calories 91kcal

Author Toni Dash

Ingredients

1 packet of Oatmeal Cookie mix (1 lb 1.5 oz; I used Pamela’s Products Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cookie mix*)
½ cup (1 stick) Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
1 Egg
¾ cups Caramel Sauce (purchased or homemade)
¼ cup All Purpose Flour; regular or gluten-free
3 medium-large Apples (1 should be a Granny Smith variety); peeled, cored and chopped+
1 cup Cinnamon Baking Chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 13 x 9 inch baking pan by greasing it or spraying it with non-stick spray. Set aside.
(Preferred method): In the bowl of a food processor with a dough blade, combine the cookie mix and butter pieces. Pulse to combine fully. Alternate hand method: Place cookie mix and butter in a large mixing bowl and cut the butter into the mix using a pastry whisk or dinner knives until fully combined.
Add the egg and pulse until fully incorporated into the dough (if using a hand method, stir to combine).
Remove ¾ cup of the prepared dough and set aside (it will go on top of the bars). Turn the rest of the dough into the prepared baking dish and using the back of a silicon baking spoon and/or your fingers, press the dough into the bottom of the pan forming a thin crust. Tip: the dough is sticky so spraying the back of the spoon with non-stick spray or dampening your fingers in neutral-flavored cooking oil will help it not stick.
Place pan in the oven and cook for 15 minutes.
While the crust is cooking, combine the caramel sauce and the flour in a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine fully.
After the crust has baked (it will be puffy), spoon the chopped apples evenly over the cookie crust, followed by the cinnamon baking chips. Drizzle the caramel sauce evenly over the top and finish with small pieces of the remaining cookie dough distributed over the top.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown or done (the dough I used did not turn golden but I could tell it was done by carefully touching it) and allow to cool for at least 2 hours.
Cut into 30 2-inch by 1-inch bars. Serve slightly warm (with a scoop of vanilla ice cream) and store covered in the refrigerator.

Notes

+if using a mix that is LESS THAN 1 lb 1.5 ounces, add additional cookie mix to equal 1 lb 1.5 ounces.

Adapted from Betty Crocker

Nutrition