Apple Caramel Crumb Bars

These copycat apple caramel crumb bars taste just like the ones you can get at a famous coffee chain and are worth the time and effort!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 29 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 59 mins
• Calories: 130 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ cup white sugar
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• ½ cup light cream
• 2 teaspoons apple pie spice
• ¼ cup apple juice
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• ¾ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• ½ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon whiskey
• 10 cups peeled, sliced baking apples

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Combine cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and 3 tablespoons white sugar in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve, 2 to 3 minutes. Bring sauce to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook until slightly thickened, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in whiskey.

Step 3

Combine 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/3 cup white sugar, 2 teaspoons orange zest, and salt in a food processor; pulse to briefly combine. Scatter 3/4 cup butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until dough starts clumping together.

Step 4

Press dough over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking pan. Brush egg white over dough.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Step 6

Combine apples, apple juice, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, lemon juice, and apple pie spice in a large skillet. Bring to a boil; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and looks dry, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange zest.

Step 7

Place 1 1/4 cups flour and 1/3 cup white sugar in a food processor; pulse briefly to combine. Scatter 1/2 cup butter pieces and walnuts over flour mixture. Process until topping mixture starts to clump together. Pour into a bowl. Squeeze topping mixture with your fingertips to form clumps the size of peas.

Step 8

Spread cooled filling evenly over dough. Drizzle 1/2 the caramel sauce on top. Sprinkle topping evenly over caramel.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven until edges are light golden, about 35 minutes. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce on top. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into bars.