Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

SHORTBREAD CRUST:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

APPLE FILLING:

2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 TBS all-purpose flour
2 TBS granulated sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

STREUSEL:

1/2 cup McCann’s Old-Fashioned Oats
1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Stonewall Kitchen Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 x 8 baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.

Crust:

In a medium bowl, stir the melted butter, sugar, vanilla and salt together. Add the flour and stir until well combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes.

Apple Filling:

In a large bowl, combine the apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg tossing until apples are completely coated and set aside.

Apple Streusel:

In a medium bowl, whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour together. Using a pastry blender or two forks, work in the butter until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.

Remove the crust from the oven and raise the heat to 350 degrees. Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. If necessary, press them down to fit in the pan. Sprinkle the top layer with the streusel and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before refrigerating for at least 2 hours or overnight. Once cool, using the overhang on the sides, lift the foil or parchment paper out of the pan and cut into bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each.