Caramel Apple Crisp Bars

Prep Time:10 minutes Cook Time:45 minutes Total Time:55 minutes Servings: 9

Apple crisp bars drenched in melted caramel and topped with a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream!

ingredients

For the bottom layer:

2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

For the caramel apple layer:

2 cup apples, peeled, cored and diced
10 ounces caramels
1/4 cup heavy cream

For the topping:

1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

directions

For the bottom layer:

Mix the mixture of the flour, rolled oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into the mixture of the butter and brown sugar.
Press the mixture into the bottom of a greased (or foil or parchment paper lined) 8 inch square baking pan and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 10 minutes.

For the caramel apple layer:

Meanwhile peel and dice the apples.
Melt the caramels into the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and turn off the heat.

For the topping:

Mix everything, grab it by the handful, pressing it into large clumps, and loosely breaking them up as you sprinkle them onto the apples and caramel sauce in the pan.
Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven until the top is lightly golden brown and the sides are bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Let cool, cut into bars and enjoy!

Option: Sprinkle some coarse grain salt over the caramel sauce fr a salted caramel!
Tip: Serve warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!