Taste the Fair with These Easy-to-Make Caramel Apple Bars!

I grew up just a short walk from our local fairgrounds. Although I enjoyed the rides, games, and the opportunity to see the farm animals at the Cumberland Fair each year, I was mostly there for the food from a very young age.

No visit to the fair was complete without grabbing a caramel apple, cleverly placed in the food trailer windows so that their glossy caramel shells gleamed under the nearby midway lights. The combination of caramel and apple remains one of my favorite autumn flavors, and though I now live far from the county fair of my youth, I eagerly anticipate making a caramel apple-inspired dessert each fall.

These caramel apple bars boast a brown sugar shortbread base that also serves as a crumbly topping, filled with spiced apple slices enrobed in smooth dulce de leche. Before serving, the bars are topped with an extra drizzle of dulce de leche to mimic the glossy appearance of a caramel apple.

Lacking a traditional pie crust and eliminating the need for homemade caramel, these bars are not only delicious but also incredibly simple to prepare, deserving of a blue ribbon.

Opt for Ready-Made Dulce de Leche

Rather than crafting caramel from scratch, I use commercially available dulce de leche for these apple bars, a Latin American treat made from caramelized milk with a rich, creamy flavor. It’s thick enough to hold its shape in the bars without running excessively.

You can find Nestle La Lechera or Eagle Brand dulce de leche in the baking aisle near the sweetened condensed milk or in the Hispanic food section. If it’s not at your local supermarket, check a Hispanic market or search online. A high-quality jar of caramel sauce is also a good substitute.

Ideal Apples for Baking

For baking, I always select crisp and tart Granny Smith apples. In these bars, their tangy flavor nicely balances the sweetness of the dulce de leche, and their firmness helps them maintain their shape during baking.

Although Granny Smiths are my preferred choice, you can also use other varieties suitable for baking like Pink Lady, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, or Gala.

Achieving Clean Slices

The combination of crumbly shortbread and sticky dulce de leche can make these bars look a bit messy. For the neatest slices, chill the bars in the refrigerator for an hour after drizzling them with dulce de leche. I suggest using a long, sharp chef’s knife and cleaning the blade after each cut.

Personalizing My Easy Caramel Apple Bars

While these bars capture the quintessential taste of caramel apples, sometimes I like to add a twist with a few modifications. Here are some of my favorite tweaks:

• To infuse a salty-sweet flavor, sprinkle flaky sea salt over the bars after adding the dulce de leche topping.
• Include 1/2 cup of chopped nuts to the reserved crumble topping. I prefer pecans or walnuts.
• Change the spices in the caramel apple filling. Instead of an apple pie spice blend, use 1 to 2 teaspoons of your preferred baking spice. I find these bars are delicious with a teaspoon of ground cardamom.
• Double the ingredients and use a 9×13-inch pan. Pre-bake the crust for 18 minutes, then after assembling, bake for another 45 to 55 minutes until the topping is lightly browned.