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Salted Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookie Bars

Salted caramel apple oatmeal cookie bars layer tender cinnamon apples between chewy oat cookie dough, then finish with warm caramel and flaky sea salt. Bake them in a 9x13-inch pan and let the bars cool completely for neat slices.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 56 minutes
Cooling and setting 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 51 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookie bars
  • 1 tsp nonstick cooking spray for the pan
  • 1 cup salted butter softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 egg large
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 tsp baking soda
For the apple filling
  • 4 cups firm apples peeled, 1/4-inch-diced (about 3 medium)
  • 0.33 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the salted caramel
  • 1 bag (11 oz) soft caramels unwrapped
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 0.5 tsp flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • 1 9x13-inch baking pan
  • 1 electric mixer
  • 1 10-inch skillet
  • 1 1-quart saucepan

Method
 

Make the cookie dough
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking pan with the cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar with a mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until creamy.
  4. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, and baking soda.
  6. Mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture on low speed until no dry flour remains.
Make the apple filling
  1. Combine the apples, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice in a 10-inch skillet.
  2. Cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until the apples are tender but still hold their shape and the syrup is thickened.
  3. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool for 15 minutes.
Assemble and bake
  1. Press about two-thirds of the cookie dough evenly into the prepared pan.
  2. Spread the apple filling over the dough.
  3. Crumble the remaining dough evenly on top.
  4. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the center is set.
  5. Cool completely in the pan, at least 2 hours.
Finish with salted caramel
  1. Melt the caramels with the heavy cream in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring often, for 4 to 6 minutes until smooth.
  2. Drizzle the warm caramel over the cooled bars.
  3. Sprinkle with the flaky sea salt.
  4. Let the caramel set for 15 minutes before cutting into 24 bars.

Notes

For clean slices, make sure the bars are completely cool before drizzling the caramel and cutting. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; freeze the bars for up to 3 months. For a gluten-free version, use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.