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Salted Caramel Sourdough Apple Crumble Bars Recipe
Ben Carraoli

Salted Caramel Sourdough Apple Crumble Bars Recipe

I have to admit, these salted caramel sourdough apple crumble bars completely won me over the first time I baked them. I wasn’t expecting the sourdough twist to pair so beautifully with sweet apples and rich caramel, but it absolutely does.
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Total Time 1 hour
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup sourdough discard
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 2 medium apples peeled and diced
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • ½ cup salted caramel sauce

Method
 

  1. Start by preheating your oven and lining your baking pan with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix melted butter, sugars, vanilla, and sourdough until smooth. Then add flour, baking soda, and salt to form a soft dough.
  2. Take about two-thirds of the dough and press it evenly into the prepared baking pan. Make sure the layer is compact and smooth so it bakes evenly. This will form the sturdy base of your bars.
  3. In another bowl, toss the diced apples with cinnamon and nutmeg. Make sure the apples are evenly coated so every bite has a warm spice flavor. This step enhances the natural sweetness of the fruit.
  4. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust layer. Try to distribute the apples well so the bars bake uniformly. This ensures every slice has a good balance of crust and filling.
  5. Take the remaining dough and crumble it over the apples. Don’t press it down—leave it loose and crumbly for a perfect texture. This creates that classic crumble top once baked.
  6. Place the pan in the oven and bake until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender. The aroma at this stage is amazing and fills the whole kitchen. Let the bars cool completely before cutting.
  7. Once cooled, drizzle salted caramel sauce generously over the top. This adds richness and ties all the flavors together beautifully. Cut into squares and serve.

Notes

  • I always use slightly tart apples like Granny Smith because they balance the sweetness perfectly
  • Don’t skip cooling completely—I learned the hard way that warm bars fall apart easily
  • I like to warm the caramel slightly before drizzling for a smoother finish
  • For extra texture, I sometimes add a handful of oats to the crumble topping
  • If I want a stronger sourdough flavor, I let the discard sit at room temperature a bit longer before using.