Ingredients

Crust:

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Apple Filling:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch, or as needed

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

  2. Combine flour, 1 cup butter, 3/4 cup white sugar, egg, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor; pulse until crumbled and easily formed into dough when pinched. Pour 3/4 of the dough into the prepared pan; press down with your hands until crust is even and well-packed.

  3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add apples, brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt; cook and stir until apples are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch; mix, adding more cornstarch if needed, until liquid has thickened.

  4. Pour caramel-apple mixture onto crust; smooth with a spatula until even. Crumble remaining dough on top.

  5. Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes; cut into bars.