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These Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars have a shortbread cookie base topped with creamy caramel and loaded with fresh apples. A perfect fall treat.

Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars

When I taught 6th grade I always used to show A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (FYI- Happy Thanksgiving weekend to my fellow Canadians) and we would have a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: popcorn, pretzel sticks, jelly beans, and butter toast.

To my surprise the thing that the kids could not stop eating was buttered toast.

I was in awe.

They kept asking me what do you do to your toast to make it taste this way?

Keep in mind this was your $.99 a loaf cheap white bread…slathered in butter.

Real butter.

Then I realized that the majority of those kids were raised on margarine.

Most of my generation even was as we were told how much better it was for us.

Of course now we know it’s the other way around.

Those 6th graders knew best.

Butter is the best.

It’s what makes your steak taste so awesome when you go out to eat compared to when you cook it at home.

Say what?

Yes your steakhouse steak is basted in butter kids, and that is what makes it oh so better.

Mashed potatoes would be nothing without it.

Shortbread and sugar cookies need butter.

I need butter.

So when Plugra approached me last year and asked if I wanted some of their butter for holiday baking I was all over that.

Six pounds of butter (which sounds like a lot but I blew threw it in 2 weeks 😀 ).

Then this year they asked if I wanted to be part of the Plugra Butter Brigade and I was like umm, yeah, no brainer there.

So this is where if you are a baker you will now hate me.

First off, if you aren’t hating on me, then you have never baked with Plugra butter.

Now I am compensated for making a recipe and posting about it but really, I’m doing that anyway…I am in it for the butter.

The butter I get each month…for a year. 😀

Yes, that’s right butter for a year. 

Plugra butter.

It’s pretty much perfect for me.

So onto these Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars.

All things I love.

Shortbread full of butter.

Check.

Apples.

Check.

Caramel.

Check.

These were about as spectacular as they sound.

Boring to photograph as brown food never smiles for the camera but the taste is wonderful.

P.S. It’s a great day to buy my cookbook Holy Sweet!

Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars

Want More Recipes? Try These:

Caramel Apple White Chocolate Fudge

Salted Caramel Apple Sweet Rolls

Caramel Apple Whiskey Crumble Pie

Caramel Apple Cookie Cobbler

Apple Cinnamon Bun Cookie Cobbler

Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars

Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars

Ingredients

  • For the Shortbread:
  • 10 TBSP unsalted butter, at room temperature (I used Plugra)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • For the Apples:
  • 1 TBSP unsalted butter
  • One (1) large apple, peeled, cored, and diced
  • 1 1/2 TBSP brown sugar
  • For the Caramel Base:
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (I used Plugra)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup Lyle’s Golden Syrup (or light corn syrup)
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 4 TBSP. granulated sugar
  • 4 TBSP. heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla bean paste (or extract)

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9-by-9-inch pan with parchment paper with the edges of the parchment hanging over the sides. This will make removing the bars easier.
  2. In a large bowl combine the butter, sugar and salt with a fork.
  3. Add the yolk and combine with the fork.
  4. Now add the flour and using your hands, combine the dough until its flaky.
  5. Transfer the dough into the parchment lined pan and press down with your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup.
  6. Refrigerate this for 30 minutes.
  7. Once chilled, bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned.
  8. While the shortbread is baking, place the apples, butter, and sugar in to a medium saucepan.
  9. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until apples become soft.
  10. Once shortbread is baked, remove and set aside to cool on a wire rack.
  11. In a large pot combine the topping butter, brown sugar, Lyle’s Golden Syrup, salt, sugar and cream.
  12. Bring to a boil.
  13. Stir for about 5-10 minutes until its thick and bubbly. If you have a candy thermometer - the caramel should be about 248 degrees.
  14. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla bean paste and fold in the cooked apples.
  15. Pour on top of the shortbread.
  16. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
  17. Slice while still cold. Keep in the refrigerator.
Caramel Apple Shortbread Bars

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Comments

  3. I can only think of maybe 3things I bake that DON’T use butter! The favorite with really good butter would be have to be plain basic shortbread to let the flavor shine through. And yes, I am very jealous of your butter windfall!

    Reply

  5. Great butter for a year? Yay!! So jealous lol! But butter does make everything better. I can’t list all the things I can make with butter here…you have no room for that. But immediately I will brown some of it and make my favorite chocolate chip caramel cookies.

    Reply

  7. I love to use butter in pretty much everything but if I have to pick a favorite its just slathered on nice fresh homemade bread, and then there is this cook’s illustrated recipe for croissants that specifically calls for European style butter…

    Reply

  8. I go through a pound of butter a week, easily. I love it in everything, but especially love the magic flavor of buttery brown sugar cookies.

    Reply

  9. You’re giving away butter and I’m not the least surprised. Not am I surprised that you’re doing this just to get butter for yourself for a year. Again. Still not surprised. =)

    Reply

  10. Sage brown butter sauce to serve with homemade butternut squash ravioli. Also Paula Deen’s birthday cake cupcakes with her cream cheese icing….both so rich and FULL of sweet butter!

    Reply

  11. I’ve actually never tried Plugra butter, but I’d really, really like to. I use butter in pretty much everything I bake — though if I had to pick a favorite use for it, I’d pick something like what you said, a place where it shines on its own, perhaps on top of a warm corn muffin. 🙂

    Reply

  12. Lately I’ve been making homemade sandwich bread. I’ve discovered the deliciousness of taking a thick slice of it, toating it, then spreading it with butter. Not really a recipe…but it reminds me of the beauty of the humblest ingredients.

    Reply

  16. My favorite thing to do with butter is to eat as much of it as possible in whatever way, shape or form… But honestly though, I loved scrambled eggs made with butter, Russian-style boiled baby potatoes with butter melted over them sprinkled with dill, and a good ol’ St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake…. Ok, snack time.

    Reply

  19. the kids had it right – butter slathered on toast!! though made with good bread and not the 99 cent loaf w/ perhaps a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar on top.

    Reply

  21. I’ve never tried Plugra because it’s so expensive, but the way most foodies and bloggers talk about it, it sounds magical! I just made a cinnamon roll coffee cake from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe that had a ridiculous amount of butter in it. Amazing.

    Reply

  22. I can bake with the best of them (I think), but my favorite application of butter is slathered on a warm slice of freshly baked bread.

    Reply

  23. Um…so, there are recipes that DON’T call for butter?!? I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite. I’m on a big browned butter kick right now, though. I’m adding it to everything!

    Reply

  24. I know browned butter is all the rage right now (it seems like the new “salted caramel” 😉 ), but it is pretty amazing in blondies and cookies! I also LOVE crumbles/crisps/cobblers, and butter makes the topping so wonderful.

    Reply

  25. My hubby grew up on just margarine, and had no clue what the difference was. When we first started dating he went to pick up a few things from the store for me and came home with a pound of margarine…yuck! I didn’t want to hurt his feelings so I used it anyway, and what I was making did not turn out the way I wanted it to. Let’s just say that if I put butter on the shopping list now, he gets butter. Lesson learned.

    As for my favorite thing to user butter for…um everything. But every week I buy a loaf of sourdough from the farmers market for toast during the week and I slather it with butter. I also love to make caramel corn for holiday gifts.

    Reply

  26. the one thing I miss about my career as a Flight Attendant is bringing back European Butter! I remember seeing Plugra in Amsterdam. A friend just gave me her recipe bot Boter Koek, and your apple bars look amazing. I live in westport, MA, and would love a couple of butter coupons!
    Some of my best memories are of my Auntie Anna churning butter on my Uncle’s farm in Nova Scotia

    Reply

  27. I grew up on margarine and only recently switched to butter. Its taken some getting used to…but I’m finding I like it a lot better in just about anything I make. I even like it better than olive oil for sauteing mushrooms and onions. Better flavor.

    Reply

  28. I love using butter to make my great grandmothers yeast rolls. Before my dad passed away he told me that my rolls rivaled his granny’s recipe. I will hold on to that complement until the day I die.

    Reply

  29. The amount of butter I go through in a week is crazy! trying to narrow down my favorite is tough. I think my caramel sticky buns might just be it..for today anyway haha.But I am a popcorn addict and that would be my #1 thing.
    I can’t wait to try this recipe..yummmmmmmm

    Reply

  30. If i had my druthers, I’d use Plugara on everything….but since I’m not actually a princess, I’ve had my eye on an apple cake that would surely benefit from some extra-special butter 🙂

    Reply

  31. Butter is magically delicious in anything, but my favorite thing to use butter in is my chocolate chip toffee cookies. They’re super rich, but go really well with a nice cold glass of milk.

    Reply

  32. In and on fresh bread. Local Market has KerryGold for $2 per half stick so I don’t get really good fresh butter. Ever. Still, Land o’ Lakes is better than any margarine made so I can live with that.

    Reply

  34. I love making crumble toppings. They always call for a lovely amount of butter and they are always the best part of those desserts! 🙂

    Reply

  38. I always use real butter in all of my baking. I grew up eating beautiful yellow butter just like Plugra. I think I may be a 6th grader since I think there is nothing better than a piece of buttered toast, with a little extra butter slathered on the corners as you eat it. As for baking I would say scones or biscuits.

    Reply

  40. My mom used margarine in all her recipes, I’ve taken some of her favorite recipes with me to family dinners replacing the margarine with butter. Everyone is amazed that I can make the recipe better than my mom does. Butter makes all the difference. 🙂 My favorite thing to use butter for is either my mom’s pecan tassie recipe, or just on toast with my homemade jam. they just compliment each other and make my taste buds happy. 🙂

    Reply

  41. I love using real butter! I mean it is not healthy by any means but when compared the margarine it is soooo much better. If I see a recipe calling for margarine I’m like pft, I’m gonna use butter! 🙂

    And I love using butter in cookies. For some reason the look of the creamed butter is so beautiful. And when y sister is around I always let her take a little chunk of it before I put the eggs in haha. She enjoys it. But I love using browned butter for browned butter frosting. That has become my new favorite frosting.

    Reply

  42. Frosting and shortbread are by far my favorite ways to use butter (you know, besides spreading it on really good bread).

    Reply

  43. I use butter all the time, but lately I’ve been making a lot of things with browned butter – browned butter pasta sauce, browned butter blondies…YUM.

    And yeah. I’m WAY jealous of your free Plugra!

    Reply

  45. I dare you to try this with butter that good…..I know I would….1 stick butter, melted in fry pan, add 1 cup white sugar cook for 7-12 minutes stirring or wisking almost constantly, it will go through so many changes but then it becomes this carmely toffee and then you add 3 cups of cheerio’s. then stir to coat the cheerios. spread out on a silpat to cool then break into pieces. It is mind numbingly good!

    Reply

  46. Each course I make used butter, Chipotle butter on sour dough, veggies sautéed in butter, tomato cream pasta, brown-sugar butter pork ribs; that was our dinner last night with friends…oh and lemon bars for desert (shortbread crust). Everything is betta with butta…

    Reply

  47. Oh, butter…….can’t bake ANYTHING without real butter! Pumpkin bread…banana bread…rolls…streusel toppings… Nothing else will do!

    Oh, Stephanie! I have a similar thing I do but I mix it with Kix cereal! You just can’t stay out of the stuff once you start eating it!!!

    Reply

  48. I only eat good butter. It is so much better. I don’t understand when people can just buy the store brand. I think this is from my time in France. It doesn’t get better than that. These bars look amazing. Now how can I make them instantly appear in front of me.

    Reply

  49. Oh my goodness. I am so jealous. I am like you, I don’t even buy margarine, because what is the point? I would rather go without than not eat real butter. Ok so, I would make a never ending list of things with this amazing butter. Perhaps shortbread cookies since the butter would be highlighted. Also, there was a nytimes article about cultured butter this week: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/09/dining/making-cultured-butter-at-home.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Ok, I am done, sorry to ramble!

    Reply

  52. Oh man, what isn’t butter awesome in? I love it especially where the taste shines through, as it does in so many things, I’m going to go with a warm, buttery, melty chocolate chip cookie. Yum!

    Reply

  55. My Great Grandma’s butter cookies. Nothing fancy about them but they are a Christmas tradition. I always use the best butter we have in the house because the flavor comes though.

    Reply

  58. I love using butter in flaky pastry desserts…the layers melt in your mouth. My mom will love these shortbread bars…thank you!!

    Reply

  59. I love butter. My husband was a margarine an until he married me. It didn’t last long. My favorite hint with butter I heartbreak so ths recipe is going to be made vey soon.

    Reply

  63. Oh my god, butter. What don’t I love it in? Seriously, the best thing on the planet is toast with butter. I’m with the kids.

    Reply

  64. LOVE butter! My girlfriend used to tease me that she was down to 12 lbs of butter, so did I think she should buy more. HELLO! That’s only going to last you a month or two. But that was nothing compared to my brother-in-law finding my freezer full of about 30 lbs. this summer. It was on sale, what can I say?

    My favorite thing to make with butter? Heath Bar Cookies — I adapted the recipe & brown the butter before creaming it with the sugar and eventually rolling the whole thing in crushed Heath Bars. MMmmmmm – getting hungry.

    Thanks for sharing your love of all things delicious with us!

    Reply

  65. as others have said – what not to use it on? cookies, breads, melting on top of a warm biscuit….. endless possibilities.

    Reply

  67. These look awesome. It amazes me how quickly I can plow through butter when I’m baking. I’ve never tried European butter…I’d love to!

    Reply

  69. Butter makes everything better – waffles, squash, apples. My husband’s all-time favorite food is buttered toast. Let’s just say we go through A LOT of butter at our house!
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    Reply

  70. I love butter for baking Christmas cookies. My family’s favorite are Spritz cookies, from a long time ago neighbor of my Mom. My husband’s family favorite are Pepparkakor, a Swedish ginger snap.

    Reply

  72. I came across you site today and it’s wonderful. I was looking for something special to use with pumpkin. It was a fun trip to the pumpkin patch, had to get a small one for baking. Then I saw the caramel apple shortbread bars, wow their perfect, thanks. As for butter, it’s all we use now,can’t beat it for baking. My family favorite is my grandmothers recipe for butter tarts. my daughter and I make a lot of these for the holidays and family. The name says it all BUTTER tarts, yum.Dianne

    Reply

  73. I used to work at a bakery and Plugra is what we used in our recipes and my god are you right about how much better it is. For me the best recipe to use it in has to be croissants.

    Reply

  74. Butter is better! My mom uses margarine in her pound cakes! 🙁 Boo!

    Other than using it in cakes, a bowl of rice with butter and salt. Comfort food for me! My friends say what do you put in your rice to make it taste so good? Um, just butter and salt!

    Reply

  77. I bake with butter. My favorite is shortbread & caramel chocolate bars. I’m also low tech – pI love buttered popcorn.

    Reply

  79. I made these last night and let them rest until this morning. I used salted butter and added the salt as well to the caramel. So I have accidental salted caramel apple bars. Still delicious!

    Reply

  80. I use butter on everything, eggs-through dinner and especially dessert. My favorite though I fresh, homemade bread spread generously with real butter! Oh yum! Even for this sugar loving girl, it would be hard to find something better.

    Reply

  81. How long do the bars keep in the fridge and do these bars freeze well. Also, can I double the recipe and use a 9 x 13 pan? Thanks!

    Reply

    • I would guess they would last in the fridge for 4-5 days. Caramel tends to not freeze well. I have never doubled them so I don’t know.

      Reply

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