Combine the dry ingredients:
Add the oats, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the dried apples, breaking them apart as you do, and combine.
Add the wet ingredients:
Add the egg, cider or juice, milk, butter or oil, and vanilla and whisk well to combine.
Let the mixture sit while the oven preheats, 10 to 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line a 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, so that it overhangs two sides. Spray with cooking spray.
Prepare the apple and assemble the bars:
While the oven preheats and the mixture sits, prepare the apple. Core and slice the apple into very thin slices (you can peel it or leave the peel on).
Add the bar mixture to the prepared baking pan and spread out evenly. Add the caramels to the top, evenly spaced, and gently press them into the mixture. Top with the apple slices, covering the top and pressing down slightly. Avoid overlapping the slices.
Bake:
Bake until golden brown around the edges and set in the center, about 35 minutes. Set the pan on a cooling rack and let cool until barely warm, about 30 minutes.
Slice and top:
Run a knife around any edges that aren’t lined with parchment. For easy cutting, place the whole pan in the fridge until cold, at least an hour. Then lift the bars from the pan using the parchment.
If desired, drizzle the bars with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Use a sharp knife to slice into squares or bars, cleaning off the knife with a wet rag after each cut.
ADVERTISEMENT
