While fall doesn’t officially begin for a couple more weeks, many of us use the passing of Labor Day weekend as the unofficial start of the beloved season. After all, seasonal fall beverages are now available at coffee shops around the country – I enjoyed one myself last weekend :) Normally at this point in the year, I’m confused because my mind turns to fall but the atmosphere is still all summer. This year, though, the weather seems to be playing along. I mean, it may not be sweatshirt weather just yet but I’ve been enjoying the breezy days and the cool foggy mornings.
Any day now we’ll be heading to the apple orchard for our first of many trips this season. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the crops weren’t totally demolished by the drought. Each year I get overzealous and pick far more apples than we could ever need, but somehow we manage to find a use for them all. About half are eaten straight, many are used in applesauce, some atop waffles and now, some will always be earmarked for these bars. The simple crumble dough with oats and a dose of warm fall spices is used for both the base and topping of these bars. Sandwiched between the two layers is a combination of gooey caramel sauce and tender cooked apples. If you are a nut lover, sprinkle some chopped walnuts or pecans over the top for additional crunch. Fall in a bar cookie? I’ll take it.
Note: This recipe was developed as part of my ongoing contribution to the Go Bold with Butter blog. Head over to see my posts as well as more great recipes from the other awesome bloggers involved with the project!