Anna is on Faces of Beauty today! I highly recommend you stop by and say hi 🙂
I feel it can be difficult sometimes to come up with new and unique recipes, don’t you? Sometimes it just seems that everything that could be made has been made! That’s why you have to make sure you start your brainstorming and cooking process with some brain juice first:
OK, I realize that makes me sound like an alcoholic, so please know I’m kidding. Mostly kidding.
In all seriousness though I was getting kind of frustrated about what kind of treat to make for the office this week when I ran across a recipe in Bon Appetit magazine for “Crack Pie” which sounds like a custard pie in an oatmeal cookie crust. Genius I say! And whereas there’s no way a pie would make enough to feed a hungry office, I loved the idea for the oat cookie crust. And the idea of Deep Dish Caramelized Apple Oatmeal Bars was born!
First you need apples…lots of apples. I don’t know the poundage on this, but I had 5 HUGE Granny Smith apples…and I wish I’d bought more. I would say overall a good 6-8 apples will be good for this dish. They’ll be cooking down, so don’t get scared. Get excited.
These are the ingredients for the oat cookie crust from the Crack Pie recipe, only doubled since the final product was going to be in a 9×13 pan (I also added about 1 Tbsp of cinnamon).
The original recipe is a little more involved, but I just creamed the butter and sugars, added the eggs, and then added the dry ingredients. Press into a 9×13 pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Now for the apples. They need to be peeled and sliced into thin slices. You can toss with a bit of lemon juice if you’re anal concerned about them browning, but I didn’t. In fact, I wouldn’t recommend it because I don’t think the acidity would do well with the caramelization. I have no way to prove that of course, I’m just sayin’ 😉
So yes, speaking of caramel. I would have done more apples, less caramel.
Blasphemy!
It’s true though…I went a little overboard with the caramel and therefore didn’t get it to the deep golden color I would have liked. HOWEVER, it’s still tasty and in my mind that’s what really matters anyway. That being said, I’m going to give you the measurements you SHOULD use and not the measurements I used.
Take one stick of butter (don’t be scared, this isn’t 8 sticks…just 2 cut into eighths) and melt it over low heat.
Sprinkle in 1 1/2 cups sugar…try not to do what I did and pile it all into the middle. You don’t want to stir the butter-sugar combo, so it’s a good idea to evenly distribute it if you can!
Cook for about 10 minutes or until the butter-sugar combo starts to brown. NOW is when you can stir…and stirstirstir you must! Stir for about 3 minutes to combine, then dump your apples in. Very carefully combine the apples and the butter and sugar.
Let this cook down, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes or so. In the meantime, crumble up the oat cookie crust and press it up along the sides of the pan as well as the bottom. When the apples are tender, pour the apple mixture into the crust. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.
Alright guys. Here’s where I’m about to get honest with you. This is extremely tasty. No doubt about that.
But I couldn’t get it out of the pan very well and make it look pretty. No clean lines in this bad boy!
So here’s the finished product…and even though it has a super fancy name, it’s basically an upside-down apple crisp.
And I wouldn’t change that for the world 🙂
Hey Heather! I’m making this tomorrow for our small group — yay! Just checking — you bake the crust, let it cool, then crumble it, press it into the pan and around the sides… then bake it again? Making sure I have my plan straight 🙂
yes ma’am, you got it! only bake it the first time til it’s just set and a little brown otherwise it’ll burn! let me know how you like them…mine were totally addictive!
The crust looks so good, nice and crispy brown.
Wow – if I wasn’t already ready for Fall, this has just put me over the edge! Can’t wait to try it!
Yum! Sounds like a great fall recipe.
This looks delicious…I can’t wait to try it!
I love that you just called beer brain juice.
did you know deschutes makes extra fancy black butte aged in whiskey barrels that is like 11% alcohol?
…and now i sound like an alcoholic too.
Ohhh this sounds delish and looks great, too! But…less caramel? Can you really have too much?! 😉
Love the honesty here 🙂 Sometimes I adjust measurements for the blog too, knowing full well that had I made the adjustments, it would’ve tasted a little better. Ha, as long as the finished product works, that’s all that matters!
When fall comes all anyone talks about pumpkin – apple dishes are so underrated. My favorite is Jewish Apple Cake but this looks like it could take the cake (no pun intended).
Yes please!
Brain juice! Your too funny. Bet it helped though 😉
Def want to try this for Thanksgiving. This totally puts me in the fall mood.
I prolly sound like an alchy half the time as well:)
oh wow this looks awesome. I can almost smell it coming out of the oven. YUM!
Thank you so much for posting this tasty recipe! I’ve been trying to bake/cook away a bushel of apples since last week–I’ve made bread, pie, and applesauce, but I’ve still got too many apples! This might have to be next on the list 🙂
I swear that every recipe you post makes me drool on my keyboard…this one is no exception!
Beautifully delish Heather!!!
How did you end up serving it? Did you just scoop it out of the pan?
1. This makes me wish it was already September 23.
2. Send that porter my way, k?
:o)
oh this looks so good!
its sort of like a pie bar!! this is DELISH!!
no need to fear the butter, ur smart for keeping it in, makes the apples taste like caramel and sugar..plus gives the crust the most savory taste <3
That looks heavenly 🙂 well done, Heather!!
Ha! Definitely got a little scared for a second when I saw all of that butter…
A perfect fall recipe!
This looks amazing. Genius idea, as always.
Oh my gossssssssh I want you to make me this!! I’m sort of glad I’m bad at baking so I don’t have delicious things like this around my house all the time!
Ahhh, I saw that crack pie recipe too!!! I really want to try it!
This looks awesome. No shame in turning to a little beer for some inspiration 🙂
I love messy desserts! The messier, the tastier in my opinion. 🙂
Great job on getting creative in the kitchen! This sounds like the perfect recipe for the beginning of fall and the perfect way to use up a bunch of apples. Looks amazing!
What a cool idea!!!!!!
I have a difficult time conceptulizing recipes, thank goodness for people like you who share their genius!!!
AHH!! This sounds amazing. I would like some for lunch.
this looks so good!!!!
Heather this looks lovely. I love apple crisp but it is nice to do something different now and then!
Oh YUM! This looks fantastic!
Looks yummy!
This looks like the perfect fall dessert!!
I’m making these very soon 🙂
Looks fabulous!! Check out another mention of faces of beauty- linked from a feature
https://www.newlyweds-blog.com
Wow! I love the photo of the apples in the bowl. Very appetizing stuff. I find the best tasting desserts are usually the ones that don’t look the prettiest once they’re served! It’s the sign of a great chef;)