• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Grease a 9”x 13”x 2” baking pan, or line with parchment paper and then grease the paper and any exposed parts of the inside of the pan.

To make the crust:

• Stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and mix with a pastry blender, a fork, or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.
• Set aside about 1/2 cup of the crust mixture.
• Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 16-18 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden. Set the pan on a wire rack to cool slightly.

To make the caramel layer:

• Place the caramels and cream in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth.
• Immediately pour the caramel over the partially baked crust and spread evenly.

To make the apple filling:

• Chop the apples into small pieces (1/4-1/2-inch). As you chop the apples, place them in a medium bowl and toss with lemon juice to prevent browning. (You'll have roughly 3 cups of chopped apples.)
• Place the butter in a large pan over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped apples. Cook about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sugar and cinnamon, and continue cooking another 8 minutes, or until apples are softened.
• Spread the apple mixture evenly over the caramel layer. Scatter the reserved crust mixture over the top of the apple filling.
• Bake 25-30 minutes, or until the bars are lightly browned. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.