Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, lightly coat with cooking spray, and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.

Turn the mixer to low and add the flour little by little until the dough just comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Reserve the other half of the dough for later. You can wrap it in plastic wrap and stash it in the refrigerator.

Bake the base for 20-25 minutes, or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Place the baking dish on a wire rack and allow it to cool almost completely (see notes).

When the bottom crust is nearly cool, you can start making the caramel sauce. In a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, combine the unwrapped caramels and heavy cream. Stir frequently until the caramel is melted and smooth. Pour it over the cooled bottom crust in an even layer.

Sprinkle the sea salt over the caramel and layer the apples on top, evenly. Overlap the apples a bit if necessary.

Take the reserved dough out of the fridge. Crumble it onto the apples in an even layer. You probably won't totally cover the apples, and that's okay.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the caramel is bubbling.

Allow the pan to cool completely before cutting it into bars.