Preheat the oven to 300°F and line a 8-inch baking dish with a sling made from parchment paper*. Spread ⅛ cup of almond meal evenly over the sling.
Grind the oats in a food processor or blender until mostly fine. Pour into a large bowl and add the remaining ¾ cup almond meal, along with the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, molasses, and vanilla extract and pour over the oat mixture. Stir to combine. Add the pecans and apples and stir until well combined.
Transfer into the prepared baking dish and tightly pack the mixture down in the baking dish with slightly wet hands, creating an even surface.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the baking dish on a cooling rack for 1 hour.
In a small saucepan over low heat, add the caramels and cream. Stir constantly until melted and a pourable consistency.
Drizzle over the cooled slab and let cool for another 1 hour.
Gently use the sling to remove from the dish and cut evenly into 8 bars.
Notes
*I used rolled parchment paper and pulled out two pieces, cutting when I reached 8 inches for each piece. I centered one piece of parchment across the baking dish, then rotated the dish 90 degrees and centered the second piece of parchment across the baking dish, so that all four sides are covered.**Toast in a skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and golden brown.