Apple Pie Bars- Made with just 10 ingredients, these bars are just as delicious as apple pie but much simpler to make. (vegan, gluten-free & dairy-free)
Apple season is upon us! If you don’t want to spend hours making apple pie then these apple pie bars are the perfect treat.
These bars feature 3 layers of autumn goodness:
- a simple vegan shortbread crust
- thinly sliced cinnamon sugar coated apples (granny smith are my go-to)
- oatmeal streusel topping
The best part is that you only need 10-ingredients to make them, most of which you probably already have on hand.
Apple Pie Bars Ingredients + Substitutions
- Almond Flour– I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I don’t recommend subbing the almond flour. Because of its unique composition, you would have to change the entire recipe.
- Oat Flour– You can make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats in a food processor or high speed blender. Possible substitutes would be all-purpose wheat flour or AP gluten-free flour.
- Rolled Oatmeal- Oatmeal adds a delightful chewy texture to the streusel topping. You can use quick oats or rolled oats. Make sure they are certified gluten-free if you need the bars to be GF.
- Coconut Sugar- Coconut sugar is less refined than cane sugar and it imparts a delicious caramel flavor to the bars. That said, you can swap out equal amounts of your preferred granulated sweetener such as date sugar, maple sugar, brown sugar or cane sugar.
- Applesauce- Unsweetened applesauce replaces some of the oil and helps bind the crust while adding moisture. It’s ideal not to substitute here.
- Coconut Oil- Similar to the applesauce, coconut oil helps bind the bars and provides moisture. We’re not replacing all of it with applesauce as the texture wouldn’t quite be like shortbread if we did. If you don’t want to use coconut oil, vegan butter is the best replacement. It’s ideal to have a fat that is solid at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract– Adds depth to the shortbread but you can skip if it desired.
- Ground Cinnamon– Because what kind of apple dessert doesn’t have cinnamon?
- Salt- Just a touch of salt helps balance the sweet.
- Apples– Feel free to use whatever kind of apples you like here. I prefer granny smith for their tartness.
How to Make Apple Pie Bars
- Prepare the Crust- Combine almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar and salt. Add applesauce, vanilla and melted oil. Stir until a dough forms. Reserve 1/3 cup for the topping. Spread the remaining dough into a lined 8×8″ baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Make the Filling– Peel the apples then cut all 4 sides away from the core. Cut the apple pieces into 1/4-inch slices. You want them to be thin and uniform so that they will cook evenly. Toss the apple slices with cinnamon, sugar and a bit of oil until coated. Layer the apple slices on top of the baked crust.
- Prepare the Streusel Topping– Combine the reserved dough with the rolled oats, sugar, cinnamon and oil. Use your fingers to sprinkle the topping over the apples while pressing it down. Bake for 35 minutes. Allow to cool then slice and enjoy!
How to Serve Apple Pie Bars
My favorite way to enjoy these apple pie bars is drizzled with melted cookie butter (aka Biscoff). I also like to warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds then serve with dairy-free protein vanilla ice cream. Pure autumn bliss!
If you can’t have cookie butter, you can also make this 5-minute magic vegan caramel sauce to drizzle on top.
More Recipes to Make for Fall
Apple Pie Bars (vegan + gluten-free)
Made with just 10-ingredients, these apple pie bars are the perfect fall treat!
Servings: 9 bars
For the Filling
- 3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, can also use brown sugar or cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon melted coconut oil, or melted vegan butter
For the Oatmeal Streusel Topping
- ⅓ cup prepared crust, (recipe above)
- ½ cup quick rolled oats, or regular rolled oats
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar, can also use brown sugar or cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoons melted coconut oil, or melted vegan butter
Prepare the Crust
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar and salt. Whisk together. To the bowl, add the applesauce, melted coconut oil and vanilla. Stir together until a dough forms. It might seem dry and crumbly at first but just keep stirring until it comes together.
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Reserve ⅓ cup of the dough to use for the topping then transfer the rest to the bottom of the lined baking dish. Using a rubber spatula, press the dough down and out, until it forms an even layer. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Prepare the Filling
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In a large bowl, combine the sliced apples, 2T coconut sugar, 1t cinnamon and ½ tablespoon melted oil. Gently stir until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
Prepare the Oatmeal Streusel Topping
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To the bowl with the reserved crust, add the ½ cup rolled oats, 2T coconut sugar, ½ t cinnamon and 1T melted oil. Using your fingers, toss everything together until evenly combined.
Assemble the Bars
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Evenly ayer the sliced apples on top of the baked crust. It might seem like there are too many apple slices, just layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Use your fingers to sprinkle the oatmeal topping over the sliced apples. Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden brown on top.
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Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. I find the bars are easiest to cut after they’ve been rolled and refrigerated for several hours. Slice into 9 or 12 bars, drizzle with melted cookie butter (or almond butter), and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts are an estimate and may vary depending on specific brands and ingredients you choose.
Calories: 300kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 133mg, Potassium: 113mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 14g, Vitamin A: 36IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 2mg
