If you love apple pie, these apple pie bars are for you! Filled with tons apple cinnamon flavor, these bars are easier to make than pie and totally delicious.

Apple Pie Bars with Streusel Topping (Gluten Free) - Daisybeet

Few things are better than homemade apple pie. First, the smell alone as the pie bakes will make you swoon – so much sweet cinnamon apple flavor! The first bite of warm apple pie fresh from the oven with cold vanilla ice cream is like a dream come true. Plus, apple pie is a nostalgic food for many of us, and brings up memories of holidays and time with family.

These apple pie bars evoke all the good things about classic apple pie. They have classic apple pie flavor from the apples, cinnamon, and butter, and smell so good when they’re baking in the oven. But, these bars are easier to make! No finicky pie crust here. These apple bars feature a yummy almond flour and oat crust, which also becomes a crumbly streusel topping.

Apple Pie Bars with Streusel Topping (Gluten Free) - Daisybeet

What’s in apple pie bars?

Here are all the ingredients you need to make these healthy apple pie bars. While there is sugar and butter in these bars, you need significantly less than traditional apple pie bar recipes.

  • Apples: You can use your favorite type of apple here, but I recommend McIntosh, Cortland, or Honeycrisp.
  • Almond flour: To make these bars gluten free, we replaced all purpose flour with almond flour. It adds a hint of sweet almond flavor, which pairs so well with the other ingredients.
  • Oats: Choose old fashioned rolled oats instead of quick or steel cut for their chewy texture.
  • Butter: This adds classic apple pie flavor to the crust and crumble. You can easily swap butter out for vegan butter to make this recipe totally plant based!
  • Brown sugar: You’ll use just a half cup of sweetener in this recipe, including a bit of brown sugar.
  • Maple syrup: This adds sweetness and a hint of maple flavor to the crust and streusel.
  • Corn starch: This helps the apple layer thicken up when it cooks, so the apples slices stick together better.
  • Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg
  • Salt
  • Lemon juice
Apple Pie Bars with Streusel Topping (Gluten Free) - Daisybeet

How to make apple pie bars

First, prepare the crust by mixing together crust ingredients in a bowl. Press 2/3 of the crust batter into an 8″x8″ baking pan, and put the rest in the fridge.

Bake the crust in the oven, but not completely, as it will go back in the oven with the apple and streusel layers later.

Prepare the apples by peeling and thinly slicing them. Cook them on the stovetop tossed with the apple pie spices and cornstarch. Let the apples release their juices and thicken up.

Remove the crust from the oven and add the apple and streusel layers. Bake again to finish off.

Let the bars cool completely before slicing. Enjoy!

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Apple Pie Bars with Streusel Topping (Gluten Free)

★★★★★ 5 from 1 review
  • Author: Alex
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 16 bars 1x
  • Category: dessert
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Description

If you love apple pie, these apple pie bars are for you! Filled with tons apple cinnamon flavor, these bars are easier to make than pie and totally delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust and Streusel

  • 2 1/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Apple Layer

  • 4 1/2 cups apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. Mix together all the crust ingredients in a mixing bowl until well combined. Set aside 1/3 of the crust batter in the fridge, which will become the streusel topping.
  3. Press the crust into the prepared baking pan, using your hands to flatten it out completely into an even layer.
  4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the edges just slightly begin to brown.
  5. While the crust bakes, prepare the apple layer on the stovetop. Toss the apple slices in the spices, corn starch, and lemon juice.
  6. Heat the butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the apples and cook for ~10 minutes, stirring occasionally to let the apples thicken up together. 
  7. Remove the crust from the oven, and spread the apple layer on top. Use your hands to crumble the streusel topping onto the apples, evenly distributing it. 
  8. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until streusel begins to lightly brown.
  9. Let cool completely, then cut into 16 bars. 

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Keywords: apple pie bars, gluten free

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Apple Pie Bars with Streusel Topping (Gluten Free) - Daisybeet