Name: Healthy Apple Pie Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups gluten-free oat flour ((see notes)); 1 cup GF old-fashioned rolled oats; 1/4 cup Naked Powdered Peanut Butter; 1/2 cup coconut sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 cup coconut oil (softened, but not completely melted); 3 cup chopped apples; 3 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp arrowroot starch; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1/2 tsp cinnamon; 1/4 tsp sea salt; 3 tbsp Naked Powdered Peanut Butter; 2 tbsp maple syrup; 2 tbsp non-dairy milk; 1/4 tsp vanilla extract; 1/8 tsp sea salt

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These naturally sweetened Healthy Apple Pie Bars are filled with sweet cinnamon apples, topped with a delicious oat crumble, and drizzled with creamy peanut butter caramel sauce. They taste just like apple pie, but are much easier to make!

What are healthy apple pie bars?

These deliciously sweet bars are everything you want in a pie, but in handheld bar form. They have a thick and gooey cinnamon apple center, and a light and crumbly topping made of oats and coconut sugar. They are a healthier alternative to traditional pie, but with just as much flavor. They are completely gluten-free AND vegan, and made with no refined sugar. And to take these bars to the next level, we are drizzling the most delicious peanut butter caramel sauce on top!

Why I Love Apple Pie Bars

The reason I love these apple pie bars so much is because they actually taste like a decadent apple pie, but they are way easier to make! Gluten-free pie crust is kind of a labor of love, and I don’t always have time for that. But the bottom crust and topping for these bars is SO easy to make, and takes much less time.

Not only are they absolutely delicious, but they are made with simple ingredients that you may have in your pantry and fridge right now. They are naturally sweetened with coconut sugar in the crust and topping, and maple syrup in the homemade peanut butter caramel sauce. They are completely gluten-free, of course, and are made with only oats. These bars are a perfect summer dessert!

Apple Pie Bar Ingredients

Gluten-Free Oats – You will use whole oats, and you will also make your own oat flour by pulsing them in your blender or food processor.
Coconut Sugar – Coconut sugar is my favorite sugar because it gives a great flavor to baked goods, and it is a natural option.
Cinnamon – Apples and cinnamon are a match made in Heaven.
Baking Soda – a baking staple
Salt – You always have to have a pinch of salt to bring out the sweetness!
Vanilla Extract – to bring out all of those delicious flavors.
Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is my favorite to use in baked goods because it is neutral, yet a little sweet.
Apples – I like using gala apples or honeycrisp in these bars because they are so sweet and delicious.
Maple Syrup – The maple gives a delicious flavor to the homemade filling and the peanut butter sauce!
Arrowroot Starch – You can use this interchangeably with tapioca starch or corn starch if needed. It is there to help thicken the jam.
Peanut Butter Powder – I LOVE Naked Nutrition Organic Powdered Peanut Butter for this recipe! It comes together perfectly with maple syrup and coconut oil to make the most decadent peanut butter caramel drizzle.

Apple Pie Bars Recipe Tips!

Let the bars cool completely before you cut into them. If you cut into them while they are still hot, they will fall apart. They need time to set.
Use parchment paper in your baking dish. This will help you pull them right out of the baking dish to be able to cool. It also makes removing them from the dish MUCH easier.
Store the bars in the fridge. They will stay fresh for longer, and hold together better. You can also freeze them and gently warm them up in the microwave or oven. You can set them out if you have a crowd to feed and eat them room temperature, too!
Top them with vanilla ice cream! If you warm the bars up for a few seconds and top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, you will have a bowl straight from Heaven.
If you have a gluten allergy, like celiac disease, make sure you get oats that are certified gluten-free.
Make your own oat flour by simply pulsing the whole oats in a food processor or blender until they reach a flour consistency. This will save you SO much money instead of buying oat flour.

Ingredient Swaps & FAQ’s

Can I use a different fruit? – Yes! You can use any type of fruit you would like. I have done this with peaches and it is delicious!
What if I don’t have arrowroot starch? – You can use tapioca starch or corn starch.
Can I use butter instead of coconut oil? – Yes, you can use butter, or even vegan butter.
Can I use honey instead of maple syrup? – Yes, the recipe won’t be vegan if you use honey. But it will work perfectly!
Can I substitute almond flour for the oat flour? – I haven’t tested this recipe with almond flour, so I don’t recommend it. It has a different texture than oat flour does. If you don’t want to use oat flour, you can use a gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.

How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Pie Bars

Step 1 – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Spray the parchment with non-stick spray.

Step 2 – To make the crust and topping: In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, whole oats, coconut sugar, peanut butter powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Use a wooden spoon to stir all of this together, then add the coconut oil. Use the spoon or your hands to mix in the coconut oil until a crumbly dough starts to form. It should clump together a bit.

Step 3 – Measure out 1 cup of the crust mixture and set it aside in the fridge, we will use this for the topping. Press the remaining crust mixture into the bottom of the parchment lined baking dish, using your hands to press it down into an even layer.

Step 4 – Make the apple filling: In a medium sized saucepan, combine the chopped apples, maple syrup, arrowroot starch, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir it together to coat all of the apples in the arrowroot starch. Turn the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Make sure you stir frequently to prevent the apples from burning. They will soften a bit and develop a thick sauce.

Step 5 – Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the bottom layer of crust. Use the spoon to spread it out into an even layer.

Step 6 – Take the remaining crumble that you put in the fridge and evenly spread it over the top of the apple layer.

Step 7 – Bake for 30 minutes, until the middle layer is bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Step 8 – Allow the bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing them from the pan. Once cooled, transfer them to a wire rack to let them cool completely before cutting them. Store in the fridge to keep them fresh.

*I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Thank you to Naked Nutrition for sponsoring this post. I love their protein powders, and the Naked PB adds a delicious peanut butter drizzle to these bars.

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