Vegan Apple Pie Crumb Bars (paleo + gluten-free)

This is the recipe you will want to make for every single holiday get together and weekend baking session for the next few months. I can guarantee that.

These insanely good Apple Pie Crumb Bars are everything I want in one delicious dessert. They have a dreamy shortbread cookie-like crust and are topping with warmed apples and cinnamon and sprinkled with a crumb topping for the ultimate topping.

I love that these are also very friendly for most dietary preferences or allergies. They are vegan, paleo and gluten-free. Plus they have no refined sugars in them since we are using coconut sugar and maple syrup.

If you want to get real crazy – top these off with some vanilla ice cream after you heat up a bar in the oven or microwave and you will literally be in heaven. The best flipping dessert ever and you can guarantee I will be making these all year around!

Ingredients you need to whip up healthier apple pie bars with an insane crumb topping:

• Creamy nut butter – almond, cashew, anything works! Plus you can use code RACHL for free shipping on my fave nut butter brand.
• Maple syrup – you can also use honey too! Can’t sub with a grain sugar like coconut or cane.
• Coconut oil – really any liquid oil will work as well. Avocado I have used before too.
• Almond flour – blanched almond flour. I haven’t tested another one.
• Coconut flour – I don’t have a sub for coconut flour
• Coconut sugar – you’ll need this a couple times for the recipe!
• Apples – any you’d like! Pink lady, honey crisp, gala, anything!
• Lemon juice – I used fresh lemon but bottled lemon juice works too.
• Tapioca or arrowroot flour – either of these work. They act like a cornstarch would.
• Cinnamon + nutmeg + vanilla extract

How to make paleo apple pie crumb bars:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 baking dish with If You Care Baking Sheets + grease well
2. In a large bowl, mix together the nut butter, vanilla, syrup and coconut oil smooth
3. Mix in the flours, baking powder and cinnamon until smooth (dough will be sticky)
4. Press down the dough to the baking dish and form the crust layer
5. Bake in oven for 10 minutes and begin making the apple filling
6. Combine the water, lemon and apples in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium/high heat and cook for about 7 minutes or until apples soften a bit and remove from heat
7. Mix in the coconut sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg
8. In a small bowl, mix together the crumb ingredients then add the apple filling on top of crust and sprinkle the crumb topping on top
9. Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes and allow the bars to cool completely before slicing. I like to keep mine in the fridge to cool faster too (they will break if you cut immediately!)

A few of my other favorite apple recipes:

The Best Paleo Apple Pear Crisp Ever (gluten-free)

The Best Ever Gluten-free Apple Blondies

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Banana Apple Bread (vegan)

The Best Baked Paleo Apple Cider Donuts (vegan)

Paleo Cinnamon Apple Streusel Bread