Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars

These Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars are crunchy and chewy, perfectly spiced and filled with tender caramel apples.

Why you’ll love these Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars:

• they’re undetectably vegan and gluten-free
• they’re chewy and crunchy
• they’re filled with tender and silky apples
• they taste like salted caramel
• they’re warmly spiced
• they’re refined sugar free
• they’re nut-free optional
• they’re oil-free optional
• they’re delicious hot or cold
• they’re a perfect dessert, breakfast or snack for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

How to make these Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including measurements and instructions.

• Place the coconut oil, coconut sugar, apples, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a pan.

• Leave to cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until soft.
• Dissolve the cornflour (cornstarch) in a tiny splash of water in a small bowl.
• Once the apples have cooked, add the cornflour and water mixture and mix well.
• Once the apples have thickened (takes about 30 seconds), turn off the heat.

• Place all the ingredients for the base and topping in a food processor.

• Whizz until you get a fairly smooth and firm dough.

• Divide the dough for the base and topping into thirds.
• Take two thirds and place into a square baking tin lined with baking paper (I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin).
• Spread it carefully across the bottom of the tin, using the bottom of a glass to even out the surface, if necessary.

• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until firm to the touch.

• Spread the cooked apple mixture over the base.

• Use your fingers to crumble the rest of the dough over the top until it is all used up and the apples are roughly covered.

• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on top.

• Leave to cool before cutting into squares.

How to serve these Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars

These Apple Crumble Bars can be enjoyed hot or cold. They’re delicious by themselves but also taste amazing with plant-based ice cream or yogurt.

Substitutions you can make to this recipe:

• you can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, rice milk, soy milk etc
• if you’re not into apples, you can use any type of fruit: pears, peaches, plums, blueberries, cherries, strawberries, raspberries etc (just adjust cooking time accordingly)
• you can top it with any type of chopped nuts before baking: pecan nuts, walnuts, pistachios, desiccated coconut, flaked coconut etc
• for an oil-free option, omit the coconut oil from the apples and substitute the coconut oil in the crumble topping with nut butter such as almond butter or peanut butter
• for a nut-free option, use a nut-free plant-based milk.

How long do these Apple Crumble Bars keep for?

These Apple Crumble Bars keep covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

More vegan apple desserts:

• Apple Pie
• Apple Crisp
• Apple Upside Down Cake
• Apple Muffins
• Apple Bread
• Apple Cake
• Apple Pie Bars

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars

These Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars are crunchy and chewy, perfectly spiced and filled with tender caramel apples.

4.25 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apple crumble bars, vegan apple recipe, vegan thanksgiving dessert

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings: 9 bars

Calories: 263kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the apples:

• 4 apples , cored, peeled finely sliced (around 900g/32oz in total)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil (or sub coconut butter)
• 6 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt to taste
• 2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch) (or sub tapioca starch)

For the base and topping:

• 225 g (2 1/4 cup) rolled oats (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 195 g (1 1/8 cup) pitted dates
• 30 g (1/8 cup) coconut oil (or sub coconut butter)
• 90 ml (1/3 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)

For the apples:

• Place the apples, coconut oil, coconut sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a pan with a lid

• Leave to cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes until softened

• Dissolve the cornflour in a tiny splash of water in a small bowl
• 
Once the apples have cooked, add the cornflour and water mixture and mix well
• 
Once the apples have thickened (takes about 30 seconds), turn off the heat

For the base and topping:

• Place all ingredients in a food processor and whizz until you get a fairly smooth and firm dough

To assemble:

• Divide the dough for the base and topping into thirds
• Take two thirds and place into a square or rectangular baking tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin)
• Spread it carefully across the bottom of the tin, using the bottom of a glass to even out the surface, if necessary
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes until firm to the touch
• Spread the cooked apple mixture over the base
• Use your fingers to crumble the rest of the dough over the top until it is all used up and the apples are roughly covered
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on top
• Leave to cool before cutting into squares

• Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Notes

• You can top it with any type of chopped nuts before baking: pecan nuts, walnuts, pistachios, desiccated coconut, flaked coconut etc.
• For an oil-free option, omit the coconut oil from the apples and substitute the coconut oil in the crumble topping with nut butter such as almond butter or peanut butter.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumble Bars

Amount Per Serving

Calories 263 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 4g20%

Sodium 32mg1%

Potassium 319mg9%

Carbohydrates 52g17%

Fiber 6g24%

Sugar 28g31%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 44IU1%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

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