Apple Crumble Bars

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These Apple Crumble Bars are a delicious fall-inspired dessert that combines fresh apples, oats, and cinnamon for a tasty crumbly bite. So delicious and ready in less than 30 minutes!

If you're craving more tasty apple inspired recipes, then be sure to try making a simple Apple Dump Cake in the pressure cooker or a delicious Apple Dutch Baby for breakfast.

Seriously though, nothing beats autumn flavors!

Ingredients like pumpkin, cinnamon, maple and apple are the best flavors to incorporate into your cooking and baking this time of the year.

I know that if I'm not careful, then I can definitely find myself going overboard indulging in treats this time of year. It takes some willpower not to try pumpkin everything.

In an effort to try to live a healthier lifestyle, I signed up a few weeks ago to work with a virtual trainer for accountability to get stronger. By doing that, I am working out more and finding where I can make small changes in my life, especially with food.

I am learning that I can still indulge in the foods that I love and eat more if I make healthier swaps where I can. I am also finding creative ways to have sweet treats that utilize pumpkin, cinnamon, maple and apple in a healthier way.

So today, I've decided to use cinnamon and apple to make a batch of apple crumble bars. These bars have less sugar, more fiber, plus a good dose of fat making one serving approximately 141 calories. They're also delicious and easy to make.

Be sure to try them!

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Instructions
• Tips & Tricks
• Equipment
• Storage
• Recipe
• More Fall Recipes

Ingredient Notes

1. Old-fashioned oats - Be sure to use old-fashioned also called rolled oats to make these bars. Gluten free oats will work as well.
2. All-purpose flour - Provides the binder for the recipe and is the base of the crumble mixture.
3. Brown sugar - Give sweetness to the crust and crumble part.
4. Baking powder - Be sure to check the date to make sure it has not expired.
5. Ground cinnamon - Helps to add the fall-inspired flavor to the recipe.
6. Salt - Just a small amount to balance the sweetness of the bars.
7. Coconut oil - The dose of fat needed for the recipe and helps the mixture to stick and become crumbly.
8. Egg - Use a single large egg for the recipe. May also use an egg susbstitute is you prefer.
9. Apples - Try any apples that you prefer in this recipe, but I suggest to go with a sweeter apple such as a honey crisp.
10. Vanilla extract - Flavor for the recipe, make sure it is pure vanilla extract.
11. Ground nutmeg - Make the spice flavor of the apple mixture more intense.
12. Lemon juice - Provides a bit of acid and keeps the apples from browning.
13. Water - Used to help make the sauce mixture with the apples.
14. Maple syrup - Provides sweetness to the apple mixture.
15. Chia seeds - Make the apple mixture thick.

Instructions

Begin the recipe by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. and line a square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Using a food processor, pulse together the old fashioned oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, egg, and coconut oil until it forms a crumbly but sticky mixture.

Set aside ⅓ of the mixture to use for the topping. Add the rest of the mixture into the prepared parchment-lined baking pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the diced apples, vanilla extract, lemon juice, ground nutmeg, water, and maple syrup until heated and the sauce is warm. Stir the chia seeds into the apple mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Pour the mixture onto the crust mixture in the baking dish and spread it into an even layer. 

Sprinkle the reserved ⅓ topping that you set aside on top of the apple mixture evenly.

Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool in the baking dish for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice into bars and serve. Enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

• Try not to over-cook the apple mixture, you want the diced apples to still have a crisp.
• May substitute gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour in the same unit of measure. 
• May use gluten-free oats if you prefer.
• Use old-fashioned oats or rolled oats, but not steel cut oats. 
• Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Equipment

To make these apple crumble bars the easy way, you will need a food processor to make the crumble mixture for the crust and the crumble topping.

Storage

Store the extra bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator. If you store them in the refrigerator, allow them to come to room temperature for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.

Recipe

Original post date 10/17/2017. Updated 10/18/2021.

More Fall Recipes

• Apple Dump Cake 
• Apple Dumplings 
• Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts 
• Pumpkin Cheesecake 

Have any comments, questions, or other ideas for these easy to make Apple Crumble Bars? Please share them in the comments below!