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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!
Ingredient Notes
- Old-fashioned oats - Be sure to use old-fashioned also called rolled oats to make these bars. Gluten free oats will work as well.
- All-purpose flour - Provides the binder for the recipe and is the base of the crumble mixture.
- Brown sugar - Give sweetness to the crust and crumble part.
- Baking powder - Be sure to check the date to make sure it has not expired.
- Ground cinnamon - Helps to add the fall-inspired flavor to the recipe.
- Salt - Just a small amount to balance the sweetness of the bars.
- Coconut oil - The dose of fat needed for the recipe and helps the mixture to stick and become crumbly.
- Egg - Use a single large egg for the recipe. May also use an egg susbstitute is you prefer.
- Apples - Try any apples that you prefer in this recipe, but I suggest to go with a sweeter apple such as a honey crisp.
- Vanilla extract - Flavor for the recipe, make sure it is pure vanilla extract.
- Ground nutmeg - Make the spice flavor of the apple mixture more intense.
- Lemon juice - Provides a bit of acid and keeps the apples from browning.
- Water - Used to help make the sauce mixture with the apples.
- Maple syrup - Provides sweetness to the apple mixture.
- 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
Apple Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 cups apples, diced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
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 1 cup old fashioned oats, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 large egg, and ½ cup melted 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 2 cups diced apples, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup until heated and the sauce is warm.
- Stir 1 tablespoon 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 in 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 the top has 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.
- Store the extra in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- May substitute gluten-free flour for all-purpose flour in the same unit of measure.
- May use gluten-free oats.
- Use old-fashioned oats or rolled oats, but not steel-cut oats.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
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!
Tamara
What little slices of heaven those are! I use the myfitnesspal app as well. I love seeing how many steps it estimates that I take. I found it to be pretty spot on. And I love all fall flavors like you!
LaKita
There are pretty good and I have definitely enjoyed my share of them 🙂
I like seeing my daily steps as well, it's pretty motivating!
Akaleistar
Oh, that looks delicious, and since it has apples, it's healthy, right?
LaKita
Thank you and I believe that these are definitely because of apples, chia seeds, and not too much sugar 😉
Sonya
Yum!!! These bars look delicious!!! I like that they have very little sugar in the recipe.
LaKita
Thank you...I like that as well, but they are still sweet with the apple 🙂
Demetra
These apple crumble bars look absolutely delicious! My husband loves everything apple so he would go nuts for these.
LaKita
Thank you! I love the addition of apple to recipes so I can totally relate 🙂
Kenya Rae
My struggle everyday in life is eating what I want and staying slim and I am doing the first one but not so great on the second. LOL!
LaKita
The struggle is real! I can totally relate!!
Felicita
Easy recipes are my thing! Love that these are easy to whip up and have a healthy factor. I started doing Zumba at home after dropping off the kids. It is HARD to eat healthy consistently for me.
LaKita
I went to a Zumba class at the gym once and I was so lost...I felt like everyone knew the step except me, but it was a lot of fun and didn't feel like I was working out. I may do better with the at-home option...LOL!
Mary
I’ve been craving apple pie and this apple crumble bar is just as good. Pumpkin, cinnamon, and apple are totally Fall flavors. Congrats on getting a trainer, that's super exciting.I always say summer bodies are made in the winter! The apple chunks in this bar look amazing.
LaKita
Thank you! I am definitely going to work on it during the winter this year 😉
veenaazmanov
Love the Nutmeg spice flavor to this delicious Apple Crumble Bars. Perfect snack box option. Healthy for all the sweet cravings.
LaKita
Thank you so much!! So true 🙂
Sharon
These apple crumb bars are so good and the perfect treat for fall. I really like the addition of the chia seeds in it.
LaKita
Thank you so much Sharon!!
Jenny
What a wonderful recipe! The apple crumble bars look delicious and healthy. Thank you for your post; I will definitely make these, we need these in our lives!
LaKita
Thank you so much Jenny!
Gwynn
Apple season is a favorite of mine and the oat crumble makes these apple bars a favorite of mine!
LaKita
Thank you Gwynn, happy to hear!
Kayla DiMaggio
Loving these apple crumble bars!
LaKita
Thank you Kayla! So happy to hear that!
Kathryn
These apple crumble bars were so delicious and I love how easy they are to make. Making this again for Thanksgiving and maybe a few more times before 🙂
LaKita
Thank you so much Kathryn!
Aya
These apple crumble bars are my favorite! I love making them at the beginning of the week to pack for a snack. The flavors and spices are delicious!
LaKita
Thank you so much Aya! Happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Marisa Franca
Instead of candy I wanted something good to send over to the grandsons for Halloween. Okay, I did them some candy too. But their favorite was these apple crumble bars. They had some friends over and they all partied around the bars. I'll definitely be making them again.
LaKita
Thank you Marisa! So happy to hear that your family enjoyed the bars and some candy as well 😉
Katie Crenshaw
These turned out delicious. I can't believe how healthy they are. I will be making these apple crumble bars again.
LaKita
Thank you Katie!!
Matt
This is super easy and makes a perfect breakfast. Also took some to work as a snack. Thanks.
LaKita
Thank you Matt, happy to hear you enjoyed the apple crumble bars!