Healthy Apple Crumble Bars (Vegan + Gluten Free)

These Healthy Apple Crumble Bars have a delicious oat crust and crumb with a layer of sweet apple filling. Made with just 6 ingredients, this recipe is also vegan, gluten free, oil free and refined sugar free!

This fall season has been blessing us with a ton of apples and I've been totally taking full advantage of it. Apples are by bar my favourite fruits for cooking and baking. Like hello, hey there Apple Crisp, Apple Rose Tartlets, Apple Cinnamon Bread and Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls 😉. They're just so handy because I ALWAYS have apples in my kitchen.

Plus, as the fall and winter season rolls around I just start craving apple baked goods because of all the ~fall vibes~ versus rich and decadent chocolate cakes (not to say I'd ever turn down a my fav Eggplant Chocolate Cake).

Ingredients in Healthy Apple Crumble Bars

Because I crave apple desserts so often, like even in the morning often, I wanted these Apple Crumble Bars to be made with wholesome ingredients. So, here's what we're working with:

• Apple Chia Jam: it's low in sugar and homemade but you can use any apple jam (or other fruit jam).
• Gluten Free Rolled Oats: it ain't a crumble bar without rolled oats!
• Almond Flour: makes these bars buttery without any added oils.
• Peanut Butter: helps with moisture and binding of the ingredients.
• Maple Syrup: sweetens up the crust and crumble without any refined sugar.
• Coconut Cream: makes the bars crisp up yet stay moist without any added oils.

Basically all breakfast-y kind of ingredients that I would use in my oats and cookies... and basically apple pie crumble in a bar form 😁

How to Make Healthy Apple Crumble Bars

What I LOVE about this recipe is how simple it is, with just one mixture that forms the crust and the crumble topping.

1. CHOP THE OATS: pulse blend the rolled oats into the food processor so until broken down but NOT into oat flour
2. OAT MIXTURE: Mix the crust and topping ingredients into a bowl until combined
3. CRUST: Reserve a heaping ½ cup of the oat mixture and press the rest of it into a 8x8 inch parchment lined baking pan. Bake until golden brown.
4. FILLING: Spread the apple jam evenly on the crust
5. TOPPING: Crumble the rest of the oat mixture on to.
6. BAKE: Bake until golden brown and let it cool for at least 10 minutes in the pan before cutting.

What Do These Healthy Apple Crumble Bars Taste Like?

It's kind of like apple pie or apple crisp/crumble in a bar form (especially if you add in the apple pie spice). The base is chewy, the filling is nice and plump with apples and the crumble topping is perfectly crispy. You can jazz these apple bars up by adding in more cinnamon, drizzling a glaze over it, serving it with some coconut whip cream or add a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!

Tips for Making Perfect Apple Crumble Bars

• CRUST: Back the crust to ensure they hold together. Prick some holes using a fork to let steam go through so that the crust doesn't rise.
• STORAGE: Store the apple crumble bars in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let them thaw at room temperature before eating. You can also heat them up in the microwave for 30 seconds until warmed through or in the toaster oven for 2 minutes at 350 F.
• REMOVING THE CRUMBLE BARS: run your knife down the sides of the crumble bars incase the crust is stuck onto the sides. That way it makes it much easier to remove the apple bars and won't have issues with breaking apart.

Helpful Tools to Make Apple Crumble Bars

• Food processor - helps chop the oats in to a course texture rather than a blender that tends to chop them too small.
• 8x8 inch baking pan with removable bottom - I find these baking pans MUCH easier to work with.
• Parchment paper - helps with the crust not sticking to the bottom of the removable pan. I trace the removable bottom and cut the same size with parchment paper.

I hope I've convinced you to to add these delicious Healthy Apple Crumble Bars to your fall baking list for this up coming weekend! They seriously make the perfect breakfast bars or you can fancy it up for dessert by adding on some vanilla ice cream!

More Recipes with Oatmeal Crumbles to Try!

• Blueberry Butter Scotch FlapJack Squares
• Triple Berry Baked Oatmeal with Almond Maple Crumble
• Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Maple Crumble
• Vegan Cinnamon Apple Bread with Crumb Topping
• Vegan Coffee Cake

If you recreate this Healthy Apple Oatmeal Crumble Bars recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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