CINNAMON APPLE SHORTBREAD CRUMB BARS - vegan + gluten free
If you are in a mood for a fall treat, well you are the right spot! These cinnamon apple shortbread crumb bars just scream fall. They are loaded with flavor. The juicy apples with the shortbread crust are just absolutely delicious. They are vegan, gluten free, and have no refined sugar.
what you will need to make these
apples of choice diced
pure maple syrup
melted coconut oil
almond flour
coconut flour
coconut sugar
vanilla extract
plant milk (almond, oat, coconut, cashew)
tips to make these bars amazing
Make sure to bake your crust enough. The edges should be golden brown and you will notice the crust center will start to puff in while in the oven. Under baking it can cause a very soft bar and it would just fall apart.
Boil apples with coconut sugar and maple syrup until thick consistency. Removing the apples too quick will leave them not as sticky. You want to have a sticky, caramel apple affect. You will see this after about 5 minutes of cooking. Stir frequently!
Cool the bars for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the bars to harden a little more and will hold its shape better.
You can add a scoop of ice-cream on top of these for an even more drooling dessert!
Cinnamon Apple Shortbread Crumb Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2 tbsp. coconut flour
- 2 tbsp. melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. plant milk. I used almond milk.
- 2 cups diced apples of choice
- 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. coconut sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp apple pie spice - optional
- 3 tbsp. almond flour
- 1 tbsp. melted coconut oil
- additional 1/2 tbsp. of pure maple syrup
Instructions
- To start, preheat your oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, make the shortbread crust by combining all of the ingredient for the crust until a wet dough forms. Press that on the bottom of the baking dish. Using your fingers, fill the corners and try making one even layer. Bake the crust for about 12-15 minutes. The corners should be golden brown.
- In the meantime, make your cinnamon apples by adding diced apples, coconut sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and apple pie spice to a small pot. Bring to a boil, stir frequently. Cook for about 5-6 minutes until a thick consistency has formed. You will notice the apples are sticky and gooey. Remove from heat, set aside.
- To make the crumb topping, simply combine almond flour, maple syrup, and melted coconut oil in a bowl. Mix to form a sand like consistency. Set aside.
- Once crust is done baking, leave the oven on but remove the crust.
- Transfer apples evenly on top of the shortbread crust. Sprinkle on the crumb topping. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Once there, remove from oven. Cool for 5 minutes before slicing and enjoy.
- Tip: add a scoop of ice cream on top for an even more delicious dessert.
Notes:
- make sure to bake your crust long enough, otherwise it may fall apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and the center starts to puff up while in the oven.
