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Ambitious Kitchen
Gluten Free DessertBrownies + Bars
September 11, 2020

Apple Pie Bars with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel

Healthy apple pie bars with a delicious oat crumble topping and a drizzle of homemade salted vegan peanut butter caramel. These gluten free apple pie bars are filled with warm, cozy spices and easily made vegan for the perfect fall dessert!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hour

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healthy apple pie bars on parchment paper

There’s not much to say about these apple pie bars other than the fact that they are FABULOUS and the perfect treat or breakfast snack (totally a thing) to make when you have extra apples laying around.

Plus, they’re drizzled with a 5 minute caramel sauce that’s going to BLOW YA MIND. Apple szn is just the best, isn’t it?

healthy apple pie bars on a wire rack

Ingredients in apple pie bars

These incredible healthy apple pie bars are perfectly sweet, gluten free and easily dairy free & vegan for a treat everyone will love. Here’s everything you need to make them:

  • Oat flour: make sure to use a gluten free oat flour to keep these apple pie bars gluten free. See below for simple instructions for making your own oat flour!
  • Rolled oats: again, be sure to use gluten free rolled oats to keep these gluten free. Do not use steel cut oats or quick oats as the texture will be much different.
  • Brown sugar: I love the molasses flavor that brown sugar gives these bars. Make your own brown sugar with this tutorial!
  • Spices: we’re using the coziest trio of spices: cinnamon, allspice & nutmeg.
  • Baking soda & salt: so that these bars bake up properly.
  • Butter: a little butter helps to hold the base and crust together.
  • Vanilla: gotta have vanilla extract for the perfect flavor. Learn how to make your own here!
  • Apples: I love using honeycrisp apples in these healthy apple pie bars because they’re deliciously sweet and juicy.
  • Maple syrup: we’re naturally sweetening these apple pie bars with maple syrup (and apples, of course!)
  • Cornstarch: a bit of cornstarch helps the apple pie filling thicken up a little. You can also use arrowroot starch if you’d like.

stirring apples in a pan for healthy apple pie bars

The BEST salted peanut butter caramel

The vegan salted peanut butter caramel is amazingly easy, customizable and so delicious drizzled over these bars, or on top of ice cream. Don’t skip it! You’ll need:

  • Peanut butter: use an all natural peanut butter for that incredible, vegan salted peanut butter caramel. To keep these nut free you could also use tahini.
  • Coconut oil: you’ll need a bit of coconut oil to create the best texture for the caramel.
  • Pure maple syrup: You’ll need a little bit of pure maple syrup to sweeten the caramel!
  • Vanilla extract: love the flavor this gives the caramel.
  • Sea salt: for that sweet and salty goodness.

How to make your own oat flour

You can easily make your own gluten free oat flour by simply placing gluten free oats into a blender and blending/pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble a fine flour. This is probably the cheapest option. Check out my tutorial with all of my best tips & tricks. So easy!

gluten free apple pie bars in a square pan

Simple ingredient swaps

  • For the oat flour: feel free to use all purpose flour or gluten free all purpose flour.
  • For the butter: you can also use a vegan buttery stick.
  • For the brown sugar: coconut sugar will also work, however, I’ve found that it doesn’t give you the best “crumble.”

Can I use a different fruit?

Sure! I think sliced pears would also be delicious in this recipe. Let me know if you try it!

drizzling peanut butter caramel onto healthy apple pie bars

How to make gluten free apple pie bars

  1. Prep your pan. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and lining an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper. Be sure to spray it with cooking spray as well.
  2. Make the base + topping. In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together all of your dry ingredients. Add in melted butter and vanilla extract and stir until a nice crumble forms and the dough begins to clump together. 
  3. Form the crust. You’ll then evenly press some of the “dough” into the bottom of your prepared pan, and place the remaining mixture in the fridge.
  4. Make the filling. Cook down the sliced apples in a large skillet or pot with butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice & nutmeg until the apples begin to soften nicely. Next, stir in vanilla and cornstarch, and cook over low heat so that the sauce thickens up.
  5. Assemble & bake the bars. Remove the apples from the heat and pour the mixture over the crust. Use a spoon to evenly spread the apples, then sprinkle the crumble topping over the filling. Bake them up until the topping is golden!
  6. Add caramel & devour. Make your peanut butter caramel while the bars are cooling, then drizzle it on top of the bars, slice and enjoy!

three healthy apple pie bars in a stack

Storing & freezing tips

  • In the fridge: I recommend storing these bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
  • In the freezer: yes, these apple pie bars are freezer-friendly! Once they’re completely cooled, simply place them in an airtight container and pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy one, just let it thaw a bit in the fridge before eating.

gluten free apple pie bar on parchment paper

Tools you’ll need

Get all of our fav kitchen essentials here.

More apple recipes you’ll love

Get all of my apple recipes here!

I hope you love these amazing healthy apple pie bars! If you make them be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!

Healthy Apple Pie Bars with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel

4.93 from 39 votes
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healthy apple pie bars on parchment paper
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Serves16 bars
Healthy apple pie bars with a delicious oat crumble topping and a drizzle of homemade salted peanut butter caramel. These gluten free apple pie bars are filled with warm, cozy spices and easily made vegan for the perfect fall dessert!

Ingredients

  • For the crust and crumble:
  • 1 ½ cups gluten free oat flour (or sub all purpose flour)
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar (or sub coconut sugar but you may not get the best 'crumble')
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 8 tablespoons butter (or vegan buttery stick such as Earth Balance), melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • For the filling:
  • 1/2 tablespoon melted butter (or vegan buttery stick)
  • 3 medium to large honeycrisp apples, peeled and cut into 1/4th inch slices (about 4 1/2 cups apple slices)
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch or arrowroot starch
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of allspice & nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • For the peanut butter caramel:
  • 2 tablespoons creamy all natural peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and generously spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Make the base + topping: In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the oat flour, oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in melted butter and vanilla extract stir until a nice crumble forms and dough begins to clump together.
  • Place about 1 2/3 cups of the mixture into the prepared pan and place the remaining mixture into the fridge (the remaining mixture will be used for the topping). Use your hands to evenly press the dough to the bottom of the pan.
  • To make the apple pie filling: Melt butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the sliced apples to the pan and stir to coat the apples. Add in maple syrup, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg over the apples and stir well to combine. Lower heat to medium low and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until apples begin to soften nicely. Next stir in vanilla and cornstarch, and cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes so that the sauce thickens up. Remove from heat. Pour mixture over the crust and use a spoon to evenly spread.
  • Take the remaining topping out of the fridge. By now there should be some nice crumbles that have clumped together. Sprinkle the topping over the apple filling
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the topping is nice and golden. Allow bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
  • Next make your peanut butter caramel: in a large bowl add peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt. Stir well to combine. Microwave for 20-30 seconds or until warm. Caramel should appear runny but will thicken up upon sitting at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
  • Drizzle caramel over bars, then use a sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge! Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top, too!

Recipe Notes

To store these apple pie bars: the bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. I recommend storing in the fridge for optimal freshness. Feel free to reheat in the microwave if you love a warm apple dessert.
See the full post for tips, tricks & easy ways to customize these bars!

Nutrition

Serving: 1barCalories: 192calCarbohydrates: 29.7gProtein: 2.4gFat: 8.7gSaturated Fat: 4.3gFiber: 2.3gSugar: 13.9g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Eat Love Eats

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healthy apple pie bars on parchment paper

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