These super moist and deliciously spiced apple bread bars are the PERFECT fall treat. Gluten free and vegan.

Happy Fall!

These healthy apple bread bars are so yummy and moist with just the right amount of fall flavor. They are loaded with chunks of sweet apples and drizzled with the best maple glaze.

I love that these bars are wholesome enough to be an easy make-ahead school snack and indulgent enough to be a fabulous dessert.

What you’ll need to make apple bread bars:

gluten free oat flour
almond flour
apple sauce
apples
flax eggs (or regular eggs if not vegan)
coconut oil
coconut sugar
baking powder
baking soda
spices
vanilla
salt
coconut butter + maple syrup for maple glaze

As always, I like to use simple, real food ingredients with easy to follow instructions. Good food doesn’t have to be complicated.

Want to make it nut free?

If you want a nut free version of this recipe, simply omit the almond flour and use 1 and 3/4 gluten free oat flour total instead.

How to make homemade gluten free oat flour

Making your own gluten free oat flour is easy. Simply put gluten free rolled oats into a coffee grinder, food processor or high speed blender. Process until the oats turn into a fine powder. A coffee grinder is my preferred method as it is super quick and makes a super fine flour.

To make a finer flour, you can pass the mixture through a sieve or sifter to remove the bigger bits.

Store oat flour in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a month.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Because I know y’all are gonna ask, here are some possible substitutions. I haven’t tried any of them myself, so be aware that any changes will affect the texture and flavor of the original recipe.

oat flour

A gluten-free alternatives is a 1:1 gluten free flour mix. You can also substitute with all-purpose flour if you are not gluten-free. Almond or coconut flour would not work well as a substitute here.

almond flour

As mentioned above, you can sub the almond flour out for more oat flour or a 1;1 gluten free flour mix.

spices

Feel free to use any spice combination you love. A nice apple pie spice would be great here too.

flax eggs

If you do not need it to be egg free/vegan, regular can be used instead of flax eggs. Use 2 regular eggs to sub for 2 flax eggs.

coconut sugar

Any dry sugar can be used in place of the coconut sugar, but remember, all sugars have a different level of sweetness and flavor.

coconut oil

You can use any liquid fat that you love like melted butter/ghee (if not dairy free/vegan), avocado oil, or olive oil. The type of fat will definitely affect flavor.

close up of an apple bar with white drizzle

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Apple Bread Bars (gluten free + vegan)

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Author: Katja Heino
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 9 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Super moist and deliciously spiced apple bread bars . Gluten free and vegan. Loaded with chunks of sweet apples and drizzled with the best maple glaze.

Ingredients

Scale

For Apple Topping

1/2 cup apples , peeled and chopped
1 tbsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

For Apple Cake Bars

2 tbsp ground flax seeds (** see note)
5 tbsp warm water
1 cup gluten free oat flour
3/4 cup almond flour
1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp cardamon or allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup apples, peeled and chopped

For Maple Glaze

1/4 cup coconut butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp maple syrup
hot water

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350’F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
To make apple topping, combine 1/2 cup chopped apples with coconut sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.
To make flax eggs, whisk together flax meal and warm water. Set aside for 5 minutes to gel.
In a medium bowl, combine oat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
In a large bowl. whisk together apple sauce, coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk in flax eggs. Add dry mixture to wet and stir until well incorporated. Fold in 1 cup of chopped apples.
Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Spread apple topping over the top of mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes until edges are golden and toothpick comes out clean in center.
Cool for 10 minutes in pan then then transfer to a wire wrack to cool completely before adding maple glaze.
When apple bread bars are cool, prepare glaze by melting coconut butter and coconut oil in a small double boiler (I place a small glass bowl over a small pot). Whisk in 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Taste and add more sweetener if necessary. Don’t worry if it gets clumpy. Remove from heat and whisk in hot water 1 teaspoon at a time until glaze is smooth and glossy. Keep whisking. It will get there.
Once glaze is creamy, smooth, and thin enough to drip, drizzle or spoon over bars. Allow glaze to harden before cutting into 9 even-sized bars.