I am actively manifesting cooler weather. In my life, I have always gravitated to chillier weather. My love for the crisp led me from the chilly bay area of California to Montana for college and beyond. Although I love the beach, I love the cold beaches of Northern California. To me, there is something so cozy about a chilly morning, warm day, crisp evening. I laugh because the first college tour I took at Montana State University was -12, and the wind was blowing through the valley. So my dad and I headed North to check out the University of Montana to tour UM, and it was even colder. I was in love with the way it made me feel alive! These gluten-free and vegan apple pie bars are truly what fall dreams are made of!
Don’t get me wrong, I love a warm summer day on my skin, but the seasons’ balance is my favorite thing about life. The other day I was trying to explain why I loved Spring and Fall to my sister (I have never met someone who hates Fall as much as she does). I stated, “Fall is magical because you can do all your favorite summer activities like hiking, fishing, long walks with your pup, outdoor coffee dates, and porch hangs without sweating. The glimmer of change is refreshing, invigorating, and enjoyable to see. The leaves start to change, the air begins to crisp up, and the flavors in food start to shift.
When September rolls around, all I want to do is bake with apples and cinnamon – two of my favorite flavors. One of my all-time favorite fall apple recipes is my gluten-free and vegan apple quick bread. To me, there is something so cozy about baking apples and cinnamon together. My roommate and I would make large batches of apple pie filling using apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar in my college apartment. We used to eat this over yogurt, ice cream, and my all-time favorite, with oatmeal. All this to say, I love apples, and I love cinnamon.
Let’s Bake Gluten-Free and Vegan Apple Pie Bars
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Gluten Free + Vegan Apple Pie Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Category: cake
- Method: baking
Description
Meet your favorite fall dessert. These gluten-free and vegan apple pie bars are sweet, bright and a perfect fall treat.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1/2 cup of vegan butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 tsp of baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of salt
- 2 tsp of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp of nutmeg
- 1/2 cup of dairy free milk
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups of gluten free flour
Topping:
- 2 apples, cubed (no need to peel)
- 1/4 cups of granulated sugar
- 1 tsp of ground cinnamon
Icing Drizzle:
- 1 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 tsp of water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° f and grease your 9×9″ pan with vegan butter
- In a mixing bowl cream your butter and sugar until smooth
- Add in your spices, baking powder and salt until well combined
- Next add in your dairy free milk, vanilla extra and mix until incorporated
- Slowly add in your gluten free flour until the batter is smooth
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and set aside
- Cube your apples and toss in the cinnamon sugar mixture
- Top the cake with your cubed apples and ensure the apples are spread evenly
- Bake the bars for 1 hour until the apples are soft and the cake is cooked through
- Let your bars cool slightly and whisk together your powered sugar glaze
- Drizzle over your bars for a light drizzle
- Enjoy!
Keywords: gluten free and vegan apple pie bars
The Best Gluten-Free Fall Apple Recipe
With the weather still peaking high 90s right now in Texas, I am creating my dreamy Fall (in my head + kitchen). The other day the market had very fresh apples, so I cracked my favorite Health-Ade Kombucha – Pink Lady Apple, of course, and got to baking!
Gluten-Free and Vegan Apple Pie Bars or Regular Apple Pie?
These gluten-free and vegan apple pie bars are exactly the flavor of my grandpa’s apple pie he made every year for Thanksgiving and the most deliciously moist sugar cookie. When I start to develop apple recipes, I try to make them as easy as possible because, apple pie is a time-consuming dessert, and I wanted this recipe to be the exact opposite. I decided to leave the apple skins on this recipe because the texture adds a nice element with the soft bars and the soft apples.
One thing that I love about making recipes in a pan that is either a loaf pan or a 9×9″ is that it is an easy size to get a container or a lid for. I have this awesome 9×9″ pan that came with a lid that is perfect for traveling. This recipe is a perfect dessert to bring to a fall potluck, a work party or just to a picnic. I imagine myself making this recipe for really any fun group hang we have this fall because it is so easy to toss together with items that are in your pantry and tastes like a store bought pastry.
Give me a tag on instagram if you make it so I can share in your fall day and happy baking!
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