Paleo Apple Pie Bars
I love this time of year in the kitchen. Fall flavors are taking over my kitchen. Coming in 2nd place to Christmas time, it is my favorite time of year. I’ve been trying new recipes lately like pumpkin pie smoothies, deliciously creamy pumpkin coconut mousse, pumpkin spice chia pudding, spaghetti squash casseroles, and good ol’ PSL (pumpkin spice latte) with a healthier twist. These apple bars were, by far, the best recipe find so far.
These bars are completely paleo, gluten free, and vegan. Not a ton of added sweetener, which is always a plus. This recipe is from one of my favorite recipe creators, Michelle of paleorunningmomma.com Go check her out. You won’t be disappointed! The original recipe uses almond butter, but pecan butter would be good too. I wouldn’t recommend peanut or cashew butter. You could definitely play around with the spice ratios too. A chai twist, maybe a little clove would be really good too!
The perfect amount of apple, nuttiness, and sweet. I will definitely be making these again. Please let me know what you think in the comments!
Paleo Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ¾ cup almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
For the filling:
- 3 apples pink lady or another tart variety
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder tapioca powder also works
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper.
For the filling:
- In a medium sauce pan combine apples, water, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil to soften. Combine dry ingredients for the filling and add to the apple mixture. Stir the mixture to dissolve dry ingredients. Once the mixture starts to thicken, set aside to cool.
For the crust:
- Combine all crust ingredients until a crumbly dough forms. This can be done in a stand mixer or by hand. I used my hands! Press ¾ of the mixture into the 8×8 pan and bake for 7-9 minutes.
- Spread the apple filling over the half-baked crust. Sprinkle with remaining crust crumbles and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Cool completely before cutting. Top with a dollop of whipped coconut cream or ice cream (if not paleo) and enjoy!