Healthy Apple Pie Bars
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Healthy Apple Bars are the best fall dessert. Made with coconut flour and coconut sugar. These are gluten-free, dairy-free, and paltaeo!
Apple Pie is one of my favorite desserts. I’m really not even a ‘pie’ person per se.. but there’s just something about warm apple pie in a flaky crust that I love.
Apple desserts, in general, are delicious – we love these Cinnamon Apple Slices, Baked Apples and this Healthy Apple Crisp has been popular on our site for years – but we don’t have anything like an apple pie here. Enter: Healthy Apple Pie Bars.
This apple pie bar recipe is based on our super popular Healthy Lemon Bars. While we love lemon bars year round we wanted to share a fall recipe that you could enjoy!
I’m happy to say these taste just like the ‘real’ apple pie while being totally paleo, dairy free, gluten free, grain free, and lower in sugar thanks to the natural sweetness.
They’re seriously a DREAM dessert. You’re going to love them!
Note: This recipe is a bit more involved than compared to our other recipes – but it’s well worth the extra time! I think you’re going to love them! There are amazing layers of flavor from the crust to the topping and they are well worth the time spent making them!
liz’s tips for healthy apple bars
- This recipe is best made as written and isn’t one you can easily make substitutions. If you make these bars as is, you’ll wind up with perfect gluten free, paleo, healthier apple pie bars – but if you make swaps, you may wind up with a mess!
- Wait to drizzle the caramel sauce until you’re ready to eat to maintain the texture and freshness.
Ingredients
If you plan to make the caramel sauce, you’ll also need full fat coconut milk.
Coconut flour is perfect for baking because it’s super versatile. No matter what allergies or dietary preferences your family and friends have, they can enjoy this. It is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, soy free, sugar free, grain free and fairly low carb when compared to white flour.
Substitutions
You guys know we love to provide you with substitutions for recipes, but sadly – this just isn’t one where you can easily make substitutions.
If you make these bars as is, you’ll wind up with perfect gluten free, paleo, healthier apple pie bars – but if you make swaps, you may wind up with a mess!
Baking pan: We recommend making these in a metal 8×8 baking pan. This recipe was tested in both glass and metal baking dishes. Metal conducts heat far better than glass so it got done quicker. You’ll also notice some cracking if you bake it past the just set stage. This is fine and doesn’t affect the flavor at all.
Other fruit: I haven’t tried this recipe with other fruits, but I think it might work with pears. If you try it – let us know!
Flour: I don’t recommend other flours for the crust, especially almond flour. The crust is a tried and true formula of coconut flour and tapioca. The tapioca provides a binder along with the egg. Depending on the type of coconut flour you use for your crust, you may need a bit more to get the right texture. If your dough is too ‘wet’ try adding an extra tablespoon of coconut sugar and a tablespoon of coconut flour.
Eggs: You can’t substitute eggs in this recipe. They are essential for the taste and texture. If you need an egg free apple bar – check out this Vegan Apple Pie Bar Recipe
Ghee: Ghee was used for flavor. Coconut oil is just too oily. We don’t recommend coconut oil for a swap for two reasons -you just don’t get that cookie flavor if you use it, and it also is really greasy. Grass fed butter, regular butter (if not paleo) are all fine subs for the ghee.
Maple Syrup: We haven’t tried substituting maple syrup for honey, but I think it might work. I can’t be sure without testing it!
Coconut Sugar: The coconut sugar is swappable 1:1 with brown sugar if you are not paleo.
Doubling the recipe: I haven’t tried doubling this recipe but I’m sure it would work in a 9×13 pan.
How to make Healthy Apple Bars
- First, make the crust. Mix together the crust ingredients.
- The crust mixture will be a little bit soft.
- Press the mixture into an 8×8 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray and parchment paper. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 350°.
- Make the filling. Mix the tapioca flour and spices. Set aside. Cook the diced apples, lemon juice, maple syrup, water, and coconut sugar until soft. Mix in the flour mixture to thicken and reduce heat to low for 5 minutes.
- While the filling cools – mix all ingredients for the crumble topping in a small bowl with a fork until a crumbly texture forms.
- Pour the apple mixture over the baked crust, break up the topping and sprinkle evenly overthe top, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool at room temperature before cutting.
How to serve:
These Apple Pie Bars are best made a few hours in advance of when you have to serve them. They only need about 90 minutes to cool, but if they can set for 3-4 hours they’ll be even better!
Serving: We recommend serving these with dairy free ice cream, dairy free whipped cream or the caramel syrup drizzle (optional). You can also add all three for a delicious treat 🙂 or try with some protein vanilla ice cream.
Serving Size: I divided this into 9 apple pie bars , but you can also cut them into 16 if you’d prefer smaller apple pie bars.
Tips and Tricks:
Apple Mixture: The apple pie mixture is thick and syrupy- you can expect that some will seep out a bit as you cut them. These are easily pick up -able, but play like an open face pie.
Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days. If you like warm apple pie just reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Storage Options
Healthy Apple Pie Bars should be stored in the refrigerator. They will last in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. We recommend not drizzling the caramel sauce until you’re ready to eat to maintain freshness.
Reheating: If you like warm apple pie bars, just reheat in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Freezing: I haven’t tried freezing these, but I think they would freeze well in an airtight container.
These are a great fall treat that’s a little lighter and lower in fat and sugar, although you would never know!
Healthy Apple Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/3 cup ghee melted and cooled
- 2/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 3 cups apples peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces.
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Apple Pie Bar Topping
- 2 tablespoon coconut flour
- 3 tablespoon ghee melted
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
Optional Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt
- 3/4 cup coconut milk full fat in a can. Shake it well so it’s not separated
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Maldon sea salt or other flake sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the crust: With a fork, mix together the Ghee, egg, coconut flour, tapioca flour, egg, maple syrup vanilla and salt. The mixture will seem loose, but the coconut flour soaks up so much liquid it will quickly become a crust texture.
- Press the mixture into an 8×8 pan sprayed with cooking spray. You could also line a pan with parchment paper. Bake the crust for 8 minutes at 350 degrees.
- Make the apple filling: While the crust bakes – make the filling. In a small bowl mix together the tapioca flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Peel and dice the apples. Over medium heat, cook the apples, lemon juice, maple syrup, water and coconut sugar until softening and bubbling at a low boil. This will take about 5-6 minutes.
- When the mixture is bubbling add in the tapioca and spices and mix together. It will dissolve and the mixture will thicken quickly. Reduce the heat to low and stir it continuously another 5 minutes. Move it off the heat. Allow to cool slightly.
- Making the topping: While the filling cools – mix all ingredients for the apple pie bar topping in a small bowl with a fork until a crumble texture forms. Set aside.
- To Assemble Bars: Take the baked crust (should be just cooled to the touch) and pour in the apple mixture. Break up the apple pie bar topping and mix evenly over the top of it.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before cutting. This will take about 1-2 hours.
Optional Caramel Sauce:
- Over medium high heat add the coconut milk and coconut sugar. Whisk constantly until the mixture boils. It will boil up pretty violently. This takes about 4-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat until it’s at a low boil and continue cooking for 12-16 minutes until it’s thickened and reduced. Whisk constantly so the sugar does not burn.
- The mixture will coat the back of a spoon. When you put your finger down it the mixture will not come back together. Allow it too cool completely. Store any leftovers in the fridge for 1 -2 weeks.
I made these for Thanksgiving and they were delicious. I was hesitant after reading comments some had on the crumble, but mine came out as pictured in the photographs. I did add some walnuts. I made this for a gluten free dessert for my daughter, but everyone loved it and had no idea they were healthier and GF. A big win for me! Thanks!
So glad you liked them, Belle!
I too made these and the crumble is the wrong proportions or something. It’s not a crumble at all. It’s too liquidy. Great recipe though!
Hi Annett- Did you make any substitutions with the crumble? I just made these the other day and didn’t have an issue with the topping!
Made this for thanksgiving dessert. It was good but my crumble never came together. When I mixed the ingredients it was still a loose liquid, tried adding a little more coconut flour but never came together as a crumble.
Can I sub coconut flour with cassava flour?
I don’t think so. Coconut flour is very finicky. I wouldn’t recommend substituting it
Looking forward to trying these. I have Cassava flour but no tapioca. I know you recommended no substitutions for this but just curious if you or any others tried this possible sub.
Hi Victoria – I don’t have any other substitutions. You need tapioca flour in this recipe. It’s not the same as cassava, I’m sorry!
Made these and loved them. Well worth the effort. Next time I’ll make them a day or two ahead because the flavors got better with time and the caramel sauce truly tasted like caramel!!
So happy you liked the, Karen! thank you!
Can’t wait to make! I have all of the ingredients except for the syrup topping!
Enjoy! Can’t wait too hear what you think!
Made them today and they are delicious!! My crumble topping did not turn out that well but they are still SO good!!
So happy to hear this, Tina! Did you make any substitutions with the crumble?
These were so good! They only lasted 3 days in our house because my husband kept eating them two at a time 😂
Yay!! Love hearing that!!
So I made these Healthy Apple Crumble Bars today and you should too. They are delicious!
Thank you so much, Linda! So glad you liked them!
So I made these Healthy Apple Crisp Bars today and you must make them also. The are so good, a big hit with my family.
These were SO good! In-laws are in town and they’re on a diet so this healthy dessert was the perfect sweet treat for them to eat. We all loved it. We couldn’t wait and dug into them while they were still fresh out of the oven but the bars were gooey and delicious with just the perfect amount of sweetness to them.
Lots of ingredients but it was super easy to make. Will definitely make them again!
Thank you so much, Teresa! So glad you + your family enjoyed them!
These are so good. I did something wrong because the topping didn’t turn out crumbly but it was still very good😋
Glad you liked them, Michelle! Thank you so much! I’m not sure what might’ve happened which the crumble topping – did you make any substitutions?
I’didn’t use any substitutions but it was a too much liquid. I think I added too much ghee?
Hi Michelle- I’m sorry to hear this. Did you bake it for the full time? If you added more ghee than the recipe calls for, it could make them more liquid-like
Can’t wait to make this!
Thanks, Jade! can’t wait to hear what you think!
Can’t wait to try these!
Hope you love them, Lauran!
Saved this to make. It looks delicious.
Thanks Stephanie! Hope you love them!