What I love about Gluten Free Apple Crumble Bars
Say hello to the cozy season with these irresistible Gluten-Free Apple Crumble Bars! As the weather cools down, there’s nothing better than a warm, comforting treat to share with friends and family—and these bars are just the thing.
They start with a gluten-free, grain-free shortcrust base, followed by a generous layer of thinly sliced apples tossed in cinnamon, and are finished with a golden brown sugar oat crumb topping. Each layer adds its own texture and flavour, making every bite a perfect balance of sweet, spiced, and crumbly.
Once baked, the apples become tender, the topping turns beautifully crisp, and the whole thing fills your kitchen with the scent of autumn. For an extra indulgent touch, serve them warm with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream—whatever your favourite may be! Personally, I love pairing them with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. It’s so yummy.
Best of all, these bars reheat wonderfully and can be stored in the fridge for up to five days, making them a great make-ahead treat for cozy evenings or festive gatherings. Happy baking to you all!
Recipe Notes
A few things to keep in mind:
- Almond flour – Be sure to use almond flour and not almond meal which is more coarse and not ideal for this recipe! Almond flour is always a go-to for my baking as it is naturally gluten-free, grain-free and lower in carbs!
- Tapioca flour – Tapioca flour mixes with the almond flour to make a more fine flour mixture overall that holds together better when baked. Tapioca flour is also gluten-free and grain-free. You should be able to find this at your local health food store.
- Sugar – You will need a little granulated sugar and a little brown sugar for these bars. I like to use xylitol in place of granulated sugar to lower the total sugar amount in this recipe, but it’s not necessary.
- Butter – It’s always recommended to use unsalted butter when baking. You can also use hardened coconut oil if you want to make them dairy-free.
- Apples – You can use any kind of apples for this recipe. Be sure to slice them thin, about 1/4” thick for best results with the recommended baking time!
- Spices – I love apple pie spice for a recipe like this, but plain cinnamon works just as good and is just as delicious!
- Oats – It’s best to use old-fashioned or rolled oats (in other words, large flake oats) for this recipe. I don’t recommend using quick oats as you won’t have the same texture in the end.
FAQ:
Unfortunately, wheat flour does not measure 1:1 to almond flour so it’s not an ideal substitute. I don’t recommend substituting with any other flour unless you know the exact conversion.
Firm, crisp apples that hold their shape when baked are best (e.g. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Gala).
Yes, this recipe can be made a day in advance if you prefer. Then, simply reheat in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes before serving. Don’t forget the ice cream!
Yes, simply substitute the butter for coconut oil and it will create a very similar result.
Yes! They can be frozen when stored in an air-tight container. Then, thaw and reheat in the oven at 350F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through to enjoy again.
Tapioca flour helps with binding, giving structure and it absorbs excess moisture from the apples, so the bars don’t turn soggy.
Gluten Free Apple Crumble Bars
Equipment
- 1 8"x8" Square Baking Pan
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 1/4 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
For the apple filling:
- 3 heaping cups peeled and sliced apples 1/4" thick
- 1 tbsp tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp organic granulated sugar
- 1 tsp apple pie spice (or cinnamon)
- 1 pinch sea salt
For the crumb topping:
- 1/2 cup rolled or old-fashioned oat
- 1/4 cup organic brown sugar
- 2 tbsp almond flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 3 tbsp cold, unsalted butter
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8"x8" square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Make the crust by adding the almond flour, tapioca flour, sugar, salt, vanilla and melted butter to a food processor and pulse until completely combined. (It should pull away from the sides and form a large clump when fully mixed).
- Spread the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan and compress using your hands until you have an even layer.
- Poke a few fork holes in the top of the crust and then bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced apples, tapioca flour, sugar, apple pie spice or cinnamon and salt and mix with a wooden spoon until the apples are coated. Set aside.
- Make the crumb topping by adding the oats, brown sugar, almond flour, tapioca flour, cinnamon, butter and salt to a small mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or just your fingers until you have a moist crumb and no large lumps of butter left.
- Layer the apples on top of the cooled crust and then top with the oat crumb topping. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting into squares.
- Top with vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon and enjoy!
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