I absolutely LOVE a cozy fall recipe, and these vegan apple oatmeal bars are always a hit. Loaded with wholesome ingredients, including fresh apples, warm spices, pure maple syrup, and gluten-free oats, these bars are exactly what I crave on a crisp, cool fall day.
My favorite way to enjoy these vegan apple pie bars is topped with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream for dessert, but they also make a sweet addition to a weekend brunch and are great to have on hand for busy, on-the-go weekday mornings.
These crave-worthy 3-layer bars are super simple to whip up and deliver that warm, comforting feeling you look for in a fall dessert. Here's a quick breakdown:
The oat base layer holds everything together until you take a bite and it begins to melt in your mouth — talk about an ideal texture! I especially love how the edges get the slightest bit crispy.
Spiced apples are obviously the star in this fall favorite. Made with brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, what's not to love about this warm and cozy middle layer?
And, because I'm an absolute sucker for a good crumb topping, of course these beauties deserve to be topped with a thickkk layer of homemade brown sugar-cinnamon crumb. It's the perfect addition to truly take these bars to the next level, making them reminiscent of a Dutch apple pie, made in only a fraction of the time.
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Ingredients
These apple oatmeal bars come together so easily. Here's what you'll need:
- Apples – I typically use Granny Smith apples for most of my baking, but feel free to use your favorite variety. Other crisp apples, like Honeycrisp, work best for baking.
- Gluten-free oats – Use old-fashioned rolled oats, rather than steel cut or quick oats to get the texture we're looking for here and ensure they cook adequately.
- Gluten-free flour – I tend to stick with King Arthur's Measure for Measure gluten-free flour, but feel free to use whichever brand you prefer.
- Brown sugar – For this recipe, I prefer the richer flavor of dark brown sugar, but you can use whichever you have on hand.
- Melted dairy-free butter – I frequently use the Country Crock Plant Butter and it's never let me down.
- Maple syrup – We're turning up the fall flavors even more with high-quality maple syrup.
- Vanilla extract – Just a splash of vanilla in the oatmeal base layer helps elevate the bars even more.
- Lemon juice – A half of a lemon is all you need here.
- Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg are essential to just about any sweet fall-flavored treat.
You can find the full details in the recipe card below.
How to Make These Apple Oatmeal Bars
Heat a pan over medium heat. Combine lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Once dissolved, add diced apples and sauté for 5-7 minutes to create the filling. Set aside.
Add the base ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine. The mixture may seem a bit dry, but it will come together in the next step.
Press the mixture into a 9x9-inch square pan with your hands, flattening it to make an even layer.
Pour sauteéd apples over base.
Create a crumb topping by combining gluten-free flour, dairy-free butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
Layer the crumb topping over the apples. Bake for 40 minutes at 350° F.
Allow baked bars to cool slightly before slicing, about 10-15 minutes.
Enjoy for breakfast or brunch, or serve as a cozy fall dessert.
I'm a huge fan of the classic warm apple pie and melty vanilla ice cream flavor combo, which is why I highly recommend serving these apple oat bars with a big scoop of dairy-free ice cream.
Simple Variations to Try
Wanna switch things up a bit? Give these bars a try with some of these simple recipe variations.
- If you don't have Granny Smith apples on hand, you can swap them out for another apple variety, like Honeycrisp or Braeburn.
- Try drizzling a maple glaze or sprinkling powdered sugar over the cooled oat bars.
- Play around with the base recipe and create other fruit bar recipes using peaches, blueberries, or strawberries.
Equipment
This recipe uses a 9-inch square baking pan. Though I haven't tried it personally, you can still make these bars if you only have an 8-inch pan, but you'll have thicker layers and may need to adjust your baking time slightly.
Storing Your Apple Oatmeal Bars
Once they've cooled to room temperature, store these gluten-free breakfast bars in an airtight container. You can leave them at room temperature or refrigerate for up to three days.
FAQ
Yep! The certified gluten-free sprouted oats from One Degree Organic are my go-to for all of my recipes containing oats. However, if you aren't sensitive to oats, you can use whatever brand you prefer.
Definitely! These bars will stay fresh for a few days after baking, though they will soften a bit after the first day.
Yes. Any tart apple will yield results similar to a Granny Smith, but you can also try this recipe with other crisp apples, like Honeycrisp or Braeburn.
More Breakfast Inspo
If you loved these apple oatmeal bars, you might also enjoy my:
Vegan Apple Oatmeal Bars
Equipment
- 9-inch square pan
Ingredients
Base
- 1 ¼ cup gluten-free oats
- 1 ¼ cup gluten-free flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 stick dairy-free butter melted
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 4 large Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
- ½ lemon freshly squeezed
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Topping
- ½ cup gluten-free flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dairy-free butter melted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Heat a pan over medium heat. Combine lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Once dissolved, add diced apples and sauté for 5-7 minutes to create the filling. Set aside.
- Add the base ingredients to a small-sized mixing bowl and stir to combine. The mixture may seem a bit dry, but it will come together in the next step.
- Line a 9x9-inch square pan with parchment paper. Press the mixture into the pan with your hands, flattening it to make an even layer.
- Pour sautéed apples over base layer and spread evenly.
- In a small mixing bowl, create a crumb topping by combining gluten-free flour, dairy-free butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown.
- Allow baked bars to cool slightly, about 10-15 minutes, before slicing into nine squares.
- Enjoy for breakfast or brunch, or serve as a cozy fall dessert.
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