Gluten Free Apple Crumb Bars

Juicy chunks of apple, a thick crumb topping, and gooey caramel are what make these gluten free apple crumb bars so special. These apple Crumb Bars are going to be hard to resist!! Top them with vanilla ice cream and hot caramel, this gluten free dessert is so easy to make!!

My love for apples in my gluten free desserts has no end...and I seem to be on a quest to create even more desserts with my favorite fruit! Apples are sweet, tart, and so full of flavor! Just check out this gluten free creamy apple cake recipe. These bars taste as if they were made in a bakery!

I have been trying to stock up more on my Costco runs lately. This week I bought two giant containers of apples.

Why Make This Recipe:

Make this recipe if you are looking for:

1. An easy, fruity gluten free dessert.
2. Something that won't taste gluten free. Nobody will be able to tell!
3. You have an abundance of apples and are looking for a fun new gluten-free apple recipe.
4. You love apples and cinnamon even more with a thick crumb topping.

Allergen Information:

This recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free. To make this recipe dairy-free, use plant-based butter.

My mantra for this simple apple crumb bars recipe is more juicy apple chunks = more apple flavor. This recipe uses five apples and bakes up beautifully.

If you love apples as much as we do, don't forget to check out all of my mouthwatering gluten free apple recipes!

Top Pick

King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour 3 lbs

This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)

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Ingredients Notes:

• Gluten Free Flour Blend - I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour blend. Other blends should work, but you may need to adjust the moisture level of the dough.
• Xanthan Gum - If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon. See the substitutions section below for a gum-free alternative.
• Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg
• Apples - There are so many great apples for baking! There are so many apples that will make your desserts incredible! My favorites include Fuji, Granny Smith, Jonagold, and Macintosh. There are over 2500 varieties of apples, including heirloom apples, so have fun experimenting to find your favorite baking apple!
• Brown Sugar - You can also use coconut sugar if you prefer.
• Cane Sugar
• Baking Powder - Use aluminum-free
• Butter - Use unsalted butter.
• Egg - Size large.

Substitutions:

• To make this recipe dairy-free, use plant-based butter.
• You can swap apple pie filling for the apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar.
• If you can't have xanthan or guar gum, make this gum-free recipe using my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It uses psyllium husk instead of gums as a binder.

Fun Variations:

• Feel free to change things up! You can add chopped nuts, raisins, or other fruit like blueberries and certified gluten-free oats to the crumb topping!
• Use other fruits like peaches or strawberries.

Tips For Sucess:

• Be sure to grease your baking pan to prevent the crust from sticking.
• Preheat your oven before putting the bars in to bake. Also, set the oven rack to the middle position in the oven.

Recipe Step-By-Step Instructions:

Step 1: Peel your apples. You can use a vegetable peeler, or apple corer to do this. Place the peeled apple onto a cutting board and cut the apple into small pieces. Put them into a mixing bowl.

Step 2: Pour your diced apples into a large mixing bowl and add the brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well to coat all of the apples.

Step 3: In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients. Whisk to blend them. Add the cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut in the cold butter so that you have a crumby mixture.

🔑 Sandi says: You can also freeze the butter and use a large grater to grate the frozen butter into small bits.

Step 4: Mix the egg and water into a soft dough. Your crust dough will look like the photo above.

Don't forget that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio, and you may need to add more or use less liquid. You will know you added enough moisture if you use your hands and squeeze the dough. It should hold its shape.

Step 5: Dump ⅔ of the crust mixture into a parchment paper-lined 8x8 baking tin. Use a spoon or your hand to press the crust down firmly so that it is flat.

Step 6: Pour the diced apple mixture over the crust. Spread the apples out evenly over the crust.

Step 7: Add the remaining ⅓ of the crumble mixture and add on top of the apple layer. You are now ready to bake!

Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes. The actual baking time may vary depending on the size pan you use.

Recipe FAQ:

More Gluten Free Apple Recipes:

📖 Recipe

Gluten Free Apple Crumble Bars

Sandi Gaertner

Delicious gluten free apple crumble bars. Top them with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 12

Calories 229 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ ½ cup unsalted butter cold
• ▢ 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup brown sugar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 5 medium sized apples * see note
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 3 tablespoons water
• ▢ dash salt

Instructions

 

• Peel the apples and dice into small pieces. Place the diced apples in a large mixing bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 350º F. Set the oven rack to the middle position in the oven.
• Sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over the apples.
• In a large bowl, combine the gluten free flour, baking powder, sugar, and dash of salt. Whisk to blend.
• Cut the cold butter into chunks and add them to the dry ingredients.
• Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour. There is a photo in the post to show you what this crust mixture will look like. You can also freeze the butter and use a large cheese grater to grate the butter into tiny bits.
• In a small bowl, scramble the egg with the water. Add to the crust mixture.
• Take a greased 8x8 baking pan and pour ⅔ of the crust mixture into the pan. Use your fingers or a large spoon to press the mixture flat to cover the bottom.
• Pour the apple mixture over the bottom crust.
• Add the remaining crust mixture to the top and spread out lightly to keep the crumbled shape.
• Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes until done. The actual baking time may vary depending on the size pan and what the pan is made from. Metal may cook the bars quicker than a glass dish.
• Top with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

Notes

1. I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other flour blends should also work well.
2. If you would like this recipe to be dairy-free, use vegan butter.
3. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
4. These cookies will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer.

A note on apples - I like to bake with more tart apples like a pink lady or granny smith. Any apple variety will work.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 75mgPotassium: 104mgFiber: 4gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 297IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg

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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

This recipe was updated from an older June 2020 recipe with more recipe details.