If you are on the lookout for gluten free desserts with apples then these Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars will just be the dessert for you!
Made with a Luscious buttery cinnamon shortbread dough that is used for the base and crumb topping with a mouthwatering spiced apple filling. This recipe is incredibly simple to prepare and perfect for feeding a crowd.
These gluten free apple pie bars are now a firm favorite for when I am looking to make gluten free apple desserts the day before an event or family gathering. They are easy to serve or slice and place on a dessert table and they always gather compliments!
I love using my gluten free shortbread recipe as a base as it is Irresistibly good. I have used it in multiple desserts and bars including gluten free Millionaires slice and Millionaires cheesecake.
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⭐ Why we love this recipe
- Fall Flavors - Made with a cinnamon shortbread base and crumb topping filled with sliced juicy spiced apples.
- Uses basic ingredients - I would say that all ingredients used are very much a pantry and fridge staple in many gluten free households and easily accessible in most local grocery stores.
- Simple to make - Making gluten free apple pie bars are much simpler to make than they may look. This recipe uses the same dough for the base and topping.
- Versatile -They can be eaten just as a snack bar or paired with various toppings like ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel sauce for a delicious dessert.
🍏 Choosing the Best Apples
What apples are used for these gluten free apple bars will have an impact on the overall flavor and texture of the finished filling and it does really come down to personal taste. Some may prefer a tarter filling or a sweeter filling. I have included some tips below for what to consider when choosing an apple variety.
- Choose Firm and Crisp Apples - Look for apples that are firm and crisp to the touch.
- Consider a Mix of Varieties - A combination of sweet and tart apples works well in apple pie bars. Varieties like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Braeburn are excellent choices. Mixing different types can give your bars a more complex flavor.
- Balancing Sweetness and Tartness: Decide on the level of sweetness you desire in your bars. Sweeter apples like Fuji or Gala will add natural sweetness, while tart varieties like Granny Smith will provide a tangy contrast. Adjust the ratio based on your taste preference.
- Texture Matters - Pay attention to the texture of the apples. Some apples will hold their shape better during baking, while others may not. If you want distinct apple slices in your bars, choose apples that maintain their texture when baked.
- Personal Taste -Ultimately, the choice of apples comes down to personal preference. Some people prefer a sweeter, softer filling, while others prefer a tarter, firmer one. Experiment with different apple varieties to find the flavor and texture you love most in your gluten free apple pie bars.
Recipe Development
These gluten free apple pie bars underwent several rounds of testing, I wanted them to taste similar to apple pie with all the flavors of fall while being able to slice easily and handle well.
My starting point was my gluten free dutch apple pie and although it tasted great it required many steps as it used my gluten free shortcrust pastry recipe and wasn't as easy to handle and more of a dessert eaten with a spoon or fork rather than a bar.
I then tested using gluten free shortbread and that greatly reduced the recipe steps but still felt it needed a little tweaking to get it just right (It needed more fall flavors).
So with a few more adaptions like the addition of brown sugar to add a caramel undertone and cinnamon to give the base more flavor, it really came out exactly as I had envisioned.
📋 Ingredients Notes
- Apples - I love using a mix of granny smith apples and Braeburn apples. Braeburn apples are sweet with a hint of tartness, and crisp, they maintain their shape during baking. Their sweetness balances the tartness of Granny Smiths, creating a well-rounded flavor profile. This combination provides the perfect balance between sweet and tart, along with a satisfying texture.
- Gluten free Flour - I used a ready made gluten free all purpose flour also known as gluten free plain flour in the UK. See my gluten free baking tips further down the post for more information on the flour brand used.
- Spices - This gluten free apple pie bars uses both ground cinnamon and nutmeg as it just reminds me of the fall flavors of apple pie and they complement each other and the apples perfectly.
- Salt - Adding a little salt in both the crust and filling enhances the overall flavors.
- Sugar - I used light brown sugar in the base and filling mixture. Brown sugar adds sweetness, a rich caramel flavor, and moisture to the apples, and in my opinion, enhances their overall taste and texture.
- Lemon juice - Lemon juice serves a dual purpose, it shields the apples from browning while balancing their sweetness and tartness.
- Cornstarch - Helps thicken the juices from the apples. Cornstarch is known as Cornflour in the UK.
- Vanilla extract - Adds additional flavor. I recommend using good-quality vanilla extract.
See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.
⚡ Substitutions & Variations
- Dairy Free - To make dairy free apple pie bars substitute the butter for your preferred dairy free butter block.
- Caramel topping - Once the bars have fully cooled drizzle with caramel sauce and serve.
- Glazed Apple Bars - After baking, a sweet glaze made from powdered sugar and milk or apple juice is drizzled over the bars for added sweetness and a shiny finish.
🥣 Step by Step Instructions
Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars.
See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.
Lay a parchment paper sheet in the bottom of the baking pan, extending it up the sides. It's a good idea to leave a bit of extra paper hanging over the edges for effortless removal of the bars later on.
Make the Shortbread Dough
Step 1: Cut the butter into cubes and place in a large bowl with the sugar.
Step 2: Beat together the butter and sugar until fully combined. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
Tip: Stop the mixing process once the butter and sugar have completely blended, as excessive beating can introduce too much air, leading to unwanted puffing of the shortbread's top during baking, which is something we'd like to avoid.
Step 3: In a separate bowl combine the gluten free flour, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon.
Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until it resembles a breadcrumb consistency.
Remove a ⅓ of the mixture and set aside as this will be used for the crumble topping. This will amount to 200g for the topping and 400g for the base.
Step 5: Lightly knead the remaining shortbread mixture until it starts to form a dough. Press the shortbread dough firmly into the lined baking pan.
Step 6: Spread it out evenly until it is smooth on top and evenly distributed within the baking pan (I like to use an offset spatula see image 6).
Tip: I prefer to use my hands to spread it in the pan and then use a small offset spatula to ensure the surface is smooth. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can roll the dough onto a parchment paper to match the size of the pan and then transfer it into the pan.
Make the Apple Pie Filling
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉/Gas mark 4. Peel and core all the apples then cut them into thin slices (See image 7) and place them in a large bowl.
Step 8: Add the lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and cornstarch into the bowl with the apples and mix well until all the apples are coated.
Tip: I like to keep the slices thin as thinly slicing the apples ensures even cooking, shorter baking times, a desirable texture, even distribution, and an appealing appearance.
Assembling the Gluten free Apple Bars
Step 9: Layer the apple slices evenly on top of the shortbread crust. Pour any apple juices left in the bottom of the bowl over the apples.
Step 10: Using the shortbread crumbs previously set aside. I like to make little crumble balls with my fingers and then pour the crumbled shortbread mixture over the top of the apple layer (See image 10).
Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and using a skewer check the apples are soft.
Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Tip: Allow to completely cool before removing from the pan as the shortbread base will firm up as it cools. Do not try to remove before it has cooled as it will be too delicate to handle and slice.
💡 Pro Recipe Tips
- Tip #1: Extending the parchment paper over the sides of the baking pan will make it easier to remove them once they have cooled.
- Tip #2: Don't overmix the shortbread as excessive beating can introduce too much air, leading to unwanted puffing of the shortbread's top during baking, which is something we'd like to avoid.
- Tip #3: Cut the apple slices thin as thinly slicing the apples ensures even cooking, shorter baking times, a desirable texture, even distribution, and an appealing appearance.
- Tip #4: Allow the gluten free apple pie bars to completely cool before removing them from the pan as the shortbread base will firm up as it cools. Do not try to remove before it has cooled as it will be too delicate to handle and slice.
❔ Recipe FAQs
Store the apple bars by placing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Yes, they can be easily made the day before and stored in an airtight container.
To make dairy free apple pie bars substitute the butter for your preferred dairy free butter block.
Yes, To freeze apple bars, cool them completely, wrap them individually or as a batch in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or an airtight container, and label with the date before placing them in the freezer, where they can be stored for up to 2-3 months.
💭 Gluten Free Baking
- Gluten Free Flour – I used a Gluten free flour blend from Doves Farm Freee from range. Which is a flour blend of Rice, Potato, Tapioca, Maize, and Buckwheat flour. I have had reports that others have used King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour, Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, with my recipes.
- Kitchen Scales - When baking gluten-free it is essential to weigh out ingredients to get the best results! Using digital scales is recommended when baking. I always measure using scales and grams as baking is a science. There is no need to purchase expensive digital scales and you can find them available cheaply online. (Although for small amounts I will use spoon measurements)
- Oven Temperatures - As all ovens can vary in temperature and the baking time is used as a guide. Some ovens run hotter than others. You could invest in an oven thermometer to be more accurate.
🍎 More Gluten Free Apple Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars
Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and all information is approximate.
Equipment
- 8 x 8 Lined Baking pan
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Shortbread Crust and Topping
- 280 grams Unsalted Butter
- 150 grams Light Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 440 grams Gluten free All-purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Xanthan gum You can omit if the flour blend already contains xanthan gum.
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
Ingredients for the Apple Filling
- 4 Large Apples Approx. 600g when cored and sliced.
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
Instructions
How to Make the Shortbread Crust and Topping
- Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper. Overlapping the sides as this will make it easier to remove the baked apple bars.
- In bowl beat together the butter and sugar until fully combined. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl combine the gluten free flour, xanthan gum, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and mix until it resembles a breadcrumb consistency.
- Remove a ⅓ of the mixture and set aside as this will be used for the crumble topping. This will amount to approx. 200g for the topping and 400g for the base.
- Lightly knead the remaining shortbread mixture until it starts to form a dough.
- Press the shortbread dough firmly into the lined baking pan. Spread it out evenly until it is smooth on top and evenly distributed within the baking pan (I like to use an offset spatula see image 6 in the post above).
How to Make the Apple Pie Filling
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉/Gas mark 4
- Peel and core all the apples then cut into thin slices and place in a large bowl.
- Add the lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, sugar, and cornstarch into the bowl with the apples and mix well until all the apples are coated.
Assembling the Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars
- Layer the apple slices evenly on top of the shortbread crust. Pour any apple juices left in the bottom of the bowl over the apples.
- Using the shortbread crumbs previously set aside. I like to make little crumble balls with my fingers and then pour the crumbled shortbread mixture over the top of the apple layer.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and using a skewer check the apples are soft.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Allow to completely cool before removing from the pan as the shortbread base will firm up as it cools.
- Once cooled you can let it rest in the fridge for 2 hours to help firm up making it easier to slice.
- Slice into even sized squares and enjoy.
Notes
- Tip #1: Extending the parchment paper over the sides of the baking pan will make it easier to remove the gluten free apple pie bars once they have cooled.
- Tip #2: Don't overmix the shortbread as excessive beating can introduce too much air, leading to unwanted puffing of the shortbread's top during baking, which is something we'd like to avoid.
- Tip #3: Cut the apple slices thin as thinly slicing the apples ensures even cooking, shorter baking times, a desirable texture, even distribution, and an appealing appearance.
- Tip #4: Allow the gluten free apple pie bars to completely cool before removing them from the pan as the shortbread base will firm up as it cools. Do not try to remove before it has cooled as it will be too delicate to handle and slice.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is meant as a guideline and is always an approximate calculation. Recipes may include information of various products used. It is your responsibility to check that ingredients you use when making a recipe are gluten free.
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