These apple crumble bars from Saloni Mehta’s cookbook Vegan Baking Made Simple turn apple pie flavors into an easier vegan dessert. The bars have a shortbread base, a cinnamon apple filling, and an oat crumble topping. Granny Smith apples add tartness, while Gala apples add sweetness.

The shortbread base bakes first, then the chopped apples go on top with sugar, flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon. The crumble adds oats, brown sugar, and vegan butter, so the top bakes golden and crisp. A drizzle of caramel sauce can make the bars sweeter, but the recipe works without it.

Read more: Gluten-Free Quinoa Fudge Brownies

Serve these apple crumble bars as a snack, dessert, or simple bake for sharing. They make nine bars, which is a useful size for a small gathering or a weekend treat. Let the bars cool in the tin before lifting and cutting, so the layers stay neat. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for two to three days.

Reprinted with permission from Vegan Baking Made Simple by Saloni Mehta. Page Street Publishing Co. 2023. Photo credit: Saloni Mehta.

Let’s bake these bars

These vegan apple crumble bars use shortbread, chopped apples, cinnamon, oats, brown sugar, and vegan butter. They make nine bars and offer an easier way to serve apple pie-style flavors.

Vegan Apple Crumble Bars with vegan ingredients, cinnamon, a shortbread base, and a tangy apple filling

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Servings bars

Ingredients

Oat Crumble Topping

¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
2 tbsp (30 g) granulated sugar
½ cup + 1 tbsp (65 g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (45 g) old-fashioned oats
½ tsp cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt
⅓ cup (80 g) vegan butter, melted and cooled

Shortbread Base

1 cup (227 g) vegan butter, cold and cut into cubes
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2¼ cups (280) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
⅛ tsp salt

Apple Filling

2 Granny Smith apples
1 Gala apple cut in small cubes with skin on
3 tbsp (45 g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (24 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon powder

Garnish

Caramel sauce optional

Instructions

For the oat crumble, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, oats, cinnamon powder and salt in a bowl. Give it a good mix with a spatula. Then pour the melted and cooled vegan butter into the flour mixture. Mix everything using a spatula or a spoon. It will have a crumbly texture. You can store the oat crumble in the refrigerator until you prepare the shortbread dough.
For the shortbread, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8 x 8–inch (20 x 20–cm) square baking tin with baking spray, and line it with baking paper, leaving an overhang of baking paper over the edges so it can be easily lifted out. In a mixing bowl, combine the vegan butter and granulated sugar. Mix both ingredients using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric whisk on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as it is mixing to make sure it’s creamy and fully incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, cornstarch and salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough comes together. Press the dough into the prepared square baking tin. Use the back of a cup to level the dough, making sure it is even on all sides. Use a fork or a docker to dock the dough on all sides. Place the prepared baking tin in the oven, and bake a shortbread base for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the baking tin from the oven, and let the shortbread base cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the baking tin. While the shortbread is baking, you can prepare the apple filling.
For the apple filling, wash, cut and core the apples on a cutting board. You can leave the skin on. Then cut the apples into small cubes about ⅓-inch (8-mm) dice. Transfer all the chopped apples into a clean bowl. Add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cornstarch and cinnamon powder. Give it a good mix with a spatula. Transfer the apple mixture onto the prepared shortbread base. Press the apples with the spatula to make sure they are firmly packed on top of each other. Use your hands to spread an even layer of the crumble topping, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Remove the baking tin from the oven, and cool the bars in the tin before lifting out from the baking tin using the overhang. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of the bars if desired. Portion them into 9 square bars, and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

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