Apple Pie-Inspired Granola Bars
Warm, cozy, and perfectly chewy, these Apple Pie-Inspired Granola Bars pack all the nostalgic flavours of homemade apple pie into a wholesome, nut-free snack. Filled with tender apple pieces, comforting oats, and a hint of cinnamon, they’re a great lunchbox-friendly bite for little ones and grown-ups alike.If you prefer your bars on the sweeter side to boost that classic apple-pie sweetness, simply check out the Recipe Notes.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp ground flax
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp olive oil or water saute, if preferred
- 2 large apples peeled and chopped *See Notes (I prefer Empire apples)
- 4 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 3 cups rolled oats
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 cup soy milk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup apple sauce
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir the ground flax and water together. Let sit.
- Heat a small sauce pan over medium heat. Add a splash of oil and, once warmed, add the diced apples to the pan along with the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Cook until softened, stirring frequently to avoid burning, about 6 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- To a blender, add 1 ½ cups of the rolled oats and blend until they resemble flour (or you can use ready-made oat flour if you prefer).
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the oat flour, remaining rolled oats, baking powder and another pinch of salt. Mix well.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the milk, flax mixture, apple sauce, maple syrup, melted coconut oil and vanilla. Mix well. Now, pour the dry ingredients in and gently stir together. Fold in the baked apples and their released juices.
- Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper and pour in the batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. The edges should be beginning to develop a light, golden brown crust. Cool and then slice into bars. Bars should be stored in the fridge or frozen individually.
Notes
A word on variety of apples Different apples cook down different. If you want a granola bar with softer apple bits, you may wish to choose a variety such as Gala. If you prefer more bite, you'll want something like a Granny Smith, Honey Crisp or Fuji apple. McIntosh apples are not recommended for this recipe, as they bake down into more of a soupy consistency.
I personally prefer Empire. They do soften slightly, but still retain enough texture when baked for a pleasant mouth feel.
A note on sweetness These are not particularly sweet granola bars. They have enough sweetness to entice picky eaters, but if you want a sweeter bar then you can whisk in 1/4 cup additional brown sugar into the bowl of dry ingredients.
Gluten Free? These Apple Pie Granola Bars can easily be made gluten-free. Simply use certified gluten-free rolled oats and certified gluten-free oat flour (or blend your gluten-free oats into flour at home). Most baking powders are naturally gluten-free, but give the label a quick check to be sure. Everything else in the recipe is already gluten-free.
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