Gluten Free Layered Apple Bars
- 17rlochhead
- 17 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Do you ever end up with apples that just aren’t good enough to eat as they are? Wondering how to save them from being thrown in the bin? I found myself in this exact situation and decided to adapt my banana bread recipe into an apple loaf.
However, without enough almond flour, I found myself at a crossroads — so I improvised and came up with these instead: apple bars with a coconutty shortbread-style base, topped with a layer of date caramel, peanut butter, and swirls of tart berry chia jam.
They truly have it all: a blend of textures, sweet and salty notes, and layers of flavour that work beautifully together.
These bars are perfect as an easy make-ahead snack or breakfast. They store really well in the freezer, making them ideal for busy mornings or on-the-go moments.
They’re also very allergy-friendly — naturally gluten free and easy to adapt to be vegan, dairy free, or nut free too. Wondering how?
Dietary Adaptations
Vegan
To make this recipe vegan:
Substitute the yoghurt for a dairy-free option such as coconut or soya yoghurt.
Replace the egg with a shop-bought egg replacer, applesauce, or a chia or flax egg.
Use maple syrup or another liquid sweetener (such as date syrup) instead of honey.
Dairy Free
This one is super simple — just swap the yoghurt for a dairy-free alternative like coconut or soya yoghurt.
Nut Free
A few easy substitutions are needed:
Replace the ground almonds with additional coconut flour or another flour such as oat or buckwheat flour.
Swap the almond butter and peanut butter for a seed butter (like sunflower or tahini).
Ways to Switch It Up
If you’re looking to add some variety, here are a few easy ways to change the flavour or texture:
The berries used for the chia jam can be any you like — frozen or fresh both work well, so have fun experimenting with different combinations.
Peanut butter adds a salty contrast, but any nut or seed butter works just as well if you prefer something different.
In the date caramel, almond butter can be replaced with your favourite nut or seed butter.
Extra add-ins like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, or seeds all make great mix-ins or toppings.
Ingredients
Apple base
2 small apples, grated
1½ tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 large egg
70g yoghurt
20g ground almonds
105g coconut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp xanthan gum
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
Date caramel
75g Medjool dates, pitted
1–2 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp almond butter
Pinch of salt
Chia jam
75g berries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp chia seeds
Optional: 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup
Peanut butter layer
8 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
Method
Make the chia jam
Heat the berries in a small pan until soft and releasing their juices.
Mash with a fork, then stir in the chia seeds and optional sweetener.
Set aside to cool and thicken for 15–20 minutes.
Make the date caramel
Place the dates in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes.
Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid.
Blend the dates with almond butter, salt, and most of the reserved water until thick and spreadable. Add more water if needed.
Prepare the apple base
Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Line a square tin with baking parchment and lightly grease.
In a large bowl, mix the grated apples with the honey or syrup.
Whisk in the egg and yoghurt until fully combined.
Fold in the ground almonds, coconut flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Bake
Press the mixture evenly into the prepared tin.
Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Layer and swirl
Spread the date caramel evenly over the cooled base.
Add an even layer of peanut butter.
Spoon over dollops of chia jam and swirl gently using a toothpick or spoon.
Place in the freezer until fully set, then slice and enjoy.
Store the bars in the freezer for easy snacking whenever you need them.
If you’d like to see what else I’ve been baking recently, check out my Instagram @rubysgfkitchen.
Happy baking
Ruby x
Comments