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These apple pie bars are a decadent yet healthy snack or dessert without any refined sugar and zero gluten, perfect for a low glycemic diet.
Without question, apple pie is by far my favorite fall dessert! The combination of sweet apples surrounded by buttery crust is *chefs kiss*. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and I transform into a whole new person. I believe it's because as a child, my family would pick apples at the orchard together, come home and bake a pie, and then sit down to eat the pie and chat about our day. It's one of my favorite memories as a kid.
While I will continue to make a fresh apple pie each year, I don't have the time to make it as frequently as I'd like. That's probably a good thing for my waist! 😉 That's why I created a quicker and much healthier version that gives you the same cozy vibes and flavor but has better ingredients (hello, less sugar thanks to the monk fruit) and more protein.
The Layers
- The shortbread crust: I will admit that the crust is my favorite part of the pie. But, this healthier take is made with gluten-free flour (sub with regular flour if not gluten-free), rolled oats for more fiber, and NOW Foods 1:1 Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener for a low-sugar dessert.
- The apple filling: You can use any combination of apples that you'd like. I like to go with two sweet and a tart apple.
- The topping: The same as the crust! Gotta love a double-duty ingredient. It has the rolled oats and monk fruit for that same buttery, sweet taste you love, sans the blood-spiking sugar.
The 'WHY" Behind The Ingredients
When making a recipe for meal prep, knowing that it needs to carry me through my work day, I like to ensure that the ingredients help stabilize my blood sugar and keep me satisfied. That is why I opt to use things like NOW Foods 1:1 Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener, rolled oats, and serve with Greek Yogurt.
The monk fruit not only tastes great (no bitter aftertastes or artificial ingredients) but also has zero calories and doesn't impact your glycemic index. It's also fitting for vegetarians, vegans, keto, diabetics, etc., and you know we like to try and make all-inclusive recipes!
The rolled oats and apples are full of fiber, which will also help you feel full and stabilize your blood sugar. Lastly, the Greek Yogurt adds protein, which, combined with fiber and less sugar, makes for a snack or dessert that will keep you energized all afternoon.
Beyond Meal Prep
These gluten-free apple pie bars are great for meal prep and would also make a great addition to your Thanksgiving table. Yes, I know we are a few weeks away from turkey day, but as we meal preppers know, planning is the key to success. 😋
Gluten-Free Apple Pie Bars Ingredients:
For Crust/topping
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup NOW Foods 1:1 Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoon cubed unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoon water
For Filling
- 3 medium apples, peeled/cored/sliced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon NOW Foods 1:1 Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
For Serving
- 2 ½ cups nonfat Greek yogurt
Ingredients
For Crust/topping
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup NOW Foods 1:1 Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoon cubed unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg beaten
- 3 tablespoon water
For Filling
- 3 medium apples peeled/cored/sliced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoon NOW Foods 1:1 Organic Monk Fruit Sweetener
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
For Serving
- 2 ½ cups nonfat Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment paper overlapping sides. Lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine ingredients for apple filling in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook stirring occasionally until apples are softened and liquid in the pan is thickened, 8-10 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.
- While filling cools, combine ingredients for crust/topping in a large bowl. Mix well to moisten using clean hands or a fork. Reserve ½ cup of mixture to use for topping. Mixture should be crumbly but stick when squeezed. If mixture is still too dry, add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Press remaining mixture into the bottom of prepared pan using moist fingertips. Top with apple filling and spread evenly over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumble topping and bake for 30-35 minutes, until top is golden brown.
- Cool in pan completely before slicing into 9 bars.
- Add 1 bar to 9 snack container compartments. Divide yogurt between remaining compartments. Refrigerate until serving
Nutrition
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