Meet Alex Caspero
Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, Plant-Based Chef and Yoga Instructor. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.
You have to try these healthier apple pie bars! These bars taste just like apple pie but with a fraction of the work! Whole-wheat and oat crust with seasoned apples.
Count me in for any dessert that tastes like pie, with a fraction of the effort. These loaded apple pie bars are so, so good and the perfect way to welcome in Fall.
As a dietitian, I get asked all the time about dessert. What are healthy baking swaps? How can I make my family’s favorite recipes more nutritious? Can I have dessert everyday? As someone who loves chocolate and buttercream frosting as much as I do broccoli, I understand the desire to make treats part of a healthy lifestyle.
Surprisingly enough, I don’t always recommend the healthier options. Yes, there are ways to make treats a little more wholesome: subbing in whole-wheat pastry flour, switching to natural sweeteners, and so on. There is a time and a place for those versions and for the most part, I try to sneak in a small change to even my most decadent desserts. However, it’s also completely OK to enjoy the real thing. Real sugar, regular flour, butter and all.
As I’ve mentioned a few times before, allowing yourself to eat what you truly want is powerful, and I bet you eat less of it when you do. If you know that you will always be able to eat a brownie (or these apple pie bars), then the desire to “sneak” one while no one is looking or eat a few because “the diet begins tomorrow” doesn’t happen. Knowing this also allows you to choose what you truly want. I eat dessert, often, though it’s usually just enough to keep me satisfied and of course, it’s what I really, truly want. The want to overeat them is gone, as I know I can always have more later. (PS- if this sounds just crazy enough for you to consider eating this way, consider joining October’s Joyful Eating, Nourished Life group.)
Now, let’s make some pie bars.
I’ve officially crossed the one year anniversary of my time in St. Louis, which completely boggles my mind. I know I’ve been here long enough to establish a routine, meet a forever friend, finish the updates on our house and able to get to at least 20 places without the need for GPS. At the same time, it feels like only yesterday we left California.
My family came out to visit me a few weeks ago, and it felt really good to be able to take them to our usual “spots.” The bar where BL and I often walk to after a grueling day, my favorite place for coffee and donuts and to Eckert’s Farm, just outside of town where we can pick our own fruits and vegetables.
I love farm tours and getting to pick items straight from the tree, vine, bush or ground. There is such a visceral connection to seeing how food is grown, especially for young kids. We had my three-year-old niece with us and watching her light up as she yanked an apple off the tree was priceless. Of course, the adults had fun too- mostly talking about all the yummy treats we were planning on making with our bounty. Homemade apple sauce, apple chips, apple cake and of course- these apple pie bars.
Similar to my peach pie bars from earlier this year, these apple pie bars are almost foolproof. Make a quick dough using flour, oats and enough butter and water to hold it together. Since I want everyone to be able to enjoy these bars, I opted for vegan butter from Earth Balance. It tastes just like regular butter, but completely dairy-free. Press half of the crust into a square baker, then top with gently cooked, spiced apples and the rest of the crust. Bake until golden brown, then remove and let cool completely.
Honestly, that’s the hardest step in this whole recipe- letting the bars cool completely. It’s so tempting to cut into them when they are still barely warm, but you risk the filling oozing out. Once they bars have cooled all the way, they are set! Ready to be sliced and eaten.
I hope you enjoy these bars as much as we did! We ended up making a few batches of these (had to be sure they were just perfect), ate a few then gifted them to friends and neighbors. That’s my favorite thing about making desserts, everyone loves receiving them! It’s the perfect way to say hi, you’re great, and thinking of you. xo
For my St. Louis friends, I’m gifting a $25 gift card to Eckert’s Farm (this post is not sponsored, I just really like Eckert’s!) over on Instagram today! Enter to win so you can pick fresh apples too.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!
PrintApple Pie Bars! These bars taste just like apple pie- with a fraction of the work! Whole-wheat and oat crust with seasoned apples.
Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge
The Ultimate Plant-Based Protein Cookbook + Course
(Includes 40+ recipes!)
FREE 7-DAY COURSE + COOKBOOK
The flavour was delicious. Although the “dough” was more just a dry floury mixture that was not crust like and I had difficulties pressing it into the pan. So instead when it was cooked and cooled, I served it warm with ice cream more as a crumble.
★★★★
Thanks for the recipe! It was very easy to make and everyone enjoyed it. I used all whole wheat pastry flour, vegan butter, and unpeeled Fuji apples. The texture and flavor was terrific!
★★★★★
So glad you liked them!
Walnuts were mentioned in the ingredients, but not in the instructions. Should I pulse them with the dough, chop them and stir them in with the apples, or just eat them?
Hi KC- chop them and add to the dough to sprinkle on top.
These are AMAZING!! Thank you so much for this recipe; we will be making this one over and over again.
★★★★★
Have you tried almond or coconut flour?
[…] Good Eats: Pretzel Crusted Zucchini Meatballs Southwest Black Beans Polenta Casserole Cauliflower Sloppy Joes Pumpkin Zucchini Muffins 23 Paleo Bowls That Make Breakfast Great Again 40 Plus Must Try Oatmeal Recipes Monterey Jack Quesadillas with Pear Salsa Spicy Almond Chicken Pho Make & Freeze Quinoa and Chickpea Meatballs Slow Cooker Tacos Al Pastor Thai Green Curry Chicken Zucchini Noodles 15-Minute Honey Garlic Chicken Healthy Chicken A La King Protein Packed Peanut Butter Hummus Apple Cheddar Corn Muffins with Honey Butter Grain-Free Chocolate Cake Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Fudge 14 Sweet and Secretly Healthy Dessert Hummus Dips One Bowl Oatmeal Cookies with Sea Salt Grilled Chocolate Chip Cookies Apple Pie Bars […]
Now these are just perfect for fall! I love the idea of apple pie in bar form!
Just in time for fall! I grabbed a bag of apples at the farmer’s market this weekend and I see these in my future!
Just in time for fall! I grabbed a bag of apples at the farmer’s market this weekend and I see these in my future!
leave a comment