Apple Pie Bars

This is one of the easiest Autumn desserts you can make – when you are finished making it, pop it in the freezer overnight and then it cuts easily into squares. You don’t have to make it gluten free and sugar free – but I do because we have cut all refined sugar (brown and white) out of our diet 90% of the time.

1 1/2 cups of gluten free all purpose flour (or regular flour)
1 1/2 cups gluten free rolled oats (or regular oats)
1 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Mix together with a dough paddle in your electric mixer.
Cube 1 cup of cold butter and add gradually to the mixture until it forms a sticky dough.

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Line a 9×11 inch pan with parchment paper (I grease the bottom of the pan so that the parchment paper sticks) but, you do not need to grease the parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Spread half the dough with your fingers into the bottom of the pan to create a thin layer.
Slice two or three apples (any kind) and lay them in a single layer across the dough.
Spread one cup of apple butter (or maple spread that I found at Zehrs – so delicious that I prefer this to apple butter- just microwave the jar for 30 seconds and pour over the apples) on the top (I used a pastry brush).
Drop the other half of the dough in small amounts across the top and then spread it out with your fingers to cover the top (loosely).
Bake for 50 minutes – freeze overnight and cut into squares.

Written by Pam