No Bake Caramel Apple Pie Bars are dairy-free and vegan, and made with (mostly) naturally occurring sugars from the dates. Healthy enough for breakfast or dessert!
Today I’m sharing my love of all things apple. Apples are in season right now and I can’t get enough. I especially love apple desserts in the fall. Apple pie and crisp are two of my favorites and my Mom’s apple pie recipe will always and forever be the best. She makes it so the apples are super tender (I hate hard apples in pies!).
But here’s my beef with apple pie – it takes so dang long to make! Rolling out the dough. Waiting for the oven to preheat. Waiting for the pie to bake. And let’s be real, time is always of the essence. So today I’m sharing a super easy recipe for no bake caramel apple pie bars that require just a few simple steps using the good ol’ microwave.
These bars are healthy enough that they can be breakfast, snack, or dessert depending on your mood and what you pair with it. Your choice! These bars are dairy-free and vegan, and made with (mostly) naturally occurring sugars from the dates.
Vegan Caramel Apple Pie Bars
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- Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Apple Pie. Apple Crisp. It’s all been done before. And while I’d never pass up a slice of warm apple pie, there must be an easier alternative to rolling out crust and turning on the oven. Enter: No Bake Caramel Apple Pie Bars. Not only are they easy to make, but they also contain mostly natural sugar from dates and are dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
Ingredients
For the “caramel”:
- 1 cup Medjool dates (approx. 8 dates), soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
- ¼ cup almond milk, warmed
- ¼ tsp salt
For the apple pie bars:
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 cup Medjool dates (approx. 8 dates)
- 4 tbsp coconut oil, divided
- 4 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 2 ½ tbsp coconut sugar, divided
- 2 1/2 tsp cinnamon, divided
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup whole-wheat pasty flour
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- Optional: coconut whipped cream for serving
Instructions
For the “caramel”:
- Add dates to a food processor or blender and pulse until only small pieces remain.
- Pour in warm almond milk and pulse until a paste-like consistency forms.
- Scrape down edges and pulse again until the consistency is creamy. Add salt and pulse again.
For the apple pie bars:
- Line 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Pulse walnuts and dates in a food processor until crumb-like consistency is formed.
- Transfer to baking pan and firmly press mixture down into the parchment paper to form a crust. Refrigerate to harden.
- Add apples and 2 tbsp coconut oil to a microwave safe bowl and cook on high for 1 minute. Stir in 1 ½ tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, all-purpose flour, and 1 tbsp coconut sugar. Microwave again for 4 minutes, or until apples are softened and easy to pierce with a fork*. Stir apples together to coat evenly with juice.
- Meanwhile, in a medium microwave-safe mixing bowl, add oats, whole-wheat pastry flour, walnuts, 1 ½ tbsp coconut sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tbsp coconut oil. Mix with a fork to combine. Microwave for 1 minute. Mix. Add 1 tbsp coconut oil. Microwave for 30-60 seconds and mix again*.
- Remove crust from the refrigerator. Spread an even layer of caramel mixture over top. Top with an even layer of apples. Sprinkle oat-mixture over apples. Refrigerate for at least an hour to let harden. Cut into squares to serve.
- Optional: Serve with coconut whipped cream
Notes
- Cooking times may vary depending on microwave oven.
- Prep Time: 70 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Microwave
- Cuisine: American
I feel like I’m missing something… I don’t see a recipe.
So sorry Corey! This recipe used to live on Food Network’s Healthy Eats Blog but they have since taken it down. I’ll go ahead and add it here now.
These look so yummy! Also, I went to Husk during FNCE too and also had the catfish and pickled peaches! #greatminds
Haha YES #greatmindsindeed 🙂
We always need the best food on our birthdays 😉 These bars look amazing! Apple are THE BEST!
Totes agree, Rebecca. 🙂 Thanks!!
Happy birthday! Checking out the recipe right now for these beauties 🙂
Thanks, Rachel!!
Happy belated birthday- that’s awesome you got to bring your man along to celebrate in Nashville 🙂 I didn’t get to go to the awesome restaurants because the friend I was traveling with was very strict vegan 🙁 but I heard Husk was amazing!
Thanks, Jess :). Bummer about Husk – guess that means you just have to go back again ;). Hopefully you found some good vegan spots in Nashville!