Apple Cinnamon Bars

These no fuss Apple Cinnamon Bars yield as a dessert (or a breakfast) with yummy cinnamon coconut sugar edges that enfold a gooey apple pecan center.

Who doesn’t want a stronger immune system going into autumn!? This apple dish is just the ticket to boosting immunity this season!

The new Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato is pretty legit. It entices you with an almost “candy-like” sense, reminiscent of those state fair caramel apples on a stick. Apple is a co-star here, and in my opinion, that’s good. I braced for a super sweet, overpowering apple flavor-bomb, but was pleasantly surprised with a soft cinnamon and fruity taste.

This fall season, the co-star to the Apple Crisp Macchiato are these delicious little apple cinnamon bars. I took the same approach when designing this recipe. I wanted a subtle apple flavor. A flavor you could enjoy at breakfast or with whip cream on top as a dessert. This yummy, apple-season-inspired recipe tastes just like you’re drinking the Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato but in the form of a pastry.

Fresh, whole apples are extremely nutrient dense. Discarding the skin removes much of the fiber and the majority of flavonoids. Dehydrating or drying apples removes vitamin C, which is predominantly in the flesh. In addition, sugar is often added negating all the natural super powers the apple possesses. 

Now I know people can get finicky about whether to peel apples for baked goods or not. My personal opinion, apple skins add a beautiful color to the finished product. They also lend a rustic feel and are the most vitamin dense part of the fruit.

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INGREDIENTS FOR MY APPLE CINNAMON BARS

• Almond flour – Almond flour is rich in magnesium, which can help you better control your blood sugar levels. It can also provide other important health benefits such as blood clotting, reducing inflammation, and curbing appetite. 

• Coconut flour – Coconut flour is made from coconut flesh that has been dried and ground. It contains no gluten, making it an option for people with certain conditions, such as celiac disease, wheat allergy, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

• Coconut sugar – Coconut sugar contains healthy fats that are known to help prevent high cholesterol and heart disease. It contains potassium, magnesium, and sodium, which are all essential for regulating your body’s water content as well as many heart, nerve, and muscle functions. It has close to 400 times more potassium than regular sugar and contains a nutrient call ed “inulin”.  Inulin is a type of dietary fiber that helps keep your gut healthy and balance blood sugar.

• Coconut oil – Coconut oil is widely known as a “superfood”. The beautiful combination of fatty acids in coconut oil may have positive effects on your health, such as increasing fat loss, boosting brain function, and preventing heart disease.

• Almond milk – Almond milk is often enriched with vitamin D, and consuming it often may help prevent vitamin D deficiency.

• Apples – Apples are amazing. They contains 4.4 grams of fiber, equaling 16% of your daily value (DV). Apples also offers 8.4 mg of vitamin C, providing more than 9% of your DV, along with antioxidants and small amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

• Pecans – Pecans contain more than 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, fiber, several B vitamins, and zinc. Pecans also reduce the risk of heart disease with an abundance of “good” or HDL heart healthy fats. 

• Maple syrup – Maple syrup nutrition is impressive because it provides us with protective antioxidants. The medical journal Pharmaceutical Biology revealed that pure maple syrup contains up to 24 different antioxidants. Antioxidants, in the form of phenolic compounds, are beneficial for reducing free radical damage that can cause inflammation and contribute to the formation of various chronic diseases. Tip: Whenever possible, select darker, grade B maple syrups since these contain more beneficial antioxidants than the lighter syrups do. (1)

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Here are a few tips to help you create the perfect apple bar:⠀

I recommend using Granny Smith apples but honestly, you can use whatever you prefer or have on hand. Granny Smith hold up very well during baking.

Chunky apples are an option! If you want a different texture to your bars, cut your apples instead of grating them for a chunkier feel.

You can use applesauce (16 ounces) or canned apples in place of fresh apples

HOW TO MAKE APPLE CINNAMON BARS FROM SCRATCH

Preheat the oven to 350° and grease a 8×8 (or 9×9) pan butter. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, apple pie spice and salt. Stir well. Add in the coconut oil and almond milk and stir well until mixture is combined. 

Fold in the apples, pecans, and mix until everything is well incorporated. Scoop into the prepared pan and spread as evenly as possible. 

Bake 33-35 minutes, until edges are slightly brown. Let cool before frosting.

Once cooled, make the frosting. Warm up the coconut butter until smooth if needed. In a small bowl combine the coconut butter, maple syrup, ghee, vanilla, and salt. 

Stir well until smooth the spread evenly over bars. These can be stored in the fridge for ~1 week.

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References:

1. Katherine M. Phillips, PhD, Monica H. Carlsen, MSc, Rune Blomhoff, PhD. Total Antioxidant Content of Alternatives to Refined Sugar. RESEARCH Current Research| Volume 109, issue 1, P64-71, January 1, 2009