These vegan apple bars are inspired by the best snack combination there is: apples and peanut butter! Here, that gets turned into a full-on dessert with tart cinnamon-spiced Granny Smiths layered over a graham cracker crust, covered with big buttery crumbs and finished with ribbons of warm peanut butter caramel.
And the peanut butter caramel is a total cheat. It’s not technically caramel at all. There’s no boiling sugar, no candy thermometer and no opportunity to burn anything. Peanut butter, maple syrup and brown rice syrup get warmed together for a few minutes until they get nice and glossy and ready to be ribboned over the bars. So easy!
This recipe is originally from Veganomicon, and it’s such a good apple-season recipe when you want something a little different than pie or regular apple crisp. They travel well, they slice into substantial bars, and they’re especially good cold from the fridge when the peanut butter caramel has firmed up a bit. Bring them to Halloween, Thanksgiving, the Super Bowl, or just make a pan because apples and peanut butter sounded good.
What Apples to Use
Granny Smiths are what I call for because they’re tart and hold their shape. If you want to branch out, Honeycrisp, Braeburn and Pink Lady all bake well and bring a little more sweetness. Just stay away from Red Delicious and McIntosh, which get soft and mealy.
Peeling is optional here. I usually don’t bother TBH, since the skins soften up in the bake and nobody’s ever complained.
Tips for the Best Apple Peanut Butter Bars
Press the crust firmly. Really get in there with your fingers or the flat bottom of a measuring cup, because a loosely packed graham cracker crust crumbles when you slice the bars.
Slice the apples thin. Thin slices bake evenly and settle into a proper layer.
Keep the crumbs big. You want the crumb topping in fairly large pieces, so keep tossing with your fingertips and add a little more oil if it isn’t coming together, and sprinkle it randomly so the apples peek through in places.
Don’t overheat the caramel. Three minutes over medium heat and a bit of stirring is all it takes, and you’re looking for it to soften and slide off the fork in ribbons. It’s not real caramel where you’re browning the sugar. You’re just heating stuff up.
Let them cool completely. Warm bars won’t slice cleanly, so give them the time to set or speed things up in the fridge.
Vegan Apple Peanut Butter Caramel Bars FAQ
Can I make these ahead? Hells yeah. They keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, covered, and the caramel firms up a bit and they slice even better on day two.
Can I freeze them? Yup yup yup. Freeze the sliced bars in a single layer, then stack them with parchment in between. Thaw at room temperature.
What if I don’t have brown rice syrup? Corn syrup or agave will get you close. The brown rice syrup is doing the thickening work, so a straight swap for more maple will give you a thinner caramel that soaks in rather than sitting in ribbons on top.
Do I have to peel the apples? Nope. Peeling is optional! The apples are thinly sliced and the skins soften up enough. Yay!
Can I make it gluten-free? Definitely. Use gluten-free graham crackers for the crust and a gluten-free flour blend that you love in the crumb topping and the filling.
How did I end up here? You had apples and peanut butter and wanted a project.
Craving More Sweet Treats? Try These
Apple Peanut Butter Caramel Bars
Notes
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup refined coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons vegan milk unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 to 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil melted
For the Apple filling:
- 3 pounds Granny Smith apples about 6, cored and sliced thinly (peeling is optional)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Peanut Butter Caramel:
- 2/3 cup natural peanut butter well stirred
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons brown rice syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Prepare the crust:
- Place the graham cracker crumbs in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with the oil and mix until moistened. Add the milk and mix with your fingers; the crumbs should hold together if pinched. Press the crumbs firmly into the prepared baking pan to form a crust.
Prepare the topping:
- Combine the flour, sugar, spices, and salt in a mixing bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into the flour and mix with your fingertips until crumbs start to form. Keep tossing the mixture with your fingers; you want the crumbs to be fairly large for crumbs. Add more oil if necessary.
Prepare the apple filling:
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, coating all the apples.
Assemble:
- Layer the apples onto the crust and sprinkle with the crumb topping. The topping won’t solidly cover the entire pan; just sprinkle it randomly over the top so that the apples are peeking through in places. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the apples are tender.
When the bars are close to being done, start preparing the peanut butter caramel:
- Mix all the ingredients very well with a fork, in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat for about 3 minutes. The mixture should soften and slide off the fork in ribbons.
- When the bars are done baking, drizzle the caramel in ribbons all over the top. Let cool completely before serving. You can let them chill in the fridge to cool faster. Slice into bars and serve.
How many Calories in 1 Bar ?
wonderful recipe, very tasty, but a little tricky
Is there any substitute for the brown rice syrup?
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