Sometimes a cool, crisp afternoon just begs for a little baking therapy. The smell of apples and cinnamon drifting through the kitchen feels like a hug you can eat. These Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars bring all the cozy dessert joy without leaving you with too much to store. I love baking a tray of Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars when I want something sweet but still wholesome.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You get all the flavor of a classic apple crumble in neat, snackable bars. These Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars are lightly sweetened, perfectly spiced, and portioned just right. The recipe is easy to adapt for gluten-free or vegan diets. Plus, Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars make your kitchen smell amazing while they bake.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Oat Topping
- 1/4 cup (25g) old-fashioned oats
- 1 tbsp (7g) white whole wheat flour or millet flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
For the Apple Filling
- 1 1/2 cups (188g) diced apple
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp cornstarch
For the Crust
- 1/3 cup (40g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp (15mL) unsweetened cashew milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp (24g) coconut sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F and coat an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
First, make the topping by mixing oats, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in maple syrup and butter until crumbly.
For the filling, toss apples with cinnamon and cornstarch until coated.
For the crust, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix butter, milk, vanilla, and coconut sugar. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Press the crust into the prepared pan. Spread apple filling over the crust, then sprinkle topping evenly, breaking up any clumps.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until the topping is firm and the crust is cooked through. Cool completely, then let rest for 3 hours before slicing.
Recipe Tips & Substitutions
Flour Options
You can swap white whole wheat flour with whole wheat pastry, all-purpose, or millet flour. For a gluten-free crust, combine 2 1/2 tbsp millet flour, 1 tbsp coconut flour, and 1/8 tsp xanthan gum, or use a gluten-free blend.
Sweetener Swaps
Maple syrup can be replaced with honey or agave. Coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar for a richer flavor.
Apple Varieties & Texture Adjustments
Red Fuji apples are ideal for sweetness and firmness. For softer apples, cover with foil after 35 minutes and bake 10–15 minutes more.
Pan Size Alternatives
If you do not have an 8×4-inch loaf pan, use two mini loaf pans. Avoid a 9×5-inch pan as the bars will be too thin.
Storage & Serving Suggestions
These bars taste best within 2–3 days, but you can keep them up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge. Enjoy them chilled or at room temperature. They pair beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee. For dessert, serve warm with a small scoop of vanilla yogurt or dairy-free ice cream.
Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars Recipe Card
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Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars – Cozy & Delicious
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 8 bars
Description
Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars with sweet cinnamon apples, a tender crust, and a crumbly oat topping – perfectly portioned for 8 bars.
Ingredients
Topping: 1/4 cup (25g) old-fashioned oats
1 tbsp (7g) white whole wheat flour or millet flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
Filling: 1 1/2 cups (188g) diced apple
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp cornstarch
Crust: 1/3 cup (40g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp (15mL) unsweetened cashew milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp (24g) coconut sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and coat an 8×4-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2. For topping, combine oats, flour, and cinnamon. Stir in maple syrup and melted butter until mixed.
3. For filling, toss diced apples with cinnamon and cornstarch.
4. For crust, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix butter, milk, vanilla, and coconut sugar, then stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Press crust into prepared pan.
6. Spread apple filling evenly over crust.
7. Sprinkle topping evenly, breaking clumps.
8. Bake 30–35 minutes until topping is firm and crust is cooked.
9. Cool completely in pan.
10. Let rest 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
Whole wheat pastry, regular whole wheat, or all-purpose flour may replace white whole wheat flour.
Millet flour may be replaced with any gluten-free flour except coconut flour.
For gluten-free crust, use 2 1/2 tbsp millet flour, 1 tbsp coconut flour, 1/8 tsp xanthan gum, or a store-bought gluten-free blend.
Maple syrup may be replaced with agave or honey.
Any milk may replace cashew milk.
Brown sugar may replace coconut sugar.
Red Fuji apples are preferred for sweetness and firmness.
For more streusel, double the topping.
Use two mini loaf pans if 8×4-inch pan unavailable; avoid 9×5-inch pans.
For softer apples, cover with foil after 35 minutes and bake an extra 10–15 minutes.
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 67
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 20
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 11
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 2
More Such Recipes
If you love this recipe, you might also enjoy my Easy apple pie oatmeal cookies, Healthy breakfast apple crumble, Easy Italian apple cake (Torta di Mele), and Slow cooker apple butter.
FAQ
How to make a small apple crumble?
Use a scaled-down recipe like this one, which bakes perfectly in a loaf pan. Layer crust, fruit filling, and crumb topping, then bake until golden.
What can you substitute for butter in apple crumble?
You can use coconut oil, vegan butter, or even olive oil for a different flavor.
Is apple crumble a low calorie dessert?
It can be lighter than many desserts, especially when made with less sugar and healthy fats. These bars have about 67 calories each.
Do I need to cook apples before putting them in a crumble?
No, they soften beautifully while baking.
Conclusion
These Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars are proof that dessert can be comforting, flavorful, and just the right size. Bake a pan of Healthy Small Batch Apple Crumble Bars today and share (or not) while the apples are still warm and the cinnamon scent fills your kitchen. You can find more baking inspiration on my Pinterest and Facebook pages.