Simple Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars

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Apple pie is one of my favorite fall desserts! But making an apple pie scratch is easier said than done — especially if you’re gluten free! What if I told you there was an easier way to enjoy a piece of your favorite autumn dessert? This easy recipe for gluten free apple pie bars has all the flavor of a slice of classic apple pie without all the hard work! It’s one of the best easy gluten free desserts I’ve made!

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Making gluten free pie crust takes a lot of practice and patience. And if you’re looking for a classic gluten free pie recipe, I recommend you head over to my gluten free cherry pie post to make your own. But if you’re looking for an easy gluten free recipe without all the hassle of traditional pie, you’re going to love this gluten free apple dessert.

This easy recipe for gluten free apple pie bars uses similar ingredients as traditional gluten free apple pie, but it’s so much easier to make!

Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars

To make these easy gluten free apple bars, you’ll need two components: the easy gluten free crust and apple pie filling. This quick and easy recipe makes the simple crust from scratch and uses a canned apple pie filling.

To make these easy gluten free apple pie bars, you’ll need:

• Gluten free baking flour (I love Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
• Butter
• Sugar
• Salt
• Eggs
• Vanilla
• Canned apple pie filling
• Brown sugar

As you’re searching for ingredients, you may be wondering “is apple pie filling gluten free?” The good news is that most apple pie filling is gluten free! You can use any of these gluten free cherry pie filling brands:

• Comstock
• Great Value (Wal-mart Brand)
• Wilderness (Duncan Hines)
• Lucky Leaf
• Market Pantry (Target Brand)
• Baker’s Corner (Aldi Brand)
• Kroger Brand

If you find a apple pie filling brand that isn’t on my list of gluten free brands, make sure to check the label before purchasing, just to be sure that it’s safe!

When you’ve gathered all your gluten free ingredients, it’s time to start baking your pie bars! Start by beating together your softened butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat the ingredients to combine.

Then, grab your flour and salt and add them to the mixing bowl. Mix the dry ingredients and butter mixture together until they’re well combined. And that’s how you make this easy crust for your pie bars! It’s so much simpler than a traditional gluten free pie crust!

How to Make Gluten Free Apple Pie Bars

Now that your crust is ready, you can start putting your gluten free cherry pie bars together in the pan. You’ll need an 9×9 baking pan for this recipe. To make it easier to remove your pie bars from the pan, I suggest lining the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Cut the paper to fit the pan, making sure that the ends are hanging over slightly. After that, spray the parchment paper and the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Now it’s time to add the star of this gluten free apple dessert — the apple pie filling! Pour the entire can over the top of the crust, making sure to spread it evenly. If you don’t like large pieces of apple, try pouring the filling into a bowl first, then using a knife to cut the apples into smaller pieces. Then, transfer the pie filling to the top of your crust.

To create the streusel topping for your cherry pie bars, start by whisking together your flour and brown sugar until it’s well mixed.

Add cold butter to the bowl and use a pastry blender or fork to blend the butter into the flour mixture. Continue stirring and blending until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

Sprinkle the struesel topping over the top of the apple pie filling, making sure to completely cover the top of the pie bars.

Bake the apple pie bars until the streusel topping is golden brown. When they’re finished baking, allow them to cool in the pan for around 10 minutes. After they’re cool, grab the ends of the parchment paper that are hanging over the edges of the pan and carefully lift the pie bars up out of the pan. Transfer the bars to a wire cooling rack to cool completely, then cut them into bars before serving.

Questions About Apple Pie Bars

This easy recipe is delicious and simple! But if you have questions as you’re baking your apple pie bars, I probably have the answer!

Do I need to blind-bake the gluten free pie bar crust?

There is no need to pre-bake the crust in this dessert. It bakes along with the apple pie filling, which means this recipe is a super simple gluten free dessert!

Is apple pie filling gluten free?

I think most canned apple pie fillings are gluten free because they use corn starch to thicken the syrup. For this recipe, I used Comstock Apple Pie filling, which is gluten free. When I was making this recipe, I did a little research to find several other gluten free cherry pie filling brands. Scroll up to the top of the post see which brands are gluten free. Always check the ingredients on the can before using the pie filling in your own recipe.

Can I use a different pie filling for this recipe?

Sure! You can add any pie filling to this recipe in place of the apple pie filling! Since this recipe uses a streusel crust, not all pie filling will work. If you’re looking for some recipe ideas, try these:

• Gluten free peach pie bars
• Blueberry pie bars with gluten free crust
• Gluten free pumpkin pie bars

More Gluten Free Dessert Ideas:

Gluten Free Apple Crisp

Apple Dump Cake with Gluten Free Cake Mix

Gluten Free Cherry Pie Bars

Loaded Apple Nachos