Growing up, my mom would regularly make us a Polish apple cake called a szarlotka , and I honestly couldn’t believe how much these bars reminded me of one of my favorite childhood desserts! My version uses considerably less sugar and no butter, oil or eggs, but still has that delicious buttery taste courtesy of the almond flour in the crust.
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 1 cup (80 g) rolled oats (quick or old-fashioned)
- 1 cup (128 g) almond flour
- ½ cup (118 ml) unsweetened applesauce
- ¼ cup (50 g) coconut palm sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
For the Apple Topping
- 2 medium-sized apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¼ cup (50 g) coconut palm sugar
- 2 tbsp (12 g) almond flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
How to Make It
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare an 8 x 8-inch (20.3 x 20.3-cm) baking pan by lining it with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Set aside.
- Add the oats and almond flour to a high-speed blender or food processor, and process on high for about 10 seconds or until the oats have broken down into the consistency of a fine flour. Add the remaining crust ingredients and continue processing for about 20–30 seconds until it forms into a sticky dough. Make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of your blender/processor, as necessary.
- Transfer the dough to your prepared baking pan, using a greased spatula to spread it out evenly. Set aside.
- Make the topping by combining all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and tossing until the apple slices are evenly coated. Layer them over the top of the crust, pressing down and squeezing them in pretty tightly.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the apple topping begins to turn golden brown. Remove the bars from the oven and let them cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Use a sharp knife to cut them into individual bars and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.