Vegan Almond Flour Applesauce Bars

Grab a bowl and make vegan almond flour applesauce bars with plenty of apple flavor and a touch of cinnamon. Moist, tender, and straightforward to mix, they are gluten-free, grain-free, and oil-free. If you are looking for vegan recipes with applesauce, a batch makes a lovely breakfast, snack, or plain dessert.

Introduction

I love applesauce. My childhood backyard had an apple tree, and its fruit meant countless batches of kitchen-made applesauce, thanks to my mom and dad. Apple flavor still matters to me: if I make applesauce cookies, bread, or bars, I want to taste the apples!

A lot of vegan recipes with applesauce use it chiefly to add moisture. For my applesauce bars, it is also the star. Mild almond flour lets the apple flavor come through, with cinnamon and vanilla adding just enough warmth.

You can stir everything together in one bowl, without a mixer or a separate flax egg. The almond flour and flaxseed meal supply richness, while a generous amount of applesauce keeps the bars moist without added oil. I like a little coconut sugar to round out the sweetness, but you can leave it out.

Bake a batch, let it cool, and give it a short chill before slicing. You will have sixteen tender apple bars for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or dessert—and extras keep well in the refrigerator or freezer.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Apple flavor you can taste:Applesauce takes the lead, complemented by cinnamon and vanilla.
• Vegan:Egg-free and dairy-free, with no separate eggs replacement to prepare.
• Gluten-free and grain-free:Almond flour forms the base.
• Oil-free:Almond flour, flaxseed meal, and applesauce make the bars rich and moist without added oil.
• One bowl, plain prep:Whisk, stir, spread, and bake. No mixer needed.
• Flexible sweetness:Use a little coconut sugar or omit it for bars sweetened only by applesauce.
• Straightforward to make ahead:Keep a batch chilled for the week or freeze it for later.

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.Toggle betweenUS Customary(volume) andMetric(weights) for preferred measurement option.

• Almond flour or almond meal:Provides the mild, nutty base and richness that lets the apple flavor shine. Break up any lumps before adding the wet ingredients.
• Flaxseed meal:Helps hold the bars together and absorbs moisture. I prefer golden flaxseed meal for its lighter flavor. Use ground flaxseed rather than whole seeds.
• Unsweetened applesauce:Supplies the apple flavor and much of the moisture. Using unsweetened applesauce lets you control the sweetness.
• Coconut sugar:A small amount enhances the applesauce’s sweetness. It is optional; alternatives are listed below.
• Ground cinnamon:Adds warmth without overwhelming the apples.
• Baking powder:Provides leavening. Use a certified gluten-free option, as needed.
• Salt:Enhances the flavor. Reduce or omit it if you prefer.
• Vanilla extract:Rounds out the apple and cinnamon flavors.

How to Make Vegan Almond Flour Applesauce Bars

Note that the complete instructions are also in the recipe card below.

1. Prepare the pan.Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper. Spraying or greasing any exposed interior sides is optional; skip it to keep the preparation oil-free.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients.In a large bowl, whisk the almond flour, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Break up all lumps in the almond flour.
3. Add the wet ingredients.Stir in the applesauce and vanilla until completely combined. The mixture will be thick.
4. Spread the dough.Scrape the dough into the lined pan. Spread it evenly with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, smoothing the top.
5. Bake the bars.Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the center is set and the edges are golden brown.
6. Cool and chill.Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the bars cool completely. Refrigerate the cooled pan for 1 hour, or freeze it for 15 minutes, to make the bars easier to remove.
7. Lift and slice.Use the parchment to lift the chilled bars onto a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares or bars.

Taste and Texture

Expect moist, tender bars with clear apple flavor, a mild almond background, and warm cinnamon. Flaxseed meal gives them enough structure to hold together once cooled and chilled. They should be moist, but not wet, with a set center and golden edges, somewhere in between cake and a blondie in texture.

For anyone collecting vegan recipes with applesauce that actually taste like apples, that balance is the appeal: a plain bar with fruit flavor in every bite. Evertytime I make and share them, they are loved but kids and adults alike.

Storage

Let the bars cool completely before placing them in an airtight container.

• Room Temperature:Store at cool room temperature for up to 1 day.
• Refrigerate:Store for up to 1 week.
• Freeze:Store for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy a bar on its own with coffee or tea, or serve it alongside fruit and dairy-free yogurt for breakfast. For dessert, add a spoonful of dairy-free yogurt, a scoop ofvegan vanilla ice cream, a dollop of sunflower seed whipped cream or cashew whipped cream.

Flavor Variations

Swap the cinnamon with another go-to spice, such as cardamom, ginger, allspice, or a pinch of nutmeg or mace. You can also use an equal amount of pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice in place of the cinnamon, or create your own spice blend (e.g., 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, pinch of cloves).

I am always looking for an excuse to add raisins to recipes, and this recipe is reliable for them. Consider add up to 1/3 cup raisin or dried currant. I like to give the raisins a rough chop for better distribution, but that is entirely optional. Consider adding other chopped dried fruits, too, such as dried cranberries, dried cherries, or dried apples.

Stir up to 1/3 cup miniature dark chocolate chips into the bars, or sprinkle onto the surface of the bars (gently press down) before baking.

Replace the vanilla with 1 teaspoon almond extract. If desired, scatter 1/4 cup sliced almond over the surface of the unbaked bars (gently press the almonds not the batter / dough). The toasted almond crunch is a winning contrast with the soft bars.

Tips for Success

• Break up flour lumps.Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly before stirring in the applesauce.
• Use flaxseed meal.I do not advise skipping the flax–It binds the bars and absorbs moisture. Whole chia seeds do not perform both jobs in the same way, but you can swap an equal amount ofgroundchia seeds for the flaxseed meal.
• Expect a thick mixture.Spread it evenly in the pan rather than adding liquid to thin it.
• Check the center.Look for a set center as well as golden brown edges before removing the pan from the oven.
• Cool, then chill.Let the bars cool completely before chilling. The chill makes lifting and cutting easier.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Coconut sugar:Replace it with an equal amount of brown sugar, canesugar, datesugar, a granulated sugar-free sweetener intended for baking, maple syrup, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or date syrup. You can also omit the sweetener, but the bars will be very minimally sweet.
• Applesauce:Use an equal amount of mashed, very ripe banana or pumpkin puree. Omit the coconut sugar with banana; with pumpkin, you may want a little more sugar. Either swap changes the flavor of the bars.
• Almond flour:Almond meal works, too. Other alternatives : use an equal amount of either my DIY sunflower seed flour. or pumpkin seed flour.
• Flaxseed meal:Milled flaxseed (or linseed) is another name for ground flaxseed and can be used here. If you need a chia alternative, I suggest 1/3 cup finely ground chia meal rather than whole chia seeds.
• Salt:Reduce or omit it as needed. It enhances flavor but is not required for the bars to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Whisk the flaxseed meal directly into the dry ingredients, then stir in the applesauce and vanilla. There is no separate soaking step.

Check that you used the full amount of flaxseed meal and baked until the center was set. Flaxseed meal absorbs moisture as well as holding the bars together. One reader found the bars too wet after replacing it with whole chia seeds. I suggest keeping the flaxseed meal for the most reliable texture, per the instructions. Cool completely and chill before slicing.

Yes! In fact, you will get the reliable depth of flavor with kitchen-made applesauce.

I have not tested a coconut flour version and do not suggest an equal-amount swap. It could produce a much softer result, closer to baked oatmeal than a bar. I suggest almond flour or almond meal for this recipe. Possible nut-free substitutions (measure for measure) are my DIY sunflower seed flour or pumpkin seed flour (or use ready made versions).

Yes. Omit the coconut sugar and keep the other ingredients the same. Keep in mind thatthe bars will not be very sweet, at all. The only sweetness is coming from the applesauce, and it is getting mixed with 2 cups of neutral tasting almond flour. It is a useful option if you are looking for vegan recipes with applesauce and no added sugar. If you wish to keep the bars 100% fruit sweetened, you can add some date puree, date sugar, or date syrup.

Happy baking! If you try the recipe, I would love your feedback. You can leave a comment and/or rating below, or tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

More Vegan Applesauce Recipes

• Applesauce Oatmeal Bread
• Vegan Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies
• Cassava Flour Applesauce Cookies
• Applesauce Chickpea Flour Muffins
• Applesauce Oat Flour Muffins