Celery Free Honey-Nutmeg Apple Crumble Bars
Warm spiced apples, golden crumble, and a drizzle of honey make these bars the kind of treat that disappears fast from any dessert table. The filling leans on nutmeg for that cozy, aromatic depth, while the honey adds a floral sweetness that feels a step above plain sugar. The base and topping come together from the same oat-and-rice-flour mixture, so you get a buttery, slightly crisp crust underneath and a rustic, clumpy crumble on top — all from one bowl. Tapioca starch does double duty here, binding the crust crumble and thickening the apple filling so the bars slice cleanly once cooled. For anyone navigating hidden vegetable ingredients in packaged baked goods, making these from scratch means you know exactly what went in — no mystery fillers, no surprises. The parchment sling trick makes lifting and cutting a breeze, and the bars hold their shape beautifully after that full cool-down rest. Serve them at room temperature or slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you're feeling indulgent.
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Learn more →Ingredients
9 servings
For the crust and crumble
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
For the apple filling
- 3 medium apples (about 1 ½ lb), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 3 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides to use as handles for lifting the bars out later.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, rice flour, tapioca starch (the crust-and-crumble portion), granulated sugar, and fine sea salt until evenly combined. Add the cold butter cubes and work them in with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, clumpy crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining — do not overwork it into a smooth dough.
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