Pescatarian Honey-Nutmeg Apple Crumble Bars
These bars are the kind of cozy, fruit-forward bake that feels right any time of year — tender spiced apples nestled between a buttery oat crust and a golden, crumbly topping. The filling leans on honey instead of refined sugar for its sweetness, and a whisper of nutmeg gives every bite a warmth that feels genuinely homemade. Tapioca starch does double duty here, keeping both the crust and the filling perfectly structured without any fuss. The base is pressed firmly into the pan, the apple slices are tossed until every edge is coated, and the whole thing bakes until the topping turns deep gold and the filling bubbles at the edges — exactly what you want to see. Letting the bars cool completely is the one step you really cannot rush, since that rest time is what transforms the filling from saucy to sliceable. Cut into nine generous squares, they hold their shape beautifully and taste just as good the next day. Whether you're baking for a crowd or just treating yourself, this is a dessert that delivers serious payoff for straightforward effort.
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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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