Chia Spiced Apple Butter Crumble Bars(Vegan) - Food Doodles

I hope you?re looking forward to these wonderful bars!? I mentioned them in my pumpkin hot chocolate post because they were in the background.? Although I changed the recipe a little bit before sharing it with you, so they look a little different.? I wanted them a little more oaty, not to mention I wanted more apple butter to cakey bar so I had to test that first before sharing it with you!

I have to be honest, I took waaaaaay more pictures than what are just in this post.? I had to cut things down considerably.? That speaks to how much I like these bars

They?re dense and crumbly with the perfect creamy, sweet and tangy apple butter center.? Yummy!? Oh, and I made the apple butter with chai spice.? You don?t have to.? Just plain cinnamon would be awesome too I?m sure.? But when the leaves start falling I get chai fever.? I seriously drink bowl-fulls of chai tea every day.? I can?t help myself.

I obviously couldn?t help myself when it came to flavoring this apple butter either.? There?s a vendor at our local farmers market that grinds his own spices and makes his own spice mixes.? I had bought some chai spice from him so I used that in my apple butter and it was an awesome decision.? The spice mix was super fresh and flavorful though so you may need to use more of a commercial brand to get the same effect.

Honestly, take a look at this amazing apple butter!? I didn?t even use an amazing food processor or blender or anything, just my immersion blender.? I seriously love that thing.? What would I do without my immersion blender?

Anyways? Look at how smooth and silky that apple butter is!? It is incredibly delicious!? I have to stop myself from going in the fridge with a spoon looking for this stuff.? I got the idea to cook this in the crockpot from Angela of Oh She Glows.? It?s a genius idea that takes a lot of the hassle out of making apple butter,? I?ll be doing this again soon!

Chai Spiced Apple Butter(in the crockpot)

Makes just under 6 cups

• 6 lbs mixed apples, cored with skin on
• 1-2 tsp chai spice
• 2 tbsp real maple syrup, optional, more if needed

Core the apples and add them to the crockpot.? Cook on high for at least 4 hours, or until the apples are falling apart, stirring occasionally.? Give the apples a good stir to break them up.? Using a blender or food processor, transfer the mixture(in batches if needed) and blend until completely smooth before returning it to the crockpot.? Using an immersion blender just blend the apples(skin and all) in the crockpot until completely smooth.? Add the chai spice(or just cinnamon to taste).? Continue to cook the apple butter on high in the crockpot without a lid until it reaches the desired consistency, about an hour, depending on the type of apples used.? Stir occasionally so that the bottom doesn?t scorch.? Once the apple butter has reached the desired consistency, taste and add maple syrup as needed.? Cool and store in a sealed container in the fridge.

And next up, these wonderful bars ? Enjoy!

Apple Butter Crumble Bars

Makes an 8?8 baking dish that can be cut into? 8-12 bars

• 1 C +2 tbsp old fashioned rolled oats
• 3/4 C white whole wheat flour
• 1/3 C walnuts
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon(or chai spice)
• 1/4 C coconut oil,melted
• 1/4 C almond milk, plus 1 tbsp extra milk if needed
• 1/3 C coconut sugar(or sucanat)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 C apple butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.? Prepare an 8?8 pan by lining with parchment paper(so that the bars can be lifted out) sprayed or brushed lightly with oil.? Set aside

In a small bowl combine the oats, flour, walnuts, baking soda and baking powder, sea salt and cinnamon.

In a larger bowl, stir together the oil, milk, sugar and vanilla until combined.? Add the dry ingredients to the oil and milk mixture.? Stir well until completely incorporated.? Pour slightly more than half of the batter into the prepared 8?8 pan.? Spread out so that the mixture covers the bottom of the pan.? Place pan in the oven and bake for 10 minutes until partially cooked.? Remove from the oven, spread the apple butter evenly almost to the edges of the pan.? Using a spoon, drop small amounts of the remaining batter over the top of the apple butter as evenly as possible.? Return to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until golden.? Remove from the oven and cool 15 minutes before lifting the edges of the parchment paper to remove the bars from the baking dish.? Place the bars(and the paper) directly on a wire rack and cool completely before cutting and serving.

Notes: I used coconut oil and almond milk to keep these bars vegan, but butter and any dairy milk could be used in these if desired.

Brown sugar can also be subbed for the coconut sugar.

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Source: http://fooddoodles.com/2012/11/07/chia-spiced-apple-butter-crumble-barsvegan/

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