These Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Oat Bars are a delicious, easy bake that pairs a crumbly oat cookie exterior with a bright, tangy apple and cranberry filling. They’re quick to prepare and ideal for sharing — a great way to use leftover cranberry sauce or a jar of homemade preserves.
Why You’ll Love These Gluten-Free Cranberry Bars
- Fast to assemble. Once the apples are stewed, the bars take only a few minutes to assemble before baking.
- Simple ingredients. The base is made from flour, oats, butter and sugar — familiar pantry staples.
- Great texture contrast. A sweet, oaty biscuit layer frames a juicy, fruity centre.
- Use leftovers. Leftover cranberry sauce works brilliantly, so these are a smart way to reduce waste.
- Perfect snack. Enjoy them with tea, coffee or milk for a satisfying treat between meals.
Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Crumble Flapjacks
If you like flapjacks (British-style oat bars) but want something a little more substantial, these bars bridge the gap between flapjack and biscuit. The oat-forward base gives chew and toasty flavour, while the flour adds structure so the bars slice neatly and hold together.
Ingredients needed
The recipe uses straightforward components that combine to create great flavour and texture.
- Bramley apples — tart cooking apples give a pleasant sharpness and a soft, pulpy texture when stewed. Any tart cooking apple will work.
- Cranberry sauce — leftover cranberry sauce is ideal. You can also use fresh cranberries cooked down with the apples; add a little sugar if you use fresh fruit.
- Unsalted butter — at room temperature for easy mixing.
- Cassava flour — a starchy, gluten-free flour that helps bind the dough and give the bars structure. This recipe was tested with cassava flour.
- Gluten-free oat flour — use fine oat flour for the best flavour; you can mill gluten-free oats if needed.
- Jumbo rolled gluten-free oats — for chew and toasty oat flavour. Regular porridge oats can be used in a pinch.
- Soft light brown sugar — for sweetness and depth of flavour.
- Baking powder — a small amount gives a tender bite.
- Salt — enhances all the flavours.
Step-by-step instructions
Below are the streamlined steps to make these bars. Full ingredient amounts and detailed notes are included in the recipe section further down.
- Cook the apples with a tablespoon of water over low heat until they are soft and have mostly broken down, about 15–20 minutes. Stir in the cranberry sauce and set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / Gas Mark 5. Line and grease an 8″ x 12″ (20 x 30 cm) rectangular tin.
- Make the dough by combining the cassava flour, oat flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and softened butter. Rub or mix until a cohesive dough forms.
- Press about two-thirds of the dough into the base of the tin to form an even layer.
- Spread the cooled apple and cranberry mixture over the base.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the top, pressing lightly so it adheres. It does not need to be perfectly even.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until the top is golden and the fruit is bubbling.
- Allow the tray to cool for 20–30 minutes, then remove the slab and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into bars.
Expert Tips
- Cook the apples until some pieces are silky and some still retain a little texture — this gives the filling pleasant variation.
- Remove the bars from the oven when they are just lightly underbaked. They will continue to set as they cool.
- Let them cool completely before slicing; they firm up as they rest and slice more cleanly.
FAQs
- Can you make them in advance?
- They’re best the day they are made; they can soften a little after 24 hours but remain tasty for up to two days.
- How should I store them?
- Store loosely wrapped in foil or in a bread bin rather than in an airtight container to help preserve texture.
- Can you freeze them?
- Yes. Cool completely, flash-freeze in a single layer for a few hours, then store in a freezer bag. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
Variations to try
- Apple and Blackberry. Swap cranberry sauce for fresh blackberries; cook them with the apples and add a tablespoon or so of sugar.
- Apple and Raspberry. Use raspberry jam or fresh raspberries for a sweeter, tart centre.
- Cranberry Orange. Omit the apples and use cranberry sauce with grated orange zest for a citrus lift.
- Add nuts. Fold chopped pecans, walnuts or hazelnuts into the top layer for crunch.
More gluten-free oat bars you’ll love
- Nutella Fudge Oat Bars
- White Chocolate Raspberry Flapjacks
- Mince Pie Cheesecake Oat Bars
- Healthy Banana Flapjacks
- Blackberry Cheesecake Hazelnut Oat Bars
- Best Granola Bars
Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Oat Bars — Recipe
Author: Georgina Hartley
Servings: 12 bars | Prep time: 30 mins | Cook time: 30 mins | Total time: 1 hour
Summary: A crumbly, oaty bar filled with stewed apples and cranberry sauce. Simple to make and perfect for using up leftover sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 Bramley apples (about 500 g), peeled, cored and diced
- 1 tablespoon water
- 150 g cranberry sauce
- 250 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 140 g cassava flour
- 90 g gluten-free oat flour
- 170 g jumbo rolled gluten-free oats
- 200 g soft light brown sugar, sifted
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the diced apples and the water in a medium saucepan. Cover and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened and mostly broken down.
- Stir in the cranberry sauce and leave the fruit mixture to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) / Gas Mark 5. Line and grease an 8″ x 12″ (20 x 30 cm) baking tin.
- Combine the cassava flour, oat flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a large bowl. Rub or mix until a dough forms.
- Press two-thirds of the dough evenly into the base of the prepared tin.
- Spread the cooled apple and cranberry mixture over the base.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the fruit and press lightly.
- Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
- Cool in the tin on a wire rack for 20–30 minutes, then remove and cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.
Notes
- If using fresh cranberries instead of sauce, use 150 g cranberries and add 1½ tablespoons caster sugar when cooking with the apples.
- This recipe has been tested with cassava and oat flour; other gluten-free flours may give different results.
- For best texture, eat within 24 hours; bars may soften after a day. Store wrapped in foil or a bread bin rather than airtight containers.
Nutrition (per bar, approximate)
- Calories: 373 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 11 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 25 g