Gluten-Free Apple Struesel Bars
I came up with this recipe for gluten-free apple streusel bars after after remembering how my mother used to make them when I was young. She made them with whole wheat of course – which is impossible for us because of food allergies.
The crust recipe is adapted from Recreating Happiness’s awesome (like, I can’t even describe how awesome!) cinnamon roll recipe. The topping is a mixture of lots of cinnamon, streusel mix, apples, and icing.
So here it is: one of the many desserts that bring back memories of my childhood.
PrintGluten-Free Apple Streusel Bars
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 packet yeast
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown rice flour
- 3/4 cup tapioca starch plus more for flouring your surface
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoon guar gum
- 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2/3 cup rice flour
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
Instructions
- Heat milk to lukewarm (110 degrees). Add butter yeast, and sugar. stir to disolve yeast.
- Combine flour, starch, baking soda, guar gum, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
- After yeast has “proofed” mix in egg and olive oil. Pour into flour mixture and beat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
- The mixture will thicken and become less sticky as you beat it.
- Spread into a greased and floured jelly roll pan.
- Combine first five ingredients and mix well. Stir in apples and sprinkle over prepared dough.
- Let dough rise for 15-20 minutes while oven preheats to 350.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the edges begin to brown.
Icing:
There are numerous icing options, some less healthy than others. Traditionally, we used a butter, milk, and powdered sugar icing, but lately, when icing is called for, I’ve been using turbinado, so this is my icing substitute:
- 1 cup turbinado sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup water
- dash of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring until the icing begins to thicken.
Drizzle over cooled streusel bars, cut, and serve.
Enjoy!
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