Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C). This ensures that the bars bake evenly and develop a lovely golden color.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the first five ingredients: Flour, Cinnamon, Baking Powder, Salt, and Sugar. The mixture should be well-combined and crumbly.
Next, cut in the butter or stir in the coconut oil until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This step is crucial for achieving that delightful crumble texture.
If you’re using oil or unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 tsp of Salt to maintain flavor balance.
Press about 2/3 of the dough firmly into the bottom of an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper. This will act as the base for your bars.
In another bowl, toss the diced Apples with Cornstarch and Maple Syrup. The Cornstarch helps absorb the juices from the Apples, preventing a soggy bottom.
Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust, ensuring every bite has a taste of that sweet filling.
Sprinkle the remaining crumble dough over the top of the Apples and press it down gently. This creates a nice, even topping.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling slightly.
Let the bars cool in the pan for a bit before slicing them into squares. If you’ve used Coconut Oil, chilling the bars before cutting will help achieve cleaner slices.
