These gluten free apricot crumble bars are made with a simple shortbread crust that we turn into a crumble topping easily by adding some brown sugar, cinnamon, and some more flour. Layer on fresh, in season pitted apricots, and bake to perfection.
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When I first made these gluten free apricot crumble bars
We were invited over someone's house for a party last Saturday night (okay we were riding my kid's coattails since it was a party for the families on her travel softball team, and let's face it I never really get invited anywhere after sunset and I'd prefer not to spend too much time thinking about why). When you have a gluten free kid and you're invited to someone else's house, you have a couple questions to ask yourself:
1. What will I bring for my gluten free kid to eat that is portable and doesn't need to be heated, really, and still fabulously delicious enough that he will feel proud (and hungry) to eat it?
The answer to Question #1 this time was these Stuffed Gluten Free Soft Breadsticks (and a pasta salad). Easy. Done.
2. What will I bring so I don't walk in empty-handed?
The answer to Question #2 was my standard gluten free cookie that everyone in my life at all always requests (4 dozen of them, in fact) + these gluten free apricot crumble bars. And you know what? The crumble bars went first!
Maybe it's because apricots in the summertime are just.so.gorgeous. It could also have something to do with the fact that I stood by the dessert table eating one and going on and on about how delicious they were and did you know they only had just a few ingredients and were so so easy to make.
The crust is a simple shortbread (oh so simple!) and the topping is nothing more than shortbread dough with some cinnamon and brown sugar thrown in. The middle? Gorgeous summer apricots that bake up perfectly and would never even dream of making the shortbread soggy or the crumble topping any less perfect.
Gluten Free Apricot Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; please click thru for full info on appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 16 tablespoons (224 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup (109 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 pound ripe fresh apricots rinsed and dried
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F.
- Line a 9-inch square pan with crisscrossed sheets of unbleached parchment paper, each overhanging two opposite sides. Set the pan aside.
- In a large bowl, place 2 cups (280 g) of the flour, the xanthan gum, granulated sugar and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the butter, and mix to combine. The mixture should come together as a soft dough.
- Remove about 3/4 cup (150 g) of the dough and transfer it to a medium-size bowl.
- To the reserved dough, add the brown sugar, cinnamon and the remaining 1/4 cup (35 g) flour, and mix to combine. This is the crumble topping.
- Place the bowl of crumble topping in the freezer to chill.
- Scrape the remaining soft shortbread dough into the prepared square pan, and press into an even layer with well-floured hands.
- Set the pan aside.
- Slice each of the apricots in half, then remove and discard the pits.
- With a serrated knife, carefully slice the apricots into wedges, each about 1/4-inch wide, taking care not to bruise or crush the fruit.
- Lay the apricot slices on top of the shortbread in 4 parallel rows, from one side of the pan to the other, overlapping them slightly in each row.
- Remove the crumble topping from the freezer, break it up into irregular clumps with a fork, and sprinkle it in an even layer on top of the fruit.
- Press down on the topping gently but evenly to help the crumble topping adhere to the fruit.
- Place the pan in the center of the preheated oven, and bake for 40 minutes, or until the top is light brown in color and seems set.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Carefully remove the bars from the pan by the overhung parchment paper.
- With a very sharp knife, slice into 16 equal pieces.
- The top half of the bars will be moist and will not set up rock hard because of the moisture in the fruit, but will hold together when handled carefully.
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Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
mommyoftwo says
Could I use apples instead?
youngbaker2002 says
Am deffinatly going to try these but probably with peaches. thanks nicole. Will let you know how they turn out.
Marie Butts says
Can you use frozen peaches in this recipe for apricot crumble bars?
Noni Bartlett says
These make me very sad we’re in the middle of winter here in Australia, but I don’t think I can bring my self to substitute for canned fruit. Hurry up January, this looks too delicious to wait for.
Lucy says
There done! I made two, my daughters had a friend over, when I drove her home I gave one away. It was soooooo good Nicole! I have lots of apricots left I may have to make another and try freezing for lunch treats over the summer break.
Love ya! Thanks for the recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
Lucy that picture is too great! But I do have one quibble: they’re Lucy’s apricot crumble bars. You made them!!
Rea284 says
Sounds delicious! Although the fruit in the pictures looks more like peaches than apricots!
Linda Vanderbaan says
I thought they looked like nectarines – our apricots are, ummm, apricot coloured
Nicole Hunn says
This is what apricots look like in the heart of the season where I shop, ladies!
Wendy Polisi says
These look great! I can’t wait to try them!
Rebecca Rudolph Thompson says
Looking forward to trying this with peaches from our trees! (I will have to bake in the middle of the night since it is 104 here in the day!) Rebecca, Lancaster, CA
Michelle says
I feel ya- I am on the other side of the mountains from you, in the valley. My peaches are also ripe, and I think these are worth turning on the oven!
Nicole Hunn says
So jealous of your peach trees, Rebecca! These would great with those, no doubt.
shari_b says
Can’t wait to try this – as usual, you are the greatest!!!
Jennifer S. says
These look great! I don’t think I’ve been around long enough to witness the plum version so this made me think…. is this recipe good for all stone fruit (even with the listeria scare!)?
Also, I have to say that I’m still proud of myself for suggesting the stuffed breadsticks and that your family loves them. We all love them too!
Nicole Hunn says
Oh, Jennifer, you’ve been around for even longer than that! And I believe I asked myself that very same question about other stone fruits, and it turns out that the answer is a resounding “yes!” Definitely freaked out about the listeria scare, for sure. Be careful everyone!
And yes, your stuffed breadstick idea is genius, and they make very regular appearances in my house… :)
Lucy says
Oh how pretty! So easy to make too! My apricots are staring at me!
yelling BAKE ME! BAKE ME! guess where I’m headed right now! :)
Nicole Hunn says
Those apricots sound very cheeky, Lucy! ;)