This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Vegan Cinnamon Apple Shortbread Bars are everything you love about buttery vegan shortbread cookies baked into ultra-thick, buttery bars! They’re infused with tons of apple flavor and warm cinnamon and melt in your mouth with every bite.
Today, we’re welcoming another easy vegan shortbread cookie recipe to the blog, this time in the form of a cookie bar. These vegan shortbread cookie bars bring all the familiar buttery, crumbly goodness of traditional shortbread but with a bar format’s added convenience and simplicity.
Perfectly golden brown around the edges and infused with warm flavors, these cinnamon apple bars are ideal for sharing during the holiday season or savoring with a warm drink on a cozy night in.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make these homemade bars, all you need is 7 simple ingredients:
- Freeze-dried apples: The key to infusing these shortbread bars with apple flavor without making the shortbread dough overly moist!
- Flour: We developed these shortbread bars using regular all-purpose flour because it yields the softest, butteriest shortbread cookie dough. For the best results, we recommend using our weighted measurements for consistent cookie bars every time.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice and enhances the flavor of the apples!
- Unsalted butter: Essential for that rich, moist, buttery textured shortbread cookie. We used Country Crock Buttery Sticks, but Earth Balance buttery sticks are also great.
- Sugar: We recommend a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar for the perfect moistness, additional richness from the molasses, and balanced sweetness.
- Vanilla: You can use either vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for a stronger vanilla flavor.
Equipment Needed
How to Make Vegan Cinnamon Apple Shortbread Bars
- Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8×8 glass pan with parchment paper.
- Process the freeze-dried apples. Add the freeze-dried apples and process on high until a powder forms.
- Add the dry ingredients. To the food processor, add the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt and pulse to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the cubed vegan butter, sugar, and vanilla, and pulse once more until the shortbread dough forms a coarse meal.
- Press into the 8×8 baking dish. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it down to flatten. The dough should be buttery enough to prevent it from sticking to your hands, but if desired, you can cover it with parchment or plastic wrap and then press it into the pan to keep your hands clean.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Prick the shortbread with a fork, then transfer to the middle oven rack and bake until golden, about 30-35 minutes.
- Cool completely, then enjoy! Unlike other vegan cookie recipes that can be eaten while warm and gooey, shortbread cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature. For this reason, we recommend allowing the cookie bars to cool completely before slicing and enjoying!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make these cookies with fresh apples?
Fresh apples, unfortunately, won’t look. In addition to making the shortbread cookie dough too moist, the flavor of the apples isn’t nearly as concentrated as freeze-dried apples.
If you only have fresh apples on hand, give our Vegan Apple Pie Cookies or Classic Vegan Apple Pie!
Are these shortbread bars gluten-free?
These shortbread bars are naturally vegan, but they are not gluten-free because they are made with regular all-purpose flour.
If you are gluten-free, swapping in a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend should work – we used gluten-free flour to make our original Vegan Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies and it worked really well. If you give it a try, leave us a comment down below!
Is sugar vegan?
Sugar is generally vegan, but there are a few caveats. In the United States, it is common for white sugar to be refined using bone char, which is of course not vegan. However, organic sugars do not follow this same refinement process and are naturally vegan. We use organic sugar when we can – do your best!
Storage Instructions
These shortbread bars will keep best at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Leftover bars can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to eat again!
More Vegan Apple Desserts You May Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
Print
Vegan Cinnamon Apple Shortbread Bars Recipe
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 9-12 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Vegan Cinnamon Apple Shortbread Bars are everything you love about buttery vegan shortbread cookies baked into ultra thick, buttery bars! They’re infused with tons of apple flavor, warm cinnamon, and melts in your mouth with every bite.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted dairy-free butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 40 grams of freeze-dried apples
- 2 cup (272 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (74 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (55 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8×8 glass pan with parchment paper. Cube butter, transfer it to a freezer-safe dish, and chill while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- Process the freeze-dried apples. Add the freeze-dried apples and process on high until a powder forms.
- Add the dry ingredients. To the food processor, add the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt and pulse to combine.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the cubed vegan butter, sugar, and vanilla, and pulse once more until the shortbread dough forms a coarse meal.
- Press into the 8×8 baking dish. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and press it down to flatten. The dough should be buttery enough to prevent it from sticking to your hands, but if desired, you can cover it with parchment or plastic wrap and then press it into the pan to keep your hands clean.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes. Prick the shortbread with a fork, then transfer to the middle oven rack and bake until golden, about 30-35 minutes.
- Cool completely, then enjoy! Unlike other vegan cookie recipes that can be eaten while warm and gooey, shortbread cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature. For this reason, we recommend allowing the cookie bars to cool completely before slicing and enjoying.
Notes
- Storage: These shortbread bars will keep best at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Leftover bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when ready to eat again!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
