Recipe: Gluten-Free Apple Squares

Do you have that one favorite food item from your childhood that you miss? There is one that my mom used to make for my sister and I that we absolutely loved. Apple Squares. They weren’t something that we had often, so it was really a treat when we did have them. The squares are made with a cookie base that is baked until lightly browned and then topped with seasoned apples and placed back in the oven. Then a glaze is drizzled over the top, finishing off the squares. Just a little bit of heaven in each bite.

Once my son and I had to go gluten-free, there were many old favorites we were upset about not having anymore, but this was one of the ones I was the most upset about. Well, being the wonderful mother that she is, my mom created a gluten-free version of the Apple Squares. It was really just a matter of using gluten-free flour in place of the all-purpose flour.

Gluten-Free Apple Squares Recipe

Cookie Layer:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) softened butter
• ¼ cup shortening
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 and ½ cups gluten-free flour (use 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum) or flour mix
• 1 egg

Cream together butter, shortening, egg, and sugar. Blend in flour. Pat on bottom of ungreased 10 X 15 inch jelly roll pan. (Cookie sheet with sides.) Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned.

Apple Layer:

• 2 or 3 peeled apples, chopped to measure 2 cups (Use a sweet apple like Delicious)
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter (margarine)
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp. grated lemon peel (Could substitute 1 tsp lemon juice if no lemon peel on hand.)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 and ¾ cup gluten-free flour or flour mix
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt

Melt butter in saucepan. Remove from heat. Blend in brown sugar, apples, lemon peel, beaten egg, and vanilla.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into apple mixture. Spread evenly over the cookie layer. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Cinnamon Glaze:

• 1 and ½ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 to 3 tbsp. milk

Combine powdered sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the milk as needed for glaze consistency. Blend until smooth. Glaze top of apple layer while still slightly warm.

After glaze sets, cut into bars. Makes about 4 dozen bars.

These bars are perfect alone or topped with some vanilla ice cream.