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Looking for the perfect healthy treat that tastes like dessert but feels like a hug from your favorite nourishing ingredients? These Paleo Apricot Bars are everything. With a buttery grain-free shortbread crust, a luscious gooey apricot filling, and a golden, nutty crumble. Not only are they Paleo, Vegan, and Gluten-Free, but they also come together with wholesome pantry staples.
Why you’ll love these Apricot Bars!
- No fresh fruit needed! These use dried apricots, so you can make them all year long—no seasonal limits here.
- 3 dreamy layers: A soft shortbread base, sticky-sweet apricot filling, and a crisp crumble topping make every bite deliciously balanced.
- Naturally sweetened with maple syrup and fruit—no refined sugar needed.
- Gluten-free + grain-free thanks to almond flour and coconut flour.
- Packed with healthy fats and brain-boosting Omega-3s from walnuts.
What Makes These Bars Special?
These aren’t your average fruit bars. Here’s what sets them apart:
🍑 Apricots Are the Star. Instead of fresh apricots (which are only around for a hot second in summer), we use dried apricots, simmered down with a splash of orange juice to create a thick, sticky-sweet filling. It’s a flavor bomb in the best way!
🍪 Shortbread + Crumble in One Recipe. The base is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth almond flour shortbread. The top? A crunchy, golden topping with coconut, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts. Bonus: it’s made from the same mixture as the crust, so it’s quick and efficient!
🥄 Simple Pantry Ingredients. No fancy gluten-free blends or hard-to-find flours. Everything here is easy to find and easy to love.
Tips for Perfect Apricot Bars
✔️ Soak the apricots in hot water for 10 minutes before simmering if they’re extra dry. This helps create a smoother filling.
✔️ Press the crust firmly into your pan so it holds together after baking.
✔️ Let them cool completely before slicing. Trust me—they hold together better, and the flavors deepen.
✔️ Store in the fridge for a firmer texture or enjoy them room temp for a softer bite.
How to Serve These
These bars are the ultimate multi-purpose treat:
- A quick grab-and-go breakfast (yes, really!)
- A wholesome lunchbox snack
- A naturally sweet dessert
- That “I just need a little something” afternoon pick-me-up
And let’s be honest… they go really well with a cup of coffee or tea.
Apricot Bars (Paleo, Vegan)
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 2 cups almond flour or almond meal
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon water
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Filling:
- 1.5 cups dried apricots
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp real maple syrup
- Crumb topping:
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Begin by making your filling. Set aside dried apricots in a medium sized bowl. Boil 3 cups water, and pour over dried apricots. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Now drain the water, and add apricots to your food processor or blender. Add in lemon juice, and maple syrup. Pulse until mostly smooth, a few chunks are fine. You may need to add a bit of water to get the right consistency, but the filling should be thick.
- Now make the crust: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 square pan with parchment paper and lightly grease. Combine all of the crust ingredients into a food processor and pulse until mixture is crumbly. Take mixture and carefully distribute over the parchment paper, pressing down firmly and evenly. Place inside the oven and bake for 13 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes. Leave the oven hot.
- While crust is cooling, make the crumb mixture. Combine all ingredients into your food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds, or until mixture is crumbly.
- Once crust is cooled, spread the apricot filling over the crust. Complete by topping with the crumb mixture. Now bake for 15-18 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and cool completely. Once cooled, slice into squares.
amazing. saved my dinner party
If making with fresh apricots, how would the recipe need to change?
I haven’t tried that, but here is what I would suggest: Add the lemon juice, pitted apricots, and 1/3 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar to the sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cool, and let thicken. Hope that helps! You can also use granulated sugar, but if you want to keep them Paleo, then use the coconut sugar.
I have a container of fresh apricots I want to use. Is this possible? Can I just skip the boiling water step?
You can, but I would not skip the boiling part. Instead, add the lemon juice, pitted apricots, and 1/3 cup coconut sugar or maple sugar to the sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cool, and let thicken. Hope that helps! You can also use granulated sugar, but if you want to keep them Paleo, then use the coconut sugar.
How many fresh apricots?
Simply amazing! These bars were super easy to make and I brought them into work for my work peeps to try and it was a hit!
Thanks!
These were fantastic!
These are simply amazing! I made them last night for a work party today and people LOVED them, sending the recipe around now! The instructions are really clear and concise and they turned out delicious! Thank you!
YAY!!! So happy to hear!