Spelt apple cinnamon breakfast squares are soft, oat-flecked bars baked in one pan and cut into portions for the week. Spelt flour gives them a nutty, slightly sweet base while diced apples keep every bite moist.
The batter comes together in two bowls with a whisk, no mixer needed. You fold in the apples last so they stay in even pockets instead of sinking to the bottom.
I use firm apples like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith here. Softer, juicier apples release too much liquid and can leave a wet streak through the center, even when the top looks done.
These squares work for busy mornings, school lunches, or a snack with coffee. They stay soft for days if you store them well, which makes the batch worth doubling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- One pan and two bowls, no mixer needed
- Stays soft for four days at room temperature
- Uses whole apples instead of applesauce for texture
- Freezes well for grab-and-go breakfasts
Ingredient Notes
- Spelt flour: Gives a nutty, lighter texture than regular wheat flour. Swap in whole wheat flour 1:1 if that’s what you have.
- Rolled oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats, for structure. Quick oats break down and make the squares mushy.
- Apples: Pick a firm baking apple like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. Mealy or very juicy apples add too much liquid to the batter.
- Maple syrup: Adds sweetness and moisture. Honey works as a 1:1 swap but gives a slightly denser crumb.
- Butter: Melted butter adds richness. Use melted coconut oil for a dairy-free version.
- Milk: Whole milk keeps the crumb moist. Oat milk or almond milk both work fine as a swap.
Soft Spelt Apple Cinnamon Squares with Maple Drizzle
Description
These squares use spelt flour and rolled oats for a dense, cake-like breakfast bar loaded with diced apple and cinnamon, no mixer required.
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
Wet ingredients
Add-ins and topping
Instructions
Prep
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease an 8x8 inch (20x20 cm) baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Peel and dice the apples into 1 cm cubes.
Mix the batter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
- In a second bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold until just combined. The batter will be thick.
- Fold in the diced apples and walnuts, if using, until evenly distributed.
Bake
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the center springs back and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, not wet.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool another 12 minutes on a wire rack before slicing into 9 squares.
- Drizzle with extra maple syrup just before serving, if you like.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 9
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 210kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 9g14%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 45mg15%
- Sodium 150mg7%
- Potassium 180mg6%
- Total Carbohydrate 32g11%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 9g
- Protein 6g12%
- Vitamin A 150 IU
- Vitamin C 2 mg
- Calcium 90 mg
- Iron 1.5 mg
- Vitamin D 10 IU
- Vitamin E 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K 1 mcg
- Thiamin 0.15 mg
- Riboflavin 0.1 mg
- Niacin 1 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.05 mg
- Folate 20 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.1 mcg
- Phosphorus 120 mg
- Magnesium 25 mg
- Zinc 0.8 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Dice apples no larger than 1 cm to avoid raw pockets in the center.
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant, for better structure.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting for clean squares.
- Toothpick should come out clean, not wet, when fully baked.
