Apple Crumble Bars (Vegan & Gluten Free)

0 Preheat oven to 350 and lightly spray a 9" x 13" metal baking pan with oil.
1 Add the butter, coconut sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and use a fork or hand mixer to combine. Especially with the melted butter, this is totally a recipe you can mix by hand, but feel free to use an electric mixer if you feel so inclined!
2 Add in the flour, oats, cinnamon and salt. Use your fork to mix and combine. If the dough is too wet, add additional flour 1 tbsp at a time. It should hold together but be a bit crumbly.
3 Set aside 1 1/2 cups of dough. Press remaining dough into the bottom of your prepared baking dish. Use freshly washed hands or a rubber spatula to smooth into an even layer. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
4 While the crust is baking, add the apples, butter, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and salt to a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stirring frequently, cook for 5-10 minutes until apples are tender and juicy. Create a slurry by mixing the arrowroot powder with water and slowly stirring into the apple mixture until it has thickened.
5 Remove the crust from the oven and pour the cinnamon apples on top, using a rubber spatula to spread into an even layer. Use your hands to crumble the remaining dough on top of the apples, and sprinkle with pecans. Return to the oven and bake for 18-20 more minutes until the top is lightly golden.
6 Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing. These bars can be enjoyed warm or cool. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.