Vegan Salted Caramel Sauce:

1. You’ll want to make the caramel sauce first so it can sit up and get extra gooey! To do that simply bring coconut milk, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and a pinch of salt to a simmer. Stirring continuously until the sugar is dissolved. 
2. Continue to simmer and medium heat for about 5 minutes. 
3. Then remove from heat and sift in corn starch or arrowroot flour stirring well until there are no chunks.
4. Then set the salted caramel sauce aside and allow it to firm up while you make the rest of the apple pie bars. 

Gluten-free Shortbread Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. 
2. In a medium bowl, melt butter, add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and vanilla to the butter. 
3. Then add almond flour, oat flour, salt, and baking soda. 
4. Combine until it forms a sticky dough. 
5. Press the dough down firmly into the lined baking pan. 
6. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. 

Apple Pie Filling:

1. While the crust is baking, chop the apples into small pieces. 
2. Then in a pan, melt 1 tbsp. of butter and add in 2 tbsp. of brown sugar. 
3. Add the sliced apples and chopped pecans to the pan and sprinkle with cinnamon. Stir to coat with the butter mixture and cook until the apples are tender- about 8 minutes.

Building the Apple Pie Bars:

1. Remove the shortbread crust from the oven after 10 minutes. Then add the cinnamon apples and pecans mixture on top. 
2. Last, pour the salted caramel over the entire bar. 
3. Bake the bars again for an additional 3 minutes.
4. Remove the bars from the oven, chill, and slice.