This Healthy Apple Crisp is loaded with tender cinnamon apples and topped with a maple-oat crumble. A delicious gluten free and refined sugar free breakfast or dessert.
I love taking a classic recipe and making it healthier (like my Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies). This Apple Crisp is the answer to my need for a wholesome, yet warm and cozy, breakfast and dessert for these ho-hum January days. With just a few simple steps and under an hour of time you’ll be digging into this wholesome comforting dish.
Looking for a different cozy breakfast? Try Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Homemade Granola, or Pumpkin Banana Bread.
Jump to:
What makes this apple crisp healthy?
- Reduced butter. About half the amount of butter than I typically use in an apple crisp recipe.
- No refined sugar. Both the filling and the topping are sweetened with pure maple syrup.
- Gluten free. A combination of almond flour and oats create a delicious topping with no wheat flour. See below for substitutions.
- Wholesome ingredients. Fresh apples, whole grain oats, and healthy fat and protein from nuts.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Flavor – Apples, cinnamon, and maple syrup are a fantastic flavor combination.
- Texture – Tender apples and a crunchy, nutty topping.
- Ease – Only about 15 minutes of hands on time.
- Versatility – Serve this Healthy Apple Crisp for breakfast or dessert.
Recipe modifications and FAQ’s
Almond flour – Use all purpose flour in place of the almond flour (an equal amount). Note: the recipe will no longer be gluten free.
Apple juice – Orange juice, water, or lemon juice mixed with water (50/50) can be used in place of the apple juice. I really like the added apple flavor from using apple juice, so I highly recommend it.
Nuts – I recommend using some kind of nut in the topping as it helps to make the topping crunchy. I recommend walnuts, pecans, or almonds.
Maple syrup – Use pure maple syrup instead of maple-flavored pancake syrup. If you don’t have maple syrup, you should be able to use honey. Watch the crisp closely turning the last portion of bake time so the topping doesn’t burn.
What type of apples to use? You can use any baking apple. I personally like Honeycrisp and Pink Lady, or a mix of sweet and tart apples.
Can I omit the nuts? I highly recommend using nuts for the added texture, but if you are unable to you can leave them out. I recommend adding 2 tablespoons of additional almond flour or 2 tablespoons of unsweetened shredded coconut to the topping in place of the nuts.
Can I freeze this? You can, but the texture of the topping will soften once frozen and thawed. I recommend baking it the day you need it.
Serving and storage
Serving: Serve warm, shortly after baking. If serving for breakfast I top with yogurt. If serving for dessert I top with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 days and reheated as needed. Note: the topping will lose its crispness over time.
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Recipe
Healthy Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Filling:
- 5 medium-sized apples*, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (if you want to leave the peel on you can)
- 3 tablespoons apple juice or apple cider
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup, room temperature
- ⅓ cup almond flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish. Set aside.
Filling:
- In a large bowl combine all filling ingredients. Stir until well combined. Transfer to prepared baking dish.
Topping:
- Combine melted butter and maple syrup. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine almond flour, oats, nuts, cinnamon, and salt. Add the butter mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined. It might be a bit more wet than a typical "crisp" topping.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the apples. Lightly spray a piece of foil with nonstick spray and cover the baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes (covered). Remove the foil then bake for another 25-35 minutes, until the apples are tender and the topping is light golden brown. Allow to cool slightly, serve warm with ice cream or yogurt.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Sam
This was awesome and such a treat for breakfast! Loved it!
Allison
I’m so glad! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Lisalia
Oh I love a good apple crisp and could eat it morning, noon and night. Thanks for this yummy breakfast!
Sheryl S
My family loved this apple crisp. Made it for breakfast over the weekend. I used whatever apples I had on hand and used regular flour for both the corn starch and the almond flour- so not gluten free. I loved the flavor/sweetness of the maple syrup. It was sweet, but not overly sweet so that made it a good breakfast meal.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Darlene
How many servings will this make ? Looks delicious.
Allison
6 large servings (can be stretched to feed 8). Enjoy!
Monica
Do you have a recommendation for butter substitute for this recipe in order to make it dairy free?
Allison
You can try something like Earth Balance. I haven’t tried it though, so I can’t say for sure.