A healthy gluten free apple crisp recipe that tastes anything but healthy! Sweet apples with a crunchy oat and almond flour topping. There is no better dessert in the winter to enjoy than warm apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of vanilla greek yogurt. Delish!
I grew up eating apple crisp as a kid for every holiday dinner. The sweet smell of apples in the oven while we ate reminded me that I had to leave enough room for dessert. My mom’s recipe is delicious but loaded with sugar. In fact, the entire top layer was a layer of brown sugar and butter. No oats. Just butter and sugar. She is now a diabetic… not because she ate too much of her apple crisp but a pre-disposition from earlier in life. So time to find a new delicious apple crisp recipe.
I am always on a mission to try and reduce the sugar in creative ways or find ways to improve the ingredients in my favourite recipes. Swapping them out for something more wholesome. Dessert is dessert though let’s face it. No dessert is 100% good for you. It is meant to be enjoyed as a treat so a little sugar or sweetness is expected.
What makes this apple crisp Recipe healthy?
- Honey has been used in place of white refined sugar in the apple mixture
- The crisp topping uses brown sugar but much less than many recipes and can be replaced with coconut sugar if you wish
- Gluten free oats and almond flour are used to great a crispy crunch with the almond flour giving a slightly nutty flavour to the apple crisp
- Cornstarch is used to thicken the apple filling instead of all-purpose flour
Some other Great healthy apple recipes to try!
How to make Gluten Free Apple Crisp
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- Pre-heat oven to 300F. Then peel, thinly slice and core 5-6 honey crisp or granny smith apples. About 2 1/2 lbs before peeling. Place sliced apples in a large bowl.
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- Add honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch. Mix well until combined and mixture evenly coats the apples.
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- Pour apple mixture into an un-greased 8″X 8″ glass baking dish.
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- In a medium bowl add rolled oats, almond flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt. Mix with fork until combined breaking up butter so that an course oatmeal like texture forms. Pour into baking dish over apples and gently pat down to evenly cover the top. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before digging in.
Which apples are best for making apple crisp?
When baking apples it is always best to go with a crisp, tart apple that will stand up to the heat when baked without turning mushy. Honey Crisp, Granny Smith apples work the best but you could also go with Royal Gala apples that stand up well but are even a little bit sweeter. Check out this article all about the best apples to use for cooking and baking for All Recipes.
dOES aPPLE cRISP NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
I personally do put my leftover apple crisp in the fridge though there are rarely leftovers. You can cover with plastic wrap once completely cooled and store on the counter for a day but that won’t stop the crisp from becoming less crispy. Time and simple air will soften the crust so I see no benefit to leaving it on the counter. I always err on the side of caution and would recommend covering and putting any leftovers in the fridge.
Can you freeze apple crisp?
Yes, you can freeze apple crisp after it has been baked. Once it has been completely baked allow it to cool fully and then cover tightly with aluminum foil. I double wrap the dish fully so that no air can get in and cause freezer burn. Apple crisp can be frozen up to 3 months. When ready to eat let it completely thaw in the fridge overnight and then pop it in the oven at 350ºF until it is fully heated through the centre. About 25-30 minutes. This will also allow the crumble on top to get crispy again.
If you made this recipe and enjoyed it please leave a comment or a 5-star rating.
Healthy Gluten Free Apple Crisp
Equipment
- Oven
- 8" X 8" baking dish
- Large Bowl
- Medium bowl
- Paring knife or potato peeler
- Paring knife
- Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
- Fork
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lb honey crisp or granny smith apples 5-6 apples approximately
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Crumble Topping
- 2/3 cup rolled oats gluten-free
- 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter cold
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Peel, core and thinly slice 5-6 honey crisp or granny smith apples. Place in a large bowl.
- Add 1 tsp lemon juice, 2 tsp vanilla, 1/3 cup honey, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg and 1 tbsp cornstarch to a large bowl with apples and mix until apples are evenly coated. Then pour the apple mixture into the 8" X 8" pan.
- In a medium bowl add 2/3 cup gluten-free rolled oats, 1/3 cup almond flour, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup cold butter cut into cubes, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/4 tsp salt. Mix with a fork or pastry cutter till the butter and oat mixture forms a lumpy oatmeal-like texture. Then pour the oat mixture into the 8" X 8" pan over top of the apples evenly. Gently press down on the oat mixture to seal the edges and create a flat top. Try and make sure the entire top is covered with few wholes for the apples to peak out of.
- Bake at 350F until the top is golden and the apple mixture is bubbling around the edges. About 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of vanilla greek yogurt.
- Store any leftovers once completely cooled tightly covered with foil in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven if you want to crisp up the crumble again.
Notes
Nutrition
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I love the swap for healthy ingredients! This is a must try!
One of our faves but had a hard time finding a gluten free alternative, this worked great!
So great to hear Justine!
Delicious! And so easy to make!! I’m going to make a double batch this weekend and freeze one for later (if my family doesn’t eat them both before I can store it lol)
Well I can’t gaurantee that LOL!
Gluten free but not lacking in texture or taste! I love apple crisp!
apple crisp is one of my favorite fall desserts, I definitely need to try this recipe
I can’t get enough of this apple crisp, and I LOVE the fact that it was gluten free!