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My healthy apple crisp recipe is naturally sweetened and covered in a crunchy almond-coconut topping. Made with no butter, it’s rich with warming fall spices!
Need more apple recipes? Try my healthy apple pie, applesauce bread, apple cinnamon muffins, or apple pie with crumb topping next.
Need a dessert to kickstart the fall season? Here’s a dessert that’s been requested by my family time and time again: my healthy apple crisp! Specifically, a crisp made with wholesome ingredients and no gluten, butter, or refined sugar in sight.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Naturally sweetened. Instead, I use maple syrup and coconut sugar, and even then, I use it sparingly.
- Diet-friendly. Without even trying, this homemade apple crisp is dairy-free and gluten-free!
- Freezer-friendly. Whenever I make a crisp, I always make two and store the extra in the freezer. Whenever I’m hosting for dinner or need a cozy dessert, I just defrost it and pop it in the oven.
- Gooey and soft yet crispy and crunchy. The balance of textures from the apples and crisp topping is addictive. All that’s missing is a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
★★★★★ REVIEW
“We loved this recipe! Thank you, thank you!” – Lucinda
Ingredients needed
- Apples. Choose fresh apples with no bruising or soft spots. I like using a mix of sweet and tart apples, like Granny Smith apples, Gala apples, and Honeycrisp apples. Peel them first, as I’ve found the skins can be quite bitter.
- Lemon juice. To balance out the tartness of the apples.
- Maple syrup. For sweetness and flavor. Agave nectar and honey also work.
- Cornstarch. Thickens the filling. Arrowroot powder can also be used.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg. Two essential warming spices!
For the crumble topping:
- Almonds. I used finely chopped almonds to make the topping extra crispy.
- Almond flour OR rolled oats. Aim to use blanched almond flour, not almond meal. For a more classic crisp topping, you can also use rolled oats.
- Shredded coconut. Unsweetened shredded coconut with no added sugar. It won’t add much coconut flavor but gives it a lovely crunch.
- Coconut oil. Softened to room temperature. Use refined coconut oil to ensure there is no coconut taste. If not strictly vegan, you can use unsalted butter. Brown sugar also works.
- Coconut sugar. Just a pinch adds sweetness and even more crunch.
How to make healthy apple crisp
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the filling. In a mixing bowl, combine all the filling ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the crisp topping ingredients.
Step 2- Bake. Pour the apple mixture into the greased baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the apples have softened. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the crisp topping on top. Bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool before serving.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Add a pinch of flaky salt to amplify the other ingredients.
- Swap the nuts. Try pecans or walnuts instead.
- Cover it with aluminum foil. If you notice the top of the crisp topping browning before 10 minutes, cover the baking dish with foil and continue cooking until the filling is bubbling.
- Make it nut-free. Use rolled oats and oat flour.
- Make it ahead of time. If I’m bringing this to a holiday party, I’ll make it up to two days in advance and store it, covered, in the fridge. Then, let it sit out for 20 minutes and bake as directed!
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To freeze: Place cooked and cooled crisp in a shallow container and freeze for up to six months.
Reheating: Microwave leftovers in 20-second intervals or reheat in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
While very similar, a brown Betty typically uses flour in the topping. A crisp, on the other hand, usually contains oats.
Covering an apple crisp is unnecessary since the apples are par-baked first. This means that when the crisp topping is added, it can be removed from the oven once it’s golden brown.
More crisp and pies to try
- Strawberry crisp
- Gluten free blueberry cobbler
- Healthy pumpkin pie
- Or any of my pie and crisp recipes
Healthy Apple Crisp
Video
Ingredients
- 5 large apples sliced, approximately two pounds
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the crisp topping
- 1/2 cup almonds chopped
- 1 cup almond flour or rolled oats
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped apples, lemon juice, maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, add the crisp topping ingredients and whisk together.
- Place the filling into the greased baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the apples have softened. Remove from the oven and spread out the crisp topping over it. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes, before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published October 2022, updated and republished August 2024
Interesting desert. I will just put more cinnamon as I like it.
Wow really interesting recipe. I just receive “garden” apples from neigbours as a agift and didnt know what to do with so many. Now I do.
I made this crisp for a group from church and everyone LOVED it! I did substitute a few things, mainly to avoid a trip to the store. I used rolled oats, not almond flour, GF flour, added flax seed and hemp seed, (2T each), craisins,1/4 cup chopped pecans. Added a dollop of vanilla yogurt on top.
We loved this recipe! Thank you, thank you !
I made recipe few times now. Grand kids luv it. Couple tweaks added over time. Sprinkle walnuts on crust for extra crunch. After apples cooked but before add crust. Sprinkle some fresh blueberries on apples! Is nice twist. Great recipe 👍
I have oat flour, is that an acceptable substitute for the almond flour?
I haven’t tried with this, but you are welcome to experiment and see.
Yes! So glad to have recipes that use healthy flours and little sweetener. Thank you I hate receiving recipes with wheat flour in them.
What can I use instead of coconut… Which I dislike? Hemp hearts??
More chopped nuts
Sound great! I am always looking for a quick dessert that can be stored for future use.
😋👌🏽👌🏽✨