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My homemade keto apple crisp recipe is the ultimate fall dessert. I use a secret ingredient to keep it low-carb and sugar-free yet full of classic apple crisp flavor! 2 grams of net carbs.
Need more keto holiday desserts? Try my keto pecan pie, keto blueberry pie, keto pumpkin cheesecake, and keto pumpkin pie next.
There are a handful of desserts that bring me back to my childhood, and apple crisp is one of them.
My mom has always made THE best apple crisp, and since going keto, I’ve sought to recreate her recipes with a few low-carb substitutions. You guys, even she has admitted mine is better than hers!
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- It actually tastes like apple crisp. Traditional apple crisp is sadly not keto-friendly due to the high carb count of apples. So, I use two super secret ingredients to give it that ‘apple’ flavor–with no actual apples!
- Perfect texture. The crunchy topping mixed with buttery soft squash leaves no room for wanting.
- Naturally gluten-free. Making it the perfect gluten-free holiday dessert too!
- Easy to make ahead of time. If I’m bringing this to a friend’s house, I’ll pre-bake the filling. Then, all that’s left is to add the topping and bake until warm.
Ingredients needed
- Chayote squash. My secret weapon! These make the perfect low-carb substitute for green apples. If you can’t find it, use yellow squash or zucchini.
- Unsalted butter. Melted.
- Water. To loosen the filling.
- Brown sugar substitute. Homemade keto brown sugar looks, tastes, and feels like traditional brown sugar, minus the calories and carbs!
- Powdered sweetener. Also known as confectioners’s sugar. I used keto powdered sugar.
- Fresh lemon juice. Balances the sweetness and tenderizes the squash.
- Cinnamon. A must for any good crisp!
- Apple extract. Gives the recipe the apple flavor without any apples.
- Xanthan gum. Just a sprinkle to thicken the filling.
For the crumb topping:
- Almonds. Raw, unsalted, and roughly chopped.
- Almond flour. Blanched almond flour or superfine almond flour is preferred, but almond meal can also be used.
- Shredded coconut. Unsweetened and finely shredded. Avoid using the large flaked coconut, as it burns easily.
- Granulated sweetener. Again, I used the keto brown sugar, but any sweetener will work.
- Coconut oil. Melted, so it can mix into the other ingredients.
How to make keto 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- Prep. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and grease a large baking dish.
Step 2- Make the filling. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the squash and water to the melted butter. Cover the pan and simmer for 7-8 minutes or until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer for 3 minutes.
Step 3- Bake the filling. Pour the filling mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Step 4- Make the topping. In a small bowl, combine the crumble topping ingredients. Remove the baking dish from the oven, sprinkle the crisp on top, place it back in the oven, and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Use real apples. If you’re not too concerned with a few extra carbs, swap some of the squash for Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples.
- Add more water. I noticed the amount of moisture from each squash varies, so if your cooked squash is quite dry, add a few extra tablespoons of water before adding the other ingredients. The filling should be soft and slightly gooey, like traditional apple filling.
- Adjust the sweetness. I didn’t make the filling overly sweet, so give it a taste and add more sweetener until it’s sweet enough for you.
- Spices. Add apple pie spice or nutmeg for more flavor.
- Serve the crisp with a scoop of keto ice cream, keto whipped cream, or sugar-free caramel sauce for a more decadent treat!
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
To freeze: Place the cooled crisp in a shallow container and freeze for up to six months.
Reheating: Microwave leftovers in 20-second intervals until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Granny smith apples are not low carb. Although they have less natural sugar due to their tartness, the net carbs remain the same.
There are 25 grams of carbs and 4 grams of fiber in a medium green apple.
More keto dessert recipes to try
- Keto pecan pie bars
- Keto lemon meringue pie
- Keto chocolate cake
- Keto cherry pie
- Or any of my keto desserts
Keto Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1/2 cup butter
- 7-8 cups chayote squash chopped * See notes
- 2-3 tablespoon water add more, if needed
- 1/4 cup brown sugar substitute
- 1/3 cup sugar free powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon apple extract
- 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
For the crisp topping
- 1/2 cup almonds chopped
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup brown sugar substitute
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a large baking dish and set it aside.
- In a deep pot or saucepan, melt your butter. Once it is melted, add your chopped chayote and water. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Once the squash is tender, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well, until combined. Continue to simmer for a further 3 minutes.
- Remove the mock apple filling from the heat and transfer it into the lined baking dish. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. While the filling is baking, prepare your crisp topping.
- In a mixing bowl, add all your crisp topping ingredients and mix well. Remove the baking dish from the oven and sprinkle the crisp all over the top. Place back in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes, before serving.
Made this mock apple crisp for our church Thanksgiving potluck dinner today 11-17-23
This was liked really well by all who tried it and they were surprised that it was a healthy desert and that there were not any apples in it!!!!
I will definitely make this again!
Thank you for sharing!
I made the apple crisp. Unfortunately it had a weird after taste. Is the apple extract measurement correct? Should it have been 1 tsp apposed to one tablespoon? The texture was just like apples, I just can’t get past the extract taste.
Hi Teresea- It sounds like it is the brand you used 🙂 You can cut back next time!
Delicious, but mine was really wet. The crumble didn’t crisp up because it was sitting in the liquid. It was the same when i made the pie version. Next time I might start with the chayote alone in the pot so I can drain off some of the liquid before I add the butter. Unless you have a different suggestion. I had it with some homemade vanilla coconut ice cream that I made, so good. I need a different recipe for that, something that doesn’t freeze like a rock.
I was very doubtful about this recipe but it is good. I did add an apple spice to the recipe and I added more cinnamon and stevia too. I really enjoyed the recipe and it tasted like apple crunch.
Made it with apples and butter. Very tasty!
This recipe has become a family and friends favorite. It’s super easy and absolutely delicious!!
Armani,
I absolutely LOVE all your recipes!
I’m allergic to coconut. Can I substitute something else or can I just delete it altogether?
Thanks
You could try using more almond flour 🙂
Where do you get apple extract?
Amazon or online 🙂
You say a large baking dish? 8×8? 9×13? What do you recommend? Thanks
9 x 13-inch is great 🙂
Can’t wait to make this!!!!
I’m looking to make this very soon and I was wondering if I was supposed to peel the chayote?
You can if you like 🙂
This sounds amazing! I can’t wait to make it! I was just wondering what the sugar/glucose intake would be for each serving? Thanks in advance! 🙂
Haven’t calculated it 🙂
My family is not keto, will this recipe work the same with apples? Also couldn’t I use melted butter instead of coconut oil? Or half melted butter and half coconut oil? Thank you for this recipe!!
Yes on both counts! 🙂