Healthy apple crisp
A healthier apple crisp with an oat, almond-flour and pecan topping and about 7 g of added sugar a serving. Most of the sweetness comes from the apples themselves.
- 285
- kcal
- 4g
- protein
- 15g
- fat
- 38g
- carbs
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Serves
- 8
Photograph by Dimitris Chatzoulis on Pexels
Ingredients
- 6 medium apples (about 2 1/2 lb), a mix of tart and sweet, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, for the filling
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (80 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (55 g) almond flour
- 1/2 cup (55 g) chopped pecans
- 3 tbsp maple syrup, for the topping
- 4 tbsp butter or coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, for the topping
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Method
-
1
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 375°F.
-
2
Make the filling
Toss the apples with the lemon juice, the 2 tbsp maple syrup, cornstarch, 1 tsp cinnamon and the nutmeg, and spread them in a 9 x 9-inch or deep 8 x 8-inch baking dish.
-
3
Make the topping
Stir the oats, almond flour, pecans, the other 1 tsp cinnamon and the salt together, then stir in the 3 tbsp maple syrup and the melted butter or coconut oil until everything is evenly moist and clumping.
-
4
Bake
Scatter the topping over the apples, squeezing some into clumps. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until the juices bubble thickly at the edges and the apples are tender when poked with a knife. If the topping browns before the juices bubble, lay foil loosely over it.
-
5
Rest
Rest 15 minutes so the juices thicken before serving, warm, with Greek yogurt or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.
What makes this apple crisp healthier
A classic apple crisp topping is flour, oats, butter and brown sugar, and the filling usually gets more sugar too: 3/4 to 1 1/2 cups in all. This one uses 5 tablespoons of maple syrup for the whole dish, about 7 g of added sugar a serving, because ripe apples are already sweet. Almond flour replaces the white flour, and chopped pecans add crunch. The fat stays about the same as a classic crisp, but most of it now comes from nuts rather than butter. The result is about 285 kcal a serving, against 350 to 400 or more for a classic version.
Which apples to use
Use a mix. Firm apples that hold their shape when baked give the crisp texture, and softer apples break down into a sauce around them. A combination of both gives the best result.
- Hold their shape: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady, Jonagold.
- Soften into sauce: McIntosh, and to a lesser degree Gala and Golden Delicious.
Granny Smith alone makes a tart crisp and may need another tablespoon of maple syrup. McIntosh alone turns to applesauce.
There is no need to peel the apples. The peel holds about half of an apple's fiber, softens in the oven, and adds a little color. Peel them if you prefer a smoother filling.
Crisp or crumble?
In the US, a crisp traditionally has oats in the topping, and a crumble does not. In Britain, "crumble" is used for both. The method is the same: fruit underneath, a sweet, crunchy, rubble-like topping on top.
Making it gluten-free
Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often processed alongside wheat. Use oats labeled gluten-free, and the whole recipe becomes gluten-free, since the almond flour and cornstarch already are.
Make ahead
Mix the topping and refrigerate it in a sealed container for up to a week, or freeze it for 3 months. You can then assemble and bake the crisp in a few minutes. Cut apples brown if they sit, so slice and toss them with the lemon juice just before baking. To double the recipe, use a 9 x 13-inch dish and add 5 to 10 minutes.
Keeping it
Leftover crisp keeps 4 days in the fridge, covered. The topping softens overnight. Reheat at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes and it crisps up again, much better than in the microwave. Cold apple crisp with a spoonful of Greek yogurt also makes a good breakfast.
What it is worth nutritionally
About 285 kcal a serving, with 4 g of protein, 15 g of fat and 38 g of carbohydrate, including about 5 g of fiber. Most of the fat comes from the pecans, almond flour and butter, and the nuts provide mostly unsaturated fat. The apples, peel and oats bring a fair amount of fiber. It is still a dessert. But compared with apple pie, which has 300 to 400 kcal a slice and a white flour crust, this gives you more fruit and fiber for about the same calories or fewer. Serving it with Greek yogurt rather than ice cream adds protein and keeps it lighter.
