Heart-Healthy Apple Crisp – Gluten, Dairy, and Egg- Free
Feel good about dessert while you enjoy a dish of heart-healthy apple crisp.
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I’m always on the lookout for healthier desserts. My husband loves apple crisp…any fruit crisp, for that matter. But right now, since we have an excess of apples, I am focusing on apples.
I found this recipe in a cookbook called Forks Over Knives, The Cookbook. This is a great cookbook; I love the lower-fat options. I have made this apple crisp twice now, and my version has a few changes as far as spices, a thicker crispy crumb topping, and gluten-free oats vs. regular.
My family likes lots of toppings, so I doubled the recipe and used sunflower butter instead of cashew butter. As I mentioned below, any nut butter is fine. I also added 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts to the topping.
Here Are A Few Baking Apples That Are Considered Ideal For Pies And Crisps:
- Granny Smith
- Golden Delicious
- Braeburn
- Fuji
- Empire
- Jonathan
Heart-Healthy Apple Crisp Serves 6-8
8 apples, peeled and sliced (I have also made this with 1/2 pears)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 cloves
2 – 2 1/2 Tbsp corn starch ~ substitute arrowroot or tapioca for corn-free diets
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a 9″x 9 ” baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, add sliced apples. Sprinkle vanilla extract over sliced apples; in a small dish, mix dry ingredients. Add dry mixture to sliced apples mixing well to coat. Pour pure maple syrup over the apples and mix well. Pour into pan. Push down a little if there won’t be room for the topping; don’t worry…it will cook down.
*Note: Optional tip. I like to pre-cook my filling for about 3-5 minutes in the large mixing bowl before placing it into the baking pan. This always ensures the apples are fully cooked.
Topping
4 1/2 tbsp nut butter; I used sunflower seed butter. Almond, cashew, and hazelnut are ideas too.
6 Tbls pure maple syrup
3 Tbls applesauce, I use unsweetened
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 cups gluten-free old-fashioned oats, regular if gluten-free is not needed
*optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Add nut butter, pure maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Mix well. Add oats, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well. Spread the topping over the apples.
Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Set oven temperature to 350 and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning.
Heart-healthy apple crisp is a perfect treat for picnics too!
Heart-Healthy Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 8 apples peeled and sliced (I have also made this with 1/2 pears)
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 cloves
- 2 - 2 1/2 Tbsp corn starch ~ substitute arrowroot or tapioca for corn-free diets
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- Topping
- 4 1/2 tbsp nut butter; I used sunflower seed butter. Almond cashew, and hazelnut are ideas too.
- 6 Tbls pure maple syrup
- 3 Tbls applesauce I use unsweetened
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free old-fashioned oats regular if gluten-free is not needed
- *optional 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400. Prepare a 9"x 9 " baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, add sliced apples.
- Sprinkle vanilla extract over sliced apples.
- In a small dish, mix spices and corn starch. Add mixture to sliced apples mixing well to coat.
- Pour pure maple syrup over the apples and mix well. Pour into pan.
- Push down a little if there won't be room for the topping; don't worry...it will cook down.
- *Note: Optional tip. I like to pre-cook my filling for about 3-5 minutes in the large mixing bowl before placing it into the baking pan. This always ensures the apples are fully cooked.
- Topping
- Add nut butter, pure maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Mix well.
- Add oats, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
- Spread this mixture over the apples.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Set oven temperature to 350 and continue to bake for another 30 minutes. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes to prevent over-browning.
