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Healthier Apple Crisp

An easy dessert that's sweetened lightly with maple syrup and made with whole grains.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 pounds (about 6 large apples) apples I like to use different varieties, some crispy and some softer. I use 2 large Granny Smith, 2 large Cortland/Macintosh, and 2 Honeycrisp.
  • 3/4 cup apple cider, apple juice, or water (see note)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup or 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Crumble Topping

  • 1 1/2 sticks (12 oz) unsalted butter or vegan butter
  • 2 cups all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten-free flour
  • 2 cups quick-cooking "instant" oats see note for sub
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or another 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-12-inch baking dish with oil spray or butter.
  • I leave the peel on the apple, but you can peel them if you prefer. Chop the apples into 1/4-inch dice and place them in the baking dish.
  • Add the maple syrup, apple cider, cinnamon, salt, and cornstarch on top of the apples. Toss, using a spoon or your hands, to coat the apples and make sure everything is well mixed. Spread the apples into an even, flat layer.
  • Melt the butter and add to a large bowl. Mix in the maple syrup.
  • Add the flour, oats, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, salt, and baking powder to the bowl. Mix until everything is combined and forms a crumbly but moist mixture.
  • Crumble the topping over the apples, covering them completely. I like to squeeze the mixture in my hand then sprinkle it over to create some large clumps of the topping.
  • Bake the apple crisp until the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cover the crisp with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20 minutes. This will ensure the apples get completely soft and the topping doesn't get too brown.
  • Allow the crisp to cool for 15 to 20 minutes then serve. The crisp can be made a day ahead and stored at room temperature. You can reheat it in a 350 oven for 10 to 15 minutes before serving if you'd like.

Notes

Notes:
Apple cider/juice adds a lot of flavor and sweetness to the apples. However, if you use water instead, you should add an additional 1/4 cup of maple syrup or brown sugar to add more flavor.
If you only have regular rolled oats and not the instant kind, you need to pulse the oats in a food processor to break them down and then measure 2 cups.
See blog post for make ahead and freezing instructions.
This recipe makes a crisp with a generous layer of crumble topping. To lighten up the recipe, you can cut the topping ingredients in half.
Keyword apple, healthy dessert