How do you make Healthy Apple Crisp?
Apples are already good for you, you know what they say… “An apple a day…” It’s just that with traditional apple crisp, we load it up with sugar, and that’s where I think we can improve.
Here are ways to make that Old Fashioned Apple Crisp better for you:
- Substitute the sugar with an all natural stevia based sweetener. I used Swerve in this recipe to replace the granulated sugar and the brown sugar, and I was VERY impressed. No one could tell.
- Don’t use processed sugar at all. Using ingredients like 100% maple syrup and honey are great natural substitutes
- Cut back on the sugar. In other words, use less, like 50% less. Depending on the apples you use, you can really cut back on the sweetness and you still have an amazing dessert! Some apples are more sweet, some more tart. But either way, you don’t want to cover up the taste with too much sugar.
- Replace the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour, or almond flour, or even a whole grain unbleached all purpose flour.
- Add protein. You could add collagen protein right into the topping mixture to give it a boost.
What kind of apples are best for apple crisp?
Honestly, almost anything works. Make sure you choose something that holds it’s shape, that’s what’s best for baking and pies.
In this recipe, I’ve used both Granny Smith’s and Honey Crisp at different times, and they were both fantastic. You can also mix different varieties together.
Here are some more recommendations:
- Granny Smith
- Honey Crisp
- Golden Delicious
- Baldwin
- Cortland
- Cameo
- Gala
- Ida Reds
- Crispin
- Empire
- Fuji
How to make Homemade Apple Crisp
Step One: Make the topping
- Whisk the flour, sugars and salt.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it resembles course crumbs.
- Add the oats and walnuts with your hands and mix well.
- Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the other steps.
Step Two: Make the filling
- Place dried cranberries and apple cider in a small sauce pan, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes to reconstitute the cranberries.
- Core, peel, and slice the apples and place them in a large bowl
- Add drained cranberries, salt, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon to the apples, mix well.
Step Three: Bake
- Place the apple mixture in a cast iron skillet or 9 x 13 inch pan.
- Add the streusel topping and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 50 minutes
If you’d like to, you can serve this Healthy Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Okay, so that’s going to make it less healthy, but either way you’ll enjoy it! This is seriously the best ever apple crisp!
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Healthy Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 1 1/2 cups whole grain unbleached all purpose flour you can use almond flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or another variety as well.
- 3/4 cups Swerve granulated sugar can use regular sugar if desired
- 3/4 cups Swerve brown sugar can use regular brown sugar if desired
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter cold and diced
- 3/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 3/4 cup walnuts chopped
For the filling:
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 4 pounds apples cored, peeled, sliced (about 9 apples) I like Honey Crisp or Granny Smith
- 2 tbs lemon juice
- 1/2 cup maple syrup 100% pure
- 2 tbsp flour
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- Vanilla Ice Cream for serving, optional
- Salted Caramel Sauce for serving, optional
Instructions
For the Topping:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- For the streusel, whisk together the flour, sugars, and salt in a bowl.
- Cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Mix oats and walnuts into flour mixture with your hands until thoroughly combined; cover and refrigerate.
For the Filling:
- Place cranberries and apple cider in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes until the cranberries are plump.
- Toss together apples, cranberries, maple syrup, lemon juice, 2 tbs flour, cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp salt in a large bowl.
- Transfer apple mixture to a Cast Iron Skillet, or a 9×13 inch baking dish, (or 2 pie dishes work too).
- Cover apples with streusel and bake until apples are tender, about 50 minutes.
- Let apple crisp rest on a cooling rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce
Nutrition
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To Make Healthy Apple Crisp, you may need:
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Thanks so much for being a part of Art From My Table
I am really impressed with your work and want to say thank you for this wonderful blog. I must say you are very intelligent and amazing person. God bless you.
Jealous over this. It’s really really nice.Thanks for sharing.
This is simply a stunning recipe. I love this. Thanks for sharing.
This looks delicious and I love how you served it! Thanks for linkin’ up with What’s Cookin’ Wednesday!
Looks so yummy! I love apple desserts. Thanks for sharing at the #InspirationSpotlight party. Shared
That looks delicious! A perfect use for Fall’s apples.