Is there anything better than a warm bowl of apple crisp with gorgeously gooey apple cinnamon filling and toasty oat topping? Just ask my Healthy Cherry Crisp and Blueberry Crisp…we’ve got fruit crisps on lock! Step aside Apple Cinnamon Swirl Bread…it’s crisp time.
Ingredients
Apples: I like to use a combo of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith for sweet and tart flavors. They’re both firm apples that hold up great in crisp! Oats: Old fashioned rolled oats are a classic crisp ingredient for the perfect topping. Fun fact: crisps contain oats and crumbles do not. Brown sugar: I just love brown sugar when I’m baking crisps for the ultimate caramel flavor and ideal texture. I’ve tested this with light and dark brown sugar and both work great. This crisp is sweet but not overly so! Flour: I like whole wheat flour for extra fiber and antioxidants, but I’ve used all purpose with great success as well. Butter: Butter helps form the streusel-like topping and adds amazing flavor. I use unsalted. Nuts: The yummy pop of flavor and crunch from pecans or walnuts is so lovely here. Spices: Plenty of cinnamon (like my Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats!) and a pinch of nutmeg for good measure. Vanilla and salt: Essential for extra flavor and to round out the sweetness.
Substitutions and dietary swaps
Gluten free: use 1:1 gluten free all purpose baking flour and certified gluten free oats Vegan: Use vegan butter or coconut oil Nut free: Omit pecans (you can add more oats if you’d like!)
How to make (step by step)
The best apples for crisp
A combo of sweet and tart apples that hold their shape and lend natural sweetness makes for a more complex and exciting crisp!
For sweet crisp apples, try: Honeycrisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious For tart crisp apples, try: Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Jonogold
Health benefits
What makes this crisp healthy, you ask? While this dessert certainly isn’t a salad, as a dietitian, I can say this boasts plenty of nutrition (for the body and soul!) and is healthier than classic crisps.
Half the sugar of traditional crisps Packed with energizing B vitamins and additional fiber thanks to oats and whole wheat flour apples contain vitamin C, E, potassium and a great source of fiber apples also have strong antioxidant activity
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container (or cover the baking dish with foil) in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave, oven, toaster oven, or even the air fryer!
Can you freeze apple crisp?
Yes! It’s best to freeze in unbaked so the topping doesn’t get too browned. Prepare the filling and topping and place in a separate gallon freezer bags (be sure to press the air out of the bag). Lay flat and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the fridge and bake per the recipe!
4 large apples, peeled and chopped into ½ inch chunks* (I did 3 Honeycrisp and 1 Granny Smith) 2 tbsp whole wheat flour (or all purpose) ¼ cup packed brown sugar ½ tsp cinnamon ⅛ tsp nutmeg ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the topping:
⅔ cup old fashioned oats ⅓ cup whole wheat flour (or all purpose) ¼ cup packed brown sugar ⅓ cup pecans or walnuts, finely chopped ½ tsp cinnamon ¼ tsp fine sea salt 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
