Whole Food Apple Crisp

This whole food apple crisp is an easy and cozy dessert that brings together the natural sweetness of apples with a spicy blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. As it bakes to golden perfection, the apple filling turns soft and tender and the hearty oat topping becomes crispy. Topped with vanilla ice-cream or all by itself, it’s an irresistible dessert that’s perfect for any time of year.

Delicious whole food apple crisp made with no refined sugar! It's so easy you can make it anytime!

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Let’s talk about the apples

First and foremost, let’s talk about the star ingredient in this apple crisp – the apples! I personally adore using Gala or Honey Crisp apples for their natural sweetness and firm texture. What’s great is that we’re keeping the apple skins on, which not only saves time but also adds extra fiber and nutrients to the dish. You can, of course, peel the apples first if you prefer no skins.

Not a fan of apples? Then, you’ll love this Southern Peach Cobbler recipe.

Natural sweeteners

One of the best aspects of this apple crisp, in my opinion, is the substitution of refined sugar with natural sweeteners. We’re using 100% pure maple syrup or honey to give our apple crisp all the sweetness it needs. These sweeteners infuse the dessert with unique flavors in addition to just sweetness.

Don’t skip the spices

To really take this apple crisp to the next level, we’re using cinnamon and nutmeg. These spices bring warmth and depth to the dessert, making it feel like a cozy autumn day in every bite (but, I suggest enjoying it all year long). The combination of sweet apples and spices are perfection.

Delicious whole food apple crisp made with no refined sugar! It's so easy you can make it anytime!

The topping that tops it all off

The crispy, crumbly topping is what makes apple crisp so irresistible. It provides the perfect balance of textures. Here’s what’s in it:

  • Rolled oats: Adding a hearty, wholesome crunch to the topping.
  • White whole wheat flour: A healthier alternative to all-purpose flour that maintains a tender crumb.
  • Chopped walnuts (optional): For those who crave a little extra nutty richness.
  • Sea salt: Balancing out the sweetness and enhancing the flavors.
  • Melted butter: Creating the ideal crumbly texture.
  • Maple syrup or honey: The finishing touch that adds a delightful sweetness.

Now let’s get to the fun part – making this whole food apple crisp

  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease your baking dish. While it’s heating up, you can start preparing the apples.
  2. Slice, core, and cut the apples into bite-sized chunks. You can peel them if you prefer, but the skin adds a lovely texture and extra nutrients.
  3. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the apples with melted butter, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Ensure that the apple chunks are thoroughly coated in this delicious mixture.
  4. Transfer this apple filling into an 8 x 8 glass baking dish.
  5. Now, let’s work on the topping. In another medium-sized bowl, mix the rolled oats, white whole wheat flour, chopped walnuts (if using), sea salt, melted butter, and honey or maple syrup. Stir until the mixture becomes wonderfully crumbly.
  6. Spread this topping evenly over the apple filling, covering every nook and cranny.
  7. Pop the dish into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the apples become soft and tender while the topping turns golden brown and crispy.
Delicious whole food apple crisp made with no refined sugar! It's so easy you can make it anytime!

Time to enjoy!

Once it’s out of the oven, your whole food apple crisp will fill your kitchen with irresistible aromas. Give it a few minutes to cool slightly. Then, scoop a generous helping into your favorite bowl, top it with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream, and dive in!

The contrast of warm, tender apples and the crispy, crumbly topping, all while being perfectly sweetened with natural maple syrup or honey, is a dessert experience that’s hard to beat. Plus, it’s guilt-free enough to enjoy anytime you want to treat yourself.

So, if you’re craving a dessert that will satisfying your sweet tooth without any refined sugar, give this whole food apple crisp a try. It’s a great way to indulge in a comforting treat that you won’t feel so guilty about. Happy baking my friends!

Whole Food Apple Crisp

By: Kristine Underwood
This whole food apple crisp is an easy and cozy dessert that brings together the natural sweetness of apples with a spicy blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. As it bakes to golden perfection, the apple filling turns soft and tender and the hearty oat topping becomes crispy. Topped with vanilla ice-cream or all by itself, it's an irresistible dessert that's perfect for any time of year.
5 from 9 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Sweets & Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 207 kcal

ingredients
 
 

For the filling

  • 2 large apples (Gala or Honey Crisp)
  • 2 TBS butter (melted)
  • 1 TBS fresh-squeezed lemon juice
  • 3 TBS 100% maple syrup (may use honey instead)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

For the topping

  • 3/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (may use all-purpose)
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 3 TBS butter (melted)
  • 2 TBS 100% maple syrup (may use honey instead)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease or line an 8 x 8 baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Slice and core the apples and cut into chunks. I don’t peel mine, but if you don’t like the skin, peel them first.
    2 large apples
  • In a medium size bowl add the apples, melted butter, lemon juice, maple syrup, and spices. Toss to coat apples well.
    2 TBS butter, 1 TBS fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 3 TBS 100% maple syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • Pour filling into a prepared 8 x 8 baking dish.
  • In a medium size bowl add oats, flour, walnuts, sea salt, melted butter, and maple syrup and mix until crumbly.
    3/4 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 3 TBS butter, 2 TBS 100% maple syrup
  • Spoon topping evenly over apple filling.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, until apples are soft and the top is golden brown and crispy.
  • Cool slightly, top with homemade vanilla ice-cream and enjoy!
  • Store apple crisp in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Gently reheat before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 207kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 3gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 131mgPotassium: 139mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 245IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 1mg
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Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. Apple crisp is my all time favorite dessert! Thanks for sharing this refined sugar-free version! It is incredible. This one will be on repeat at my house.5 stars

    1. Hi Bethany! Oh my gosh, mine too. I can almost eat this whole thing myself. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment. Have a wonderful weekend!

  2. Would it come out okay if you omitted any kind of salt?5 stars

    1. Hi Sandy! Absolutely! I just use a bit of salt to enhance the flavors, but it is not necessary. 🙂

  3. This is perfect for the season! It was so delicious and warming to my soul. Thank you for this amazing recipe!5 stars

    1. Thanks so much, Ned! I love to hear it, and mine too – you just can’t beat a spicy apple crisp in the fall!

  4. This is so delicious and comforting to the core. I love how easy this recipe is too which means the family can help make it. Thanks for another great recipe!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much Traci! I’m so glad to hear it was yummy (and easy)! You bet, my friend, and thank YOU for the review!

  5. My husband is allergic to apples but I always find myself craving them during the fall — so I swapped in firm pears and this was delicious!5 stars

    1. What a great swap! I feel like I need to try this; we love pears too! Thanks for the review and for the suggestion, Karlie!

  6. Enjoyed this for dessert last night and it was a sweet success! Was easy and sweet; my whole family loved it!5 stars

    1. Yay! So glad to hear it, Sara! Thats one of my favorite things about it, it’s so easy!

  7. We love that this is made using not processed whole food. The flavor was amazing!5 stars

    1. Thank you so much, Dina! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. I appreciate the review, too! 🙂