This healthy apple crisp tastes like fall in a bowl! It's made with layers of sweet apples topped with crunchy cinnamon oats. This recipe uses maple syrup and a cinnamon oat topping to create a lighter version of a classic dessert.
About This Recipe
This recipe tastes like fall in a bowl! With apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and maple syrup, it has all the flavors of a traditional apple crisp but skips the sugar, butter and flour.
The ingredients for this recipe are mostly simple pantry staples that you'll likely have on hand. And it's a super easy recipe with only 3 main steps: toss the apples in syrup, make the oat topping, and then add everything to a baking dish to cook!
Apple Crisp Ingredients
The full recipe is at the bottom of this page, but here's a quick overview of what you'll need & how to make it:
For the apple filling:
- 4 cups honeycrisp apples sliced about ¼” thick (about 2 - 3 large apples or 4 - 5 small apples), peeled or unpeeled
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Apples: honeycrisp apples work best for this recipe but you can substitute any other sweet apples (like Fuji, Golden Delicious, or Gala apples). You can peel your apples or leave them unpeeled.
- Oats: old fashioned rolled oats are recommended because they get crispy and firm; but quick cook rolled oats can also be substituted.
- Maple Syrup: swap our maple syrup for honey if you prefer.
How to Make This Healthy Apple Crisp
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8” x 8” baking dish. In a medium bowl, toss the apples in the maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Set aside.
STEP 2: In a small bowl, stir together the coconut oil, 2 tablespoons syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the oats and stir well, stirring until the oats absorb all of the syrup and coconut oil.
STEP 3: Pour the apples into the bottom of your greased baking dish. Spread them into an even and flat layer as much as possible. Sprinkle the topping in an even layer over the apples so that it is covering the apples.
STEP 4: Bake the crisp in the preheated oven for 40 - 45 minutes, until the oats turn golden brown and the apples are tender.
STEP 5: Remove the crisp from the oven and let it cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving. Optionally, top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.
How to Serve This Recipe
Once your apple crisp comes out of the oven, let it cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving. Then spoon out the apples and oat topping (it may not keep it's layers as you serve it) and any syrup left in the bottom of the dish.
This crisp is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top or a drizzle of maple syrup.
Frequently Asked Questions
An 8" x 8" baking dish is recommended but you could also use a 9" x 9" dish or a standard 9" pie plate.
Honeycrisp apples are best but you can substitute any type of sweet apple (like Golden Delicious, Fuji, or Gala).
This crisp bakes for about 40 - 45 minutes in the oven, which is enough time for the apples to soften and the oat topping to get golden brown and crunchy.
If your oat topping isn't browned, continue cooking your crisp (otherwise it won't be crunchy). And if your oat topping browns too fast, you can cover the crisp lightly with foil.
Healthy Apple Crisp
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This healthy apple crisp tastes like fall in a bowl! It's made with layers of sweet apples topped with crunchy cinnamon oats. This recipe uses maple syrup and a cinnamon oat topping to create a lighter version of a classic dessert.
Ingredients
- 4 cups honeycrisp apples sliced about ¼” thick ((about 2 - 3 large apples or 4 - 5 small apples, peeled or unpeeled))
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the topping:
- ¼ cup coconut oil (melted and cooled)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned rolled oats
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8” x 8” baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, toss the apples in the maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the coconut oil, 2 tablespoons syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the oats and stir well, stirring until the oats absorb all of the syrup and coconut oil.
- Pour the apples into the bottom of your greased baking dish. Spread them into an even and flat layer as much as possible.
- Sprinkle the topping in an even layer over the apples so that it is covering the apples.
- Bake the crisp in the preheated oven for 40 - 45 minutes, until the oats turn golden brown and the apples are tender. Check your crisp around 30 - 35 minutes, and if it’s browning too quickly, lightly add foil over the top of your baking dish.
- Remove the crisp from the oven and let it cool for 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
- Optionally, top each serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of maple syrup.
Notes
- Apples: honeycrisp apples are recommended but any sweet apple will be tasty in this recipe (like Fuji, Gala or Golden Delicious apples). You can leave your apples unpeeled or peel them. If you leave them unpeeled you will be able to taste the texture of the peel (I personally prefer this).
- Oats: old fashioned rolled oats work best but you can also use quick cook rolled oats
- Baking dish: instead of an 8" x 8" dish you can use a 9" x 9" or a standard 9" pie plate if need be
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Nutrition
- Calories: 241
- Sugar: 23.9
- Sodium: 107
- Fat: 10.1
- Saturated Fat: 8.1
- Carbohydrates: 37.9
- Fiber: 3.3
- Protein: 1.9
Keywords: apple, baking, crisp, fall
Joan Breckwoldt
This has become my husband’s favorite! So glad for such a yummy and healthy apple crisp recipe. Thank you!!!
★★★★★
Megan
Glad that you enjoyed it!! 🙂