This healthy sugar free apple crisp has three major things going for it: it's dairy-free, naturally sweet, and vegan!
If I had to choose one dessert to eat for the rest of my life, it would absolutely be an apple crisp. The warm apples, cinnamon caramelly flavors, and crumble topping all come together to form a perfect dessert. Don't even get me started on adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Unfortunately, even though I would like to eat an apple crisp every day, I probably shouldn't. However, if I
could make a sugar free apple crisp that cut out refined sugar, thus making it healthier, then I could increase my intake, right? With this thought process in mind, I hit the kitchen and started recipe testing to develop a sugar free apple crisp that satisfied my cravings!
Crisp vs. Cobbler vs. Crumble
When developing this recipe, the first thing I came across was if it would be an apple crisp, cobbler, or crumble? Of course, all of these options are delicious in their own right, but they have slight differences in their ingredient makeup and how they're prepared.
For instance, a CRISP has a streusel-like topping made mostly of oats. The oats are typically mixed with sugar, spices, and butter and spread over fresh fruit in a baking dish. As the crisp cooks, the topping becomes light and crisp. Hence the name crisp!
Likewise, a CRUMBLE is also a streusel-like topping but traditionally does not use oats. Instead, a crumble contains a combination of flour, sugar, spices, and butter. As a result, it tends to be denser and more cake-like than a crisp.
Finally, a COBBLER is topped with a biscuit-like topping. This dessert gets its name because the biscuit dough is dropped over the top of the fruit, making it "cobbled" and uneven instead of smooth like a pie crust.
After doing my research, I decided to use oats in my topping and thus choose to make an apple crisp!
How to Make a Sugar Free Apple Crisp
One of the best things about this recipe is that it is super simple to make! Here are all of the ingredients that you'll need:
For the Apple Filling
- Granny Smith apples
- Honeycrisp apples
- Coconut sugar
- Arrowroot powder
- Lemon juice
- Cinnamon
- Allspice
- Nutmeg
- Ginger
- Water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Crumble Topping
- Rolled oats
- Almond flour
- Coconut sugar
- Walnuts or pecans
- Coconut oil
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Salt
To Assemble the Apple Crisp
This recipe is as easy as 1-2-3... literally! You are only three steps away from your warm and cozy dessert:
- Mix all of the filling ingredients in one bowl and place them at the bottom of your baking dish.
- Mix all of the topping ingredients in another bowl and pour it over top of the filling mixture.
- Bake in the oven at 350° degrees for 45-50 minutes.
Tips for this Recipe
Before you start baking, here are my top tips to ensure you get the most delicious sugar free apple crisp possible!
Which type of apples are best to use in a crisp?
I like to use apples that are both tart and sweet, and will stand up well during the baking process. I chose a mixture of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. I think Golden Delicious or Fuji would also work well in this recipe.
How to prep your apples?
You'll want to peel and core your apples before mixing them with the other filling ingredients. Apple skin can be a little tough, so removing the skin will ensure that you have that ooey-gooey inside! Also, make sure they are uniform in size when you're cutting so they cook as evenly as possible.
What sweetener to use?
Since I wanted this recipe to be refined sugar free, I used coconut sugar and pure maple sugar. You can use other sweeteners like monkfruit sweetener if you'd like, but you might have to adjust baking times.
What to serve with an apple crisp?
Ice cream is my go-to because it perfectly compliments the warmness of the apple crisp. You could also top it with whipped cream if that's more your style!
How to store and reheat your crisp.
Allow the apple crisp to cool completely before putting it in your refrigerator or freezer. You can store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to five days or the freezer for up to a month. When you are ready to dive in again, reheat it in the oven at 350° for 15 minutes.
If you're an apple lover like me, you'll love this recipe because it's:
- Simple
- Cinnamon-y
- Warm
- Fruity
- Sweet
- Comforting
- Spiced
- Crumbly
Let me know if you try out this sugar free apple crisp for yourself, and if you do, I would love it if you left a rating and review below! Make sure you are also following along on Instagram and Pinterest for more food inspiration.
Craving More? Try These Other Vegan Recipes:
- Baked Matcha Glazed Donuts
- Millionaire Shortbread Bars
- Lavender Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Bars
- Raspberry Custard Tart
- Strawberry Rosemary Scones
- Coffee Banana Smoothie Bowl
- French Toast
📖 Recipe
Sugar-Free Apple Crisp
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This healthy sugar-free apple crisp has three major things going for it: it's dairy-free, naturally sweet, and vegan!
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
- 3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and cubed
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ginger, minced
- ¼ cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the Crumble Topping:
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ⅔ cup almond flour
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
- ½ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° and spray a 9x11 baking pan with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl. mix together all of the apple filling ingredients (apples, coconut sugar, arrowroot, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, water, and vanilla extract). Pour the mixture into the baking dish.
- In another bowl, mix together all of the crumble topping ingredients (rolled oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, nuts, coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt). Spread the crumble topping evenly over the apple mixture.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes. Check on the apple crisp around 30 minutes into baking. If the topping is becoming too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy the apple crisp on its own or with a scoop of ice cream!
- Prep Time: 20 Minutes
- Cook Time: 45 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: A heaping scoop
- Calories: 424
- Sugar: 31.5g
- Sodium: 78mg
- Fat: 24.1g
- Saturated Fat: 13.6g
- Carbohydrates: 51.1g
- Fiber: 7.4g
- Protein: 6.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Pin the below image so you can make this dessert again and again!
Freya Erickson says
I’m trying to watch my sugar intake lately and this is such a great idea! Love that it’s vegan too!
Bianca says
This sounds like a great recipe! I'll have to put it on my list!
Jenny says
Apples are so tasty they don’t need all that sugar anyways! Great idea and recipe, can’t wait to try!
Roma says
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Looks absolutely delicious.
Angie says
Awesome recipe! Thanks for clarifying btwn the types of crumbles.
Deb says
Yum, I have quite a few apples I need to go through. This recipe is perfect!
Jahma says
Been looking for a good sugar free apple pie recipe and this one is great!!
Abby says
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for to make for my kids!!