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    Home » Course » Dessert

    The Best Healthy Apple Crumble

    Published: Sep 29, 2022 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Erin Carter · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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    A bowl of healthy apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
    A bowl of healthy apple crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

    This is the best healthy apple crumble recipe. Easy to make with apples, rolled oats, almond flour, and coconut sugar, this apple crisp is delicious enough to have for dessert but also makes a great breakfast or snack. You'll also love that it's gluten free, dairy free and vegan too!

    A bowl of healthy apple crumble with vanilla ice cream on top.

    Why you will love this recipe: 

    • The taste! This gluten free apple crumble has the most amazing flavour. Not too sweet, but with hints of cinnamon and apple pie spice that blend beautifully with the apples and natural sugars.
    • It is so easy and simple to make.
    • This vegan apple crumble is made with simple pantry staple ingredients including apples, rolled oats, coconut oil, coconut sugar and cinnamon. 
    • Instead of butter this apple crisp is made with coconut oil which also makes it dairy free and vegan. 
    • This healthy apple crisp is a low calorie apple crumble compared to many other apple crumble recipes. 
    • It's low in fat compared to other crumble recipes. 
    • It stores really well and makes great leftovers so it's great for meal prep.
    • This apple crisp can be eaten for dessert, as a snack or for breakfast.
    • If you love apple desserts you will also love Apple Pie Bars.

    What makes it healthy:

    • It's low in sugar compared to most crumble recipes. 
    • This recipe is gluten free, dairy free and vegan. 
    • It's refined sugar free. 
    • This crumble is lower in calories and lower in fat compared to most other crumbles. 
    • This recipe is made with no butter and instead uses coconut oil. 

    Taste and texture:

    This dessert has the perfect crumble topping, and the most delicious melt in your mouth apple layer. It is sweet, but not too sweet, and has hints of cinnamon and apple pie spice to give it a flavour very similar to apple pie.

    Key ingredients and substitutions: 

    The ingredients needed to make a healthy apple crumble, all separated into bowls.
    • Apples - most apple crisp or crumble recipes are made with Granny Smith apples, but I actually prefer to use red apples such as gala, honey crisp or pink lady for this recipe. However, you can use any type of apple or combination of apples that you like.
    • Rolled oats - rolled oats or oatmeal is used to help make the delicious crumble topping for this apple crisp. If you are gluten free be sure to choose gluten free rolled oats. I use rolled oats which are gluten free, glyphosate free and sprouted for easier digestion. 
    • Almond flour - almond flour is one of my favourite gluten free and grain free flours. It's high in fiber, full of healthy fats and higher in protein compared to most grain flours. Just be sure to use almond flour and not almond meal. You could swap this for cashew flour as well.
    • Coconut sugar - coconut sugar is a healthier alternative to white sugar or brown sugar and gives this crumble so much flavour. You can find coconut sugar in almost all grocery stores these days, usually in the organic section or gluten free section. Some stores even stock it in the baking section now. If you don't have coconut sugar you can use brown sugar instead.
    • Coconut oil - coconut oil is used instead of butter to add the perfect amount of healthy fat to this healthy crumble topping, while keeping it dairy free and vegan. If you don't have coconut oil you can use butter instead. 
    • Cinnamon and apple pie spice - these two spices combine perfectly to give this healthy crisp a delicious apple pie like flavour. If you don't have apple pie spice you can simply use more cinnamon instead.

    How to make this recipe:

    Step one:

    First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

    Step two:

    Next, transfer the apple pieces to a 2.5 litre (or 2.5 quart) casserole dish and add the remaining apple layer ingredients. Toss the ingredients well until the apples are evenly coated and then press everything down into an even layer.

    Step three:

    Now, in a separate bowl, stir together the crumble ingredients until they are mixed well. They should have a texture similar to wet sand.

    Step four:

    Then pour the crumble onto the apples and spread it so the apples are evenly coated.

    Step five:

    Lastly, bake the dish uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the apples are soft and bubbly. Remove the dish from the oven and cover it with a lid or foil and let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

    Step by step directions for making apple crumble in a casserole dish.

    Chef's tips and variations: 

    • If you want to make this crumble even easier to make, don't peel the apples (this will also make it healthier as the skin contains healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants).
    • If you don't have apple pie spice, simply use ground cinnamon instead. 
    • You can use any type of apples that you like to make this apple crisp recipe.
    • Let this healthy crumble cool for a few minutes before serving. 
    • If you are gluten free be sure the rolled oats you are using are certified gluten free.

    Serving ideas:

    This crumble is delicious served as is, but a few topping ideas include:

    • Add some vanilla ice cream or dairy free vanilla ice cream. 
    • Top it with some plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt. If you are dairy free or vegan use a dairy free yogurt or vegan yogurt. 
    • Top apple crumble with whipped cream or dairy free whipped cream.
    • Serve it with caramel sauce to make it even more decadent. 

    How to store:

    Store any leftover apple crumble in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 7 days. 

    A casserole dish filled with a health apple crumble with ice cream on top and a serving spoon in it.

    Frequently asked questions: 

    Can I make this apple crumble ahead of time?

    Yes! Just prepare the crumble as directed and cover it with foil or a lid and store it in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Then bake the dish as directed. 

    What can I substitute for butter in apple crisp?

    You can easily make apple crisp without butter by using coconut oil instead. 

    What is the difference between apple crisp and apple crumble?

    An apple crumble is a dessert made with fresh apples with a streusel-like topping, that is typically prepared in a baking dish or casserole dish. An apple crisp is similar to a crumble, and originally, the difference between the two was that apple crisps would be made with oats and crumbles would not. However, as time has gone by, the names crumble and crisp are now used interchangeably.

    Other recipes you will love:

    • Apple pie bars
    • Overnight apple pie oatmeal
    • Kale apple salad
    • Turnip and apple casserole
    • Baked apple slices with caramel
    • Sugar free applesauce

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star review before you go!

    A bowl of healthy apple crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

    Healthy Apple Crumble

    This is the best healthy apple crumble recipe! So easy to make this crumble is also gluten free, dairy free and vegan.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Baking, Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Cool time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 368kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Ingredients

    Apple Layer Ingredients

    • 2 lbs apples, peeled and chopped into ~1.5cm cubes
    • 1/3 cup coconut sugar
    • 1 tablespoon water
    • 2 tablespoon almond flour
    • 1 teaspoon apple pie spice

    Crumble Layer Ingredients

    • 1 cup rolled oats
    • 1 cup almond flour
    • 3/4 cup coconut sugar
    • 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
    • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • pinch sea salt

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 350F.
    • Put the apple pieces into a 2.5 litre (or 2.5 quart) casserole dish and add the remaining apple layer ingredients. Toss the ingredients well until the apples are evenly coated and then press everything down into an even layer.
    • In a separate bowl, stir together the crumble ingredients until mixed well. They should have a texture similar to wet sand.
    • Pour the crumble onto the apples and spread it so the apples are evenly coated.
    • Bake the dish uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the apples are soft and bubbly. Remove the dish from the oven and cover it with a lid or foil and let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    1. Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used and your portion size. 
    2. If you want to make this recipe even easier, don't peel the apples. 
    3. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 161mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 63IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

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    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

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    Hi everyone! My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialities in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

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