- 5-6 cups Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced or chopped*
- 2 tablespoons (40g) + ¼ cup (80g) pure maple syrup, divided use
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided use**
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 tablespoon bourbon or rum
- 1 cup (90g) old-fashioned oats
- ⅓ cup (38g) finely chopped raw pecans
- ½ cup (56g) almond flour or meal***
- ¼ cup (56g) melted butter (or melted coconut oil)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Optional toppings: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or vanilla yogurt
Honeycrisp Apple Crisp (gluten-free)
Yield: 6 servings
Healthy enough for breakfast and delicious enough for dessert, this versatile recipe may be tossed together quickly and modified by season and according to taste. Rum or bourbon offer a subtle flavor alternative to the vanilla. You could add a few extra tablespoons for more pronounced flavor. In that case, toss the apples with a teaspoon or two of cornstarch to avoid a watery outcome.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉, and lightly grease an 8-inch square pan or a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a mixing bowl, toss the apples with the 2 tablespoons maple syrup, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and the vanilla, bourbon, or rum. Transfer to the prepared dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the oats, pecans, almond flour, melted butter, ¼ cup maple syrup, remaining ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Toss to thoroughly combine, and then evenly distribute the topping over the apples.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the fruit is tender and the topping is golden. Serve hot or at room temperature, as is or with one of the optional toppings. Cool and then cover and refrigerate any leftovers; they may be reheated or enjoyed cold.
Notes
*If you prefer a higher crumble-to-fruit ratio, use the lower amount of fruit and vice-versa. I specify Honeycrisp apples, which are naturally sweet-tart and maintain their texture when baked. That said, you may absolutely use other apples like Granny Smith, Fuji, Jazz or Pink Lady–and a mix is always nice.
**To play up with warm spices, you may add ¼ – ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg to the apple mixture. You could also replace this and the cinnamon with ¾ – 1 teaspoon apple pie spice.
***The flavor and texture of almond flour work well in the crisp topping. However, if you don’t have it on hand and are not concerned about gluten, you may substitute all-purpose flour.
More options: Feel free to vary the nuts, add a handful of tart cranberries or sweet blueberries–or make an all-berry or peach crisp according to season. Out of season, frozen berries or peaches may be used.
Prep ahead options: You may prepare the apples 6-8 hours in advance, tossing with the maple syrup, etc. Cover and refrigerate in the mixing bowl. When ready to bake, toss and transfer to the baking dish. The dry ingredients for the crisp topping can be mixed several days in advance. I like to add the butter and maple syrup to the oat mixture no more than two hours before baking. At this point, the assembled crisp may sit at room temperature until being baked.