Healthy Cranberry Apple Crisp

 

 
While home for the holidays during my freshman year of college, I announced to my dad, “I want to go to Spring Training this year!” Since turning into a die-hard baseball fan a decade before (one that traveled across the country just to visit MLB stadiums!), my Spring Break had never cooperated. Instead of falling in March so we could conveniently fly to Phoenix for preseason games, my school always seemed to schedule our week off in April… Until I graduated and moved away.  

Three months later, we landed in the desert, drove a rental car to Aunt B’s house, and sorted out our schedule for the next four days. With three pairs of tickets, we had a jam-packed vacation ahead of us but still set aside plenty of time for fun and exercise with Aunt B.

Although unemployed for a year or two since battling her first round of cancer, she still scraped together enough money for specialty groceries to cook us gourmet homemade meals. She served beef-stuffed bell peppers after we unpacked because she remembered they were my favorite vegetable. She even bought extra-lean ground beef for the recipe in honor of my healthier approach to food.

The next morning, Aunt B rose with the sun, quietly pulling out mixing bowls and preheating the oven to give us something healthy to eat at the game instead of hot dogs, nachos, and cracker jack. She presented us with thick packets of tin foil and big bottles of water to survive the brutal Arizona heat, and when we unwrapped our mystery lunch during the third inning, we devoured the best crispy buttermilk “oven-fried” chicken we’d ever eaten. (I even stole half of Dad’s second piece!)
 

 
The final night, after a hike up Pinnacle Peak with her and another game of baseball, we sat down to dinner at her self-made tile mosaic table. As we wiped our mouths with white napkins, she cut us humongous pieces of the apple crisp she had baked while we cheered on our Oakland A’s. The soft fruit speckled with cinnamon slid down our throats even faster than the “fried” chicken, and we scraped every last oat topping morsel off our plates to enjoy.

So when those memories resurfaced, I baked my own version of an apple crisp in remembrance of Aunt B, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, I added in cranberries for a festive holiday touch. I’m sure she would’ve approved — she was always advocating for us to spice up our lives and add our own flair of personal touches!
 

 
This healthy cranberry apple crisp was the result — and it comes together quickly! Sweet apples and tart cranberries, an easy oat crumble topping, layered and baked until melt-in-your-mouth juicy, tender, and extra cozy.

That’s it! So simple — yet so flavorful and delicious. It truly is perfect for fall and the holiday season!
 

 

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A HEALTHY CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP

Let’s cover what you’ll need to make this healthy cranberry apple crisp! (I grew up calling it a “crumble,” rather than a crisp, but those two terms are typically interchangeable!)

Apples. I used Fuji apples. They’re one of my favorites, both for eating and baking! They have a lovely natural sweetness, and they also have a great texture.

Because someone always asks… No, I don’t peel them. I leave the skin on (partially because I’m lazy!), but you can easily peel your apples, if you prefer.

Cranberries. You’ll need fresh ones today! They’re in season during the fall, usually appearing in grocery stores somewhere between September and October and disappearing in late December. I love how tangy and flavorful fresh cranberries taste, so I’ve created quite a few recipes with them!

Cornstarch. This helps thicken the juices that the fruit releases while baking. Without it, your filling would be somewhat sweet and soupy. Still delicious! Just a bit harder to serve.

Oats. They’re the star of the topping! Both old-fashioned rolled oats and quick cooking oats (also called “instant” or “one minute” oats) work really well, so use whichever you already have in your pantry.

Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy cranberry apple crisp gluten-free, then use certified gluten-free oats. They work perfectly!

Flour. To make this fruit crisp healthier, I opted for whole wheat flour. Many other types will work! White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, oat flour (gluten-free, if needed!)… And plenty of other gluten-free options too. The list goes on and on!

The main flour I do not recommend substituting is coconut flour. It makes the topping much too crumbly and dry. Pick another gluten-free alternative instead — like millet, oat, or almond flour!
 

 
Cinnamon. This goes in both the filling and oat crumble topping! I love Saigon cinnamon, and it’s practically the only kind I now use in my baking. It has a slightly stronger, sweeter, and richer flavor compared to “regular” cinnamon. Many stores have started stocking it, but I typically buy it online here. (It’s really affordable!)

Sweetener. You’ll mix this into the filling and crumble topping too! Both coconut sugar and light brown sugar work really well. They balance the cranberries’ tartness, and they make the topping taste a little cozier as well.

Hint: Coconut sugar is exactly what it sounds like: an unrefined sweetener that comes from coconuts. However, it does not actually taste like coconuts! It has a caramel-like flavor, very similar to brown sugar, and a dry pourable consistency similar to granulated sugar. It’s also considered “clean eating,” if you’d like to make your healthy cranberry apple crisp clean eating friendly!

Butter. Just a small amount! Unlike many traditional recipes that call for a stick or more, you only need 2 tablespoons. That helps keep your cranberry apple crisp low calorie and low fat!

Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy cranberry apple crisp vegan or dairy-free, then substitute stick-style vegan butter. (I love this one and this one!)
 

 

HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY CRANBERRY APPLE CRISP

Let’s quickly talk about how to make the best cranberry apple crisp. It’s really easy — I promise!

Cut the apples. Obvious, I’m sure! The key part here is the size that you slice your apples. To ensure your fruit crisp bakes evenly, cut the apples to be the same size as the cranberries. This also helps minimize gaps in the filling so that the oat crumble stays on the top and doesn’t fall down to the bottom of the pan!

Make the filling. This is quick and easy to do! Simply toss the fruit with the cornstarch, sweetener, and cinnamon until it’s well coated and the cornstarch appears to have dissolved. If you don’t see any white clumps, you’re ready for the next step! Which is…

Make the topping. Another easy step — and even more so because I felt a little lazy! Many traditional fruit crumbles call for cutting cold butter into the flour and oat mixture, but… My arms begged for the day off after my morning workout. Instead, I tried melting the butter, and…

It worked like a charm! The topping still formed big beautiful crumbs. (And then I made a mental note to use this trick with the rest of my fruit crisp recipes too!)

Pick your baking dish. That’s right — you have a choice! Use an 8”-square pan (like I did for the crumble I baked for these photos!), a 9”-round cake pan, or a 9”-round pie plate. These have a very similar surface area (64 in² for the first, 63.6 in² for the latter two), so your healthy cranberry apple crisp will bake the same in all three of these options.
 

 
Layer + break up clumps. Spread the filling into your baking dish of choice, and press it down with a spatula. This minimizes gaps, and it also makes the top more flat and even before you…

Sprinkle the oat streusel on top! Because of the melted butter, it tends to clump a LOT, so break up those big crumbs into smaller pieces as you go. I promise there’s enough to completely cover the fruit!

However, I also understand that not everyone has the patience to break up those clumps… So if that’s you — or if you simply prefer a higher topping-to-fruit ratio! — you can easily double the oat crumble.

Bake. Slide that pan into the oven, and set a timer. If you prefer slightly firmer apples, you can pull your fruit crisp out sooner. For beautifully tender apples that completely melt in your mouth, leave it in a little longer.

Cool + set. Yes, I’m a stickler about this! You must let your healthy cranberry apple crisp cool completely to room temperature AND set before serving. This allows the cornstarch to work its thickening magic so the juices don’t flow all over the place into a big soupy mess.

However… That just means this healthy cranberry apple crisp is a perfect make-ahead dessert! Once it’s at room temperature, you can easily pop it in the fridge until it’s time to serve.

And if you curb your temptations long enough, no matter how impatient you might feel, you’ll be rewarded with an entire pan of this sweet-tart-cinnamony-oaty-fruity-ohsocomforting healthy cranberry apple crisp! With a bit of whipped cream or a small scoop of ice cream, I have a feeling it’ll be everyone’s favorite part of the meal. But if you happen to end up with leftovers…
 

 
Feel free to sneak them for breakfast! I won’t judge. I did the same thing — and Aunt B would have done that too. ♡

Then when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy cranberry apple crisp!

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crisp
♡  Healthy Blueberry Apple Crisp
♡  Healthy Gingerbread Apple Crisp
♡  Healthy Cranberry Apple Pie
♡  Healthy Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
♡  Healthy Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Muffins
♡  Healthy Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat)
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy cranberry-flavored recipes and healthy apple-flavored recipes!