Healthy Chai Spice Apple Crumble

 
A couple of years ago, Mom stopped by my apartment shortly after the sun rose on a Saturday morning. I threw on a sweatshirt and walked out, backpack in tow, to climb into the car and rubbed her golden retriever’s ears before we set out on the road.  

Mom easily navigated the empty freeways, heading out past modern civilization and towards the winding mountain roads, cruising through the dense fir trees and rocky hillsides until we reached my parents’ cabin. Upon arriving, Mom showed me how to turn the water back on using the special metal rod in their front yard, and we unlocked all of the heavy door and window covers to allow fresh air to flow through the rustic home.
 

 
Once the sun rose a little higher and the chilly morning air disappeared, Mom slipped her dog into his leash, and we started down the narrow street for a hike around the grassy meadows in their part of the forest. At the edge of the field, Mom paused to snap a few pictures of aspen, their stately white trunks holding out branches with tiny leaves shimmying in the light breeze.

We took our time, thoroughly enjoying the quiet solitude of nature, and when we arrived back at the cabin a few hours later, we piled plates high with fruit to take out onto the large front deck and eat while relaxing in lounge chairs in the sun. Bananas, cherries, berries, apples, watermelon… And with their sweet taste lingering in our mouths, we each accidentally fell asleep for a bit, thanks to the comforting feeling of the sun’s warm rays!
 

 
Since my parents are heading up to their cabin this weekend, I thought they’d probably enjoy another fruity treat while sitting on that front deck, so I sent along this Healthy Chai Spice Apple Crumble with them! Mom drinks a chai latte every day, so I knew she’d fall in love with this dessert’s cozy spices… And with a full serving of fruit and just 116 calories, it totally fit into her “Lose It” diet too!

So let’s go over how to make this guilt-free crumble! Because I grew up eating apple slices every day in my lunch, I’ve always enjoyed all baked treats with apples… But I didn’t exactly realize until I became a teenager that there were more varieties than just “red,” “green,” and “yellow!”
 

 
I typically turn to Fuji apples for my baked goods because {a} they taste slightly sweeter to me (aka my baked treats don’t need any added sweetener!), and {b} rather than turning mushy like some other red apple types, their firm texture holds up perfectly in the oven. Win-win!

You’ll sprinkle those chopped apples with homemade chai spice. It’s super simple! Cinnamon {my favorite!}, ginger, cardamom, and cloves. That’s it! They taste so cozy and comforting and absolutely irresistible, so I highly recommend including all four. Please oh please, don’t skip any—for the sake of my mom! ♡ You’ll also toss in some cornstarch to help thicken the juice that the apples release while baking.
 

 
Then for the streusel topping… You’ll use five ingredients, and you probably have all of them in your pantry already! Oats, whole wheat flour (or gluten-free!), cinnamon, pure maple syrup (like this!), and a small amount of butter. Coconut oil also works, if you prefer, but it doesn’t quite have the same taste or texture. You’ll mix those together, then sprinkle it over the apples in your pan. The topping really likes to clump together, so make sure you break it apart into small chocolate-chip-sized pieces while sprinkling!

After baking, it’s really important to let the crumble cool completely and rest before slicing and serving. This allows the cornstarch to continue working its magic so those juices come together and the crumble doesn’t completely fall apart when you serve it. If you prefer to serve it warm, still let it cool and set completely; then reheat individual portions. And serve with healthy vanilla ice cream! Or whipped cream… Or both, as my parents suggest!
 

 
Does anyone else always pick out the slice with the most streusel? Or is that just me?… ? I think it basically counts as granola, which makes this crumble healthy enough for breakfast! ?? And 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 crumble and feature it in my Sunday Spotlight series!

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You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♥   The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crumble
♥   The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Crumble
♥   Healthy Cranberry Apple Crumble
♥   Healthy Blueberry Almond Crumble
♥   Healthy Peach Crumble
♥   Healthy Almond Mixed Berry Crumble
♥   Healthy Strawberry Peanut Butter Crumble