The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crisp {Eggless, Dairy-Free & Small Batch Recipe!}

 
Towards the end of last summer, my brother told my parents about a fun rest stop called Apple Hill on the drive up to their cabin in the mountains. It was originally a group of 16 different apple orchards, but over time, it grew to include other fruit and vegetable farms, flower gardens, wineries, and even a day spa.  

However… The apples are still the main attraction! They have at least 20 different varieties spread out across the various orchards, including many at their “You-Pick” farms where visitors can wander up and down the rows of trees to reach up into the branches and fill baskets to bring home. Yet my brother and my parents began looking forward to stopping there for a different reason…
 

 
The apple sweets and treats!

Many of the apple farms sell their own handmade goodies, and judging from the long lines and throngs of people at their gift shops, those always seem to be incredibly popular amongst visitors. Although they offer plenty of canned and bottled options like apple jams and jellies, apple cider vinegar, apple butter, and apple syrups…

Most people walk away carefully clutching plates or paper bags in their hands, ones that hold a big slice of apple pie, a generous amount of apple crisp, a set of apple dumplings, a few apple turnovers, or — everyone’s favorite! — hot, fresh, deliciously sweet apple donuts and apple fritters covered in sticky glaze or plenty of cinnamon sugar.

I’m pretty sure that’s the biggest (and maybe even sole!) reason anyone in my family bothers to stop the car on their drive up to the cabin!
 

 
My parents and brother have gone up to the cabin a few times to check on how it survived the winter snow and take care of a few minor repairs during the late spring this year, but because of everything going on in the world right now, they cruised right past the freeway exit for Apple Hill both coming and going. I think Mom missed the orchards the most… She mentioned the donuts and desserts after each of their weekend trips!

Although tempted to make fresh fried donuts as a special surprise for her, the idea of standing over a pot of boiling hot oil during the hot summer weather didn’t sound all that appealing to me. Yet I figured I could do the next best thing and surprise her with an apple dessert that was secretly healthy enough for breakfast…
 

 
Which resulted in this Healthy Small Batch Apple Crisp! It has plenty of fruit, the same sweet cinnamon apple flavors as pie — and as the donuts my family loves so much! — and a lovely oat streusel on top. (And an oat streusel is pretty similar to granola, which makes this totally acceptable for breakfast, right?? 😉 )

Yet this easy dessert recipe has no eggs, refined flour or sugar (along with a dairy-free option too!), and each serving is 124 calories!

And yes… Both my mom and dad ate theirs for breakfast. They just couldn’t wait until after lunch or dinner to enjoy it for dessert!
 

WHAT IS AN APPLE CRISP?

I’ve been asked this a few times lately, so I thought I’d quickly cover the answer! An apple crisp, also called apple crumble, is a dessert made of diced apples that are tossed with cinnamon and sugar. That fruit filling is spread in a pan and topped with streusel made of oats, flour, sugar, and butter. Then the whole dessert is baked until the apples are soft and tender and the crumbly oat streusel is crisp and crunchy.

So yes… Apple crisp and apple crumble are two different names for the same dessert! Not to be confused with an apple cobbler, which has a biscuit-like topping, rather than a crumbly oat streusel topping.

Make sense? Good! Then let’s move on to…
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY APPLE CRISP

Let’s go over how to make the best ever healthy apple crisp! I specifically designed this to be a small batch recipe, one that yields just four servings. If you’d like to make the “full-sized” version, you can find my recipe for that here! It has the same flavors. You’ll just use more of the ingredients — and therefore end up with more servings of apple crisp!

You’ll start by making the streusel topping. For that, you’ll need oats and flour. Both regular old-fashioned rolled oats and instant oats will work. I actually prefer the latter! Instant oats (also called quick-cooking or one-minute oats) are smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats. I found this smaller size helped prevent the topping from clumping as much, which made it easier to sprinkle on top of the apples later.

Hint: Instant oats aren’t the kind sold in those individual brown paper packets with flavors like “apple cinnamon” and “maple brown sugar!” They’re sold in bags or canisters right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats, and they only have one ingredient… Oats!
 

 
For the flour, you’ll skip the refined all-purpose flour often used in traditional recipes and use whole wheat flour to make your small batch healthy apple crisp instead. Regular whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour, and whole wheat pastry flour all work. Nearly all gluten-free flours do too — just not coconut flour! So simply use whatever you currently have stashed away in your pantry.

Tip: Use gluten-free oats and one of the gluten-free flour options to make this healthy apple crisp gluten-free!

Next comes a bit of cinnamon. I swear by Saigon cinnamon! It’s the only kind I use in my baking right now. It has a stronger, richer, and sweeter flavor than regular cinnamon, and I think it makes your baked goods taste even more irresistible… Especially this small batch healthy apple crisp, where apples and cinnamon are the star of the show! I actually buy my Saigon cinnamon online here because it’s so inexpensive and affordable.
 

 
To bind those three ingredients together, you’ll add a small amount of pure maple syrup, melted butter, and a teensy bit of water. You want the “real” maple syrup that comes directly from maple trees, not pancake syrup or sugar-free syrup! Pure maple syrup often comes in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this!).

Whereas traditional recipes often call for many tablespoons of cold butter that you then cut into the oats and flour, I’ve found {a} that’s too much work (with melted butter, you can simply stir it in!) and {b} all of that butter isn’t actually necessary for a great oat streusel texture! You just need a mere ½ tablespoon, which really helps keep your small batch healthy apple crisp low calorie and low fat.

Tip: To make your small batch healthy apple crisp vegan and dairy-free, use stick-style vegan butter or coconut oil!
 

 
Time to make the fruit filling! The type of apples that you use to make an apple crisp actually makes a BIG difference. My favorite? Fuji apples!

I think Fuji apples are the best apples for an apple crisp because they’re naturally sweet, which means you don’t need to add any extra sweetener to the filling. (That’s right — no sugar in the filling of this healthy apple crisp! Hooray!) They’re also very firm, so they hold their shape well while making and don’t turn soggy, mealy, or disintegrate like some other varieties do. They’re also easy to find at the grocery store all year round, so you can make this small batch healthy apple crisp whenever you start craving an apple dessert… Not just during the fall and peak apple season!
 

 
For the best results, cut your apples into ½” cubes. Yes, I know this is rather small… But it’s intentional! Small apple pieces soften faster, which means your crumble finishes baking faster (and you get to eat sooner!), and it also makes it easier to gently press the apples into a smooth, even layer when you add them to your pan.

Hint: Because someone always asks… I leave the skin on my apples. I’m too lazy to peel them, and I like that subtle texture contrast too. But you’re more than welcome to peel your apples, if you prefer!

You’ll toss those apples with a bit of cornstarch, more cinnamon (I still recommend my favorite Saigon cinnamon!), and nutmeg. The nutmeg adds a lovely depth, richness, and coziness to the spice flavor. So delicious! Then the cornstarch thickens the juices that the apples release while baking.
 

 
To bake your small batch healthy apple crumble, you’ll need a 6”-square pan. These are the ones I have! They’re so cute and such a fun size, don’t you think? If you don’t have that pan size, then substitute an 8×4” loaf pan or a 6”-round cake pan. 

Hint: Do NOT substitute a 9×5” loaf pan! That’s too big, and there won’t be enough streusel to cover the top of your apples. Remember, pan sizes are measured according to the top of the pan, not the bottom. Many loaf pans have sloping sides, so their bottoms are smaller than their tops. If you use the loaf pan option, rather than the 6”-square pan, make sure it’s a true 8×4” loaf pan according to the top rim!
 

 
After spreading the apple filling into the pan, I gently press it down with the back of a spoon or a spatula to make the top smoother and more even. This way, the oat streusel stays on the top, rather than falling down into the cracks and crevices between the apples!

However, the oat streusel tends to clump — a lot! — so break it up into itty bitty pieces before you sprinkle it over the apples. I promise there’s enough streusel to cover the apples if you do this! (But if you prefer more streusel, you can always double the ingredients and make more!)

Now that you’ve assembled your small batch healthy apple crisp, slide it into the oven and bake! Then comes the hard part… Waiting for it to cool. Yes, you need to wait for it to cool. This is because the cornstarch starts working its thickening magic while the apple crumble cools. If you serve it hot and fresh from the oven, that doesn’t give the cornstarch enough time to thicken the juices. I know it feels virtually impossible to wait for your healthy apple crumble to cool completely to room temperature and then set… But I promise it’s worth it!
 

 
Now all that’s left is to decide… Do you serve your slice with a scoop of ice cream and call it dessert? Or without — and then call it 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 healthy small batch apple crisp!

The Ultimate Healthy Apple Crisp {Small Batch}

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 4 servings

This recipe was an instant hit with my family! Soft, sweet, perfectly spiced apples topped with a crisp oat streusel… So simple — and yet SO good! (In other words… It might be a good thing that there are virtually no tempting leftovers!) However, if you do end up with leftovers, they’ll keep for at least one week if stored in the refrigerator covered with foil or in an airtight container.

4.43 from 7 votes

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Ingredients 

FOR THE STREUSEL

• 6 tbsp (37g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
• 2 tbsp (15g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp (15mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
• ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or stick-style vegan butter, melted (see Notes!)
• 1 tsp water room temperature

FOR THE FILLING

• 3 cups (383g) diced Fuji apple (about 3 small — see Notes!)
• 1 tbsp (8g) cornstarch
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat a 6”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• To prepare the streusel topping, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the maple syrup, melted butter, and water. Stir until fully incorporated.
• To prepare the filling, toss the apples with the cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl until completely coated.
• Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and gently press down with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping typically clumps, so break it up into really small, itty bitty pieces as you go!) Very gently press the topping into the apples with your hands. Bake at 350°F for 55-65 minutes or until the apples are fork tender. Cool completely to room temperature; then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to fully thicken.

Notes

Instant oats are also called quick-cooking or one-minute oats. Old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free, if necessary!) may be substituted for the instant oats. I prefer instant oats because they’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats, which helps prevent the streusel topping from clumping as much. Do not substitute steel-cut oats.

 

White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, oat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substitute for the regular whole wheat flour.

 

To make the crumble gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free flour and gluten-free oats. Almost any gluten-free flour will work — except for coconut flour. Do NOT substitute coconut flour!

 

Remember to measure the oats and flour using this method or a kitchen scale! (← That’s the one I own.) Too much of either ingredient will dry out the streusel topping. If this happens to you, add additional maple syrup or water, ½ teaspoon at a time, until you can fully incorporate all of the oats and flour.

 

Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

It’s important to chop the apples fairly small, in ½” cubes, to help them bake evenly and soften completely. I know it takes a little extra time and effort, but I promise it’s worth it!

 

I personally love Fuji apples because they’re naturally sweet and hold their shape while baking without turning soggy, mealy, or disintegrating. Gala and Braeburn apples would work as well. If you prefer a tarter flavor, then substitute up to 1 cup of diced Granny Smiths for the equivalent amount of Fuji apple, but I’d recommend against more than that since you aren’t adding any sweetener to the filling.

 

I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It’s stronger, richer, and sweeter compared to regular cinnamon. I buy mine online here (← it’s really affordable and inexpensive!), and it’s practically the only kind I use in my baking now.

 

The oat streusel tends to clump — a lot! — so break it up into itty bitty pieces before you sprinkle it over the apples. I promise there’s enough streusel to cover the apples if you do this!

 

If you prefer a thicker layer of streusel, then double the ingredients for the streusel.

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: Use gluten-free oats and gluten-free oat flour, millet flour, a gluten-free flour blend (like this one!) or any other gluten-free flour besides coconut flour. Do NOT substitute coconut flour!

 

DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN OPTION: Use stick-style vegan butter (this is my favorite!) or coconut oil in place of the butter.

 

FULL-SIZED OPTION: Use my full-sized apple crisp recipe here! (It has the same flavors and textures; it just yields more servings!)

 

ALTERNATIVE PAN SIZES: If you don’t own a 6”-square pan (← that's the one I own!), substitute a 6”-round cake pan or an 8x4” loaf pan. Do not substitute a 9x5” loaf pan! That’s too big, and there won’t be enough streusel to cover the apples. (Remember, pan dimensions are measured along their top rims, not their bottom sides!)

 

TO SERVE WARM: You must let the apple crisp cool completely to room temperature AND set for 3+ hours in the refrigerator before serving. This allows the cornstarch to fully thicken the juices that the apples release while baking. If you’d prefer to serve your crumble warm, then reheat it after the cornstarch has worked its magic! As the easiest option, I typically reheat individual slices in the microwave.

 

{gluten-free, clean eating, egg-free, dairy-free option, vegan option, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
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