Healthy Chai Spice Apple Crumble

Yields: 9 squares

This is my mom’s all-time favorite crumble! It’s full of her favorite cozy chai spices (she drinks a chai latte every day!), and the sweet tender apples pair perfectly with the streusel topping. Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in the refrigerator covered with foil or in an airtight container.

5 from 8 votes

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Ingredients

FOR THE STREUSEL

¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
¼ cup (30g) whole wheat flour or millet* flour (measured like this)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, melted (see Notes!)

FOR THE FILLING

6 cups (767g) diced red apple (about 4 large – see Notes!)
2 tbsp (16g) cornstarch
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cardamom
⅛ tsp ground cloves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-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 and melted butter. Stir until fully incorporated.
To prepare the filling, toss the apples with the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves in a large bowl until completely coated.
Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and gently press down with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping tends to clump a lot, so break it up into really small pieces.) Bake at 350°F for 50-60 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

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That's the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out the topping and give it a crumbly texture — especially the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture.

IMPORTANT APPLE NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s important to chop the apples fairly finely, about the size of blueberries, 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 and use Fuji apples, but Gala and Braeburn apples would work as well. If you prefer a tarter flavor, then substitute up to 2 cups of diced Granny Smith apples for the equivalent amount of red apple, but I’d recommend against more than that since you aren’t adding any sweetener to the filling.

I leave the skin on my apples, but you're welcome to peel your apples, if you prefer.

IMPORTANT STREUSEL TOPPING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: The streusel topping generally clumps a lot, but if you break it up into tiny bits (no larger than the size of peas!), I promise there's enough to fully cover the apples.

However, I understand not everyone has the patience to do that, and some people also prefer a larger ratio of topping to fruit. So if that's you, then you can easily double the amount of streusel topping!

OATS ALTERNATIVES: Instant oats (gluten free if necessary!) may be substituted for the old-fashioned rolled oats. Do not substitute steel-cut oats; they don't soften properly while baking.

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten free, if needed) will also work, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours.

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

GLUTEN FREE OPTION: To make the crumble gluten free, use the millet flour option. Almost any other gluten free flour will work as well, except for coconut flour. Do not substitute coconut flour because it makes the topping very crumbly and dry.

DAIRY FREE + VEGAN OPTION: For a vegan version, substitute stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one) in place of the butter for the best results. Coconut oil will also work, but the flavor and texture of the topping will be slightly different.

TO SERVE WARM: If you prefer to enjoy your crumble warm, then reheat individual portions once it has chilled in the refrigerator. Do not serve the crumble when it's still warm and fresh from the oven. It needs to fully cool and rest to allow the cornstarch to completely thicken the moisture the apples release while baking.

{gluten free, egg free, vegan option, dairy free option, clean eating, 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.