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This healthy cranberry apple crisp recipe is EASY to make & perfect for fall! Sweet apples, flavor-packed cranberries, a spiced oat crumble topping… All baked until melt-in-your-mouth tender. It’s AMAZING — and secretly lightened up! Such a simple & yummy dessert! (clean eating, low calorie, gluten free & vegan options too!) Apple cranberry crisp recipe with oats. Cranberry apple crumble healthy. Apple cranberry crumble recipe. Cranberry dessert recipe. Easy healthy fruit crisp.

Healthy Cranberry Apple Crisp

© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 9 slices
This fruit crumble would be perfect for any holiday table — or even a regular weeknight dinner! Top with whipped cream or ice cream for an extra special treat. Cover any leftovers with tin foil, and store them in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week!).
5 from 1 vote
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Ingredients 

FOR THE FILLING

FOR THE TOPPING

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat an 8”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • To prepare the filling, combine the apple, cranberries, coconut or brown sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves and the cinnamon is evenly dispersed.
  • To prepare the topping, stir together the oats, flour, coconut or brown sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Mix in the melted butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
  • Spread the fruit filling into the prepared pan, and gently press it down. Evenly sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes for firmer apples, or 55-60 minutes for softer apples. (After 40 minutes, if the crumble topping starts to brown too quickly, cover the top with foil.) Cool completely to room temperature. Let the crumble rest at room temperature for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to thicken.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s very important to measure the oats and flour correctly, 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 room temperature milk (any type!) ½ teaspoon at a time or until you can fully incorporate all of the oats and flour.
 
IMPORTANT PAN SIZE NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: An 8”-square pan and 9”-round pan have very similar surface areas (64 in2 and 63.6 in2, respectively!), so your fruit crisp will turn out the same, regardless of which pan you use.
 
Pan dimensions are measured along their top rims, not their bottom sides. If using the round pan option, measure directly across its middle (aka the diameter) from one lip of the opening to the other. If using a square pan, measure across its top edge, not the bottom. Some square baking dishes have sloped sides, so they’re 9” across the top and closer to 8” across the bottom. If that’s true for your baking dish, it’s actually a 9”-square pan and too big for this recipe. Use a 9”-round pie plate or cake pan instead!
 
Do not substitute a 9”-square pan. Because it has a larger surface area (81 in2), there won’t be enough streusel to cover the top, and your fruit crisp will bake differently as well.
 
IMPORTANT COOLING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: You must let this crisp cool completely to room temperature and set for 3+ hours (closer to 8 hours is even better!) for the cornstarch to fully thicken the juices. If you try to serve your fruit crisp sooner, the filling will still be runny. (See the “To serve warm” note below if you’d like to serve your fruit crisp warm instead!)
 
APPLE NOTES: I love using Fuji apples because they're naturally sweet and have a great texture for baking. Most red apples should work. I do not recommend using Granny Smith apples because they lack the sweetness to balance out the tart cranberries.
 
CORNSTARCH NOTE: The cornstarch helps thicken the fruit juices as the crisp cools. I haven't tried using any other alternatives and don't personally know whether they'll work.
 
CINNAMON NOTE: I highly recommend Saigon cinnamon! It’s richer and sweeter compared to regular cinnamon. I buy mine online here (← it’s really affordable!), and it’s practically the only kind I use in my baking now.
 
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 may also be substituted, but be careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flour.
 
OATS NOTES: Regular old-fashioned rolled oats or instant oats (also called quick cooking oats or minute oats) will work. Do not use steel-cut oats; they don't soften properly.
 
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: Use certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats or certified gluten-free instant oats. Any gluten-free flour or store-bought gluten-free flour blend may be substituted except for coconut flour. Do NOT use coconut flour; it makes the topping too crumbly and dry. (My favorites are millet flour, gluten-free oat flour, and Bob's Red Mill gluten-free blend.)
 
DAIRY-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Use stick-style vegan butter. (I like this one and this one!) In a pinch, you can substitute coconut oil, but the taste and texture will be a little different.
 
CLEAN EATING VERSION: Use the coconut sugar option.
 
TO SERVE WARM: You must let this cranberry apple crisp cool completely to room temperature AND set for 3+ hours before serving. (If you have time, 8+ hours is even better!) This allows the cornstarch to fully thicken the juices that the fruit releases 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.
 
HOW TO STORE: Store leftover fruit crisp in the refrigerator, either still in the pan and covered with foil or inside of an airtight container. It should last for at least four days, if not longer.
 
{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, 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.