Here’s a lovely seasonal treat –gluten free apple crisp that’s simple and easy to make with very few, and very healthy ingredients. This recipe for Granny Smith Apple Crisp is particularly low carb because I use the low glycemic sweetener xylitol.
Since so many people have written to me to tell me they do not use agave, I thought it would be nice to research a variety of alternative sweeteners and experiment with them. Hence the use of xylitol (a low glycemic sweetener) in this recipe. My children couldn’t taste the difference and my doctor highly recommends xylitol for those that can digest it –it is not as easy to digest as agave for some people.
As always, use the ingredients that suit you best, and take the time to experiment with substitutions, as I cannot answer your (or my own) substitution questions without actually testing them in real life in my real kitchen.
As you can see from the note above, this recipe was a major hit with my older son. He left me a note on the dessert that said, “Mom, please do not let ANYONE eat the crisp. I want to eat it. TKS (Thanks).”
Granny Smith Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 8 slices, then quarter each slice
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon xylitol
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Topping
- 1 cup blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons xylitol
Instructions
- In a 1.5 quart pyrex bowl, toss apples, xylitol and lemon juice
- Stir water and arrowroot together to make a slurry then toss into apple mixture
- In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, salt and cinnamon
- In a small bowl combine vanilla, coconut oil and xylitol
- Stir wet ingredients into dry --mixture will be very crumbly
- Sprinkle topping over apple mixture
- Bake covered at 350°F for 45 minutes, until apples are soft and topping is golden brown
Every fall when I begin baking fruit desserts in earnest, I have the same internal dialogue –what is the exact difference between a crumble and a crisp? And every fall, without fail, I pull out my well worn copy of the Joy of Cooking and look this up again. I thought I would share what the good book says with all of you:
“For a crisp, the flour, butter, and sugar are mixed together like pie dough before the liquid is added, and the mixture scattered over the top.”
“A crunch is fruit sandwiched between two layers of sweetened, buttered crumbs; it is served cut into squares, like bar cookies , but is more fragile…Crumble is the British name for a crisp or crunch with oatmeal in the topping.”
Here are some more healthy gluten free recipes using apples:
–Cinnamon Apple Cake
–Caramel Apples
–Fennel Apple Soup
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Anastasia@healthymamainfo.com says
Looks awesome!
Daniela Tanner says
Is “slurry” a technical term I should be aware of?
Elyse says
Elana,
Yum! This is the perfect dessert for the rainy fall weather–and it’s sooo easy, too. I find that xylitol can be a great sweetner for occasional treats. Thanks for sharing this one. I loved the pear streusels that my grandmother made from the pear tree in the back yard, and this crumble brings back memories…
I also just made your peanutbutter chocolate cupcakes from the cupcake book and they were amazing. I love them without the icing.
I’ve been following your recipes for a long time now, first for yeast free, then for gluten free, and finally the next step for my health is grain free. The transition to grain free has been a no brainer for my fiance and I because your recipes are so good. My fiance has been gluten free since last March (for me!) and is cooking for the both of us thanks to the simplicity of your recipes. This kind of blows my mind and I feel it is such a huge compliment to your recipes. I had the ingredients in my pantry already, but it just amazes me that someone who has never even really thought about gluten or grain free eating before can get into the kitchen and create your recipes with such ease. He insists on eating the way I eat (it makes him feel better, too), but he loves how he now has a whole new way of looking at food. He is geninunely excited about each and every recipe. We know that we can stay healthy, but are never going to be deprived because if we want a treat or a good idea, we can look to your recipes for inspiration. If you had told either one of us two years ago that we could happily be eating grain free, I think we both would have been skeptical. And yet, here we are about to get into the kitchen to experiment with your red velvet cupcake recipe to bake our own wedding cake for our December wedding. :)
Sarah says
This looks fantastic! I purchased two boxes of apples at a local orchard recently, so we are always on the lookout for yummy new things to make with them (besides the pots and pots of applesauce!). I’m making this for breakfast tomorrow. Keep up the yummy work!
Lisa {With Style and Grace} says
This is the perfect Fall dessert, I love it! Your recipes are great and aren’t intimidating, plus they usually include all the ingredients that are already in my pantry or fridge. Thank you, from one gluten-free girl to another.
Anya says
I use coconut nectar as the sweetener in most of my recipes. It substitutes 1:1 for agave and has worked with your recipes everytime.
Coconut nectar is also nutritionally superior to agave.
Cindy says
Wow Elana’s website is always so positive… she shares her time with us when she wouldn’t have to… Her time is devoted to this site, her children, family and faith and we are allowed the privelege to share in these things… I am so thankful for her hard work even if I might not use the same sweeteners she does…Which I DO of course.. that’s why I continue to keep coming back to this wonderful site …. Elana Thanks so much for all your hard work and positive attitude…
c says
wells said!
Tami@nutmegnotebook says
That note is precious – hope you save it as a keepsake! I love apple crisp it is so representative of Fall.
AnnMarie Deis says
I have a holistic dentist who actually recommended that I chew xylitol gum after eating. It’s apparently good for teeth! Seriously, anyone could find something anything wrong with anything if they dug deep enough. I like xylitol in small quantities as well as honey, coconut sugar, date sugar, stevia, etc. Moderation! GREAT RECIPE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
leigh says
thank you for mentioning that xylitol is deadly to dogs ! very important for people to know this. as more and more people turn to xylitol, we need to spread the word.