I don’t think I can let fall go by without making apple crisp at LEAST once (but probably like five times). A lot of apple crisp recipes out there are full of refined sugars, dairy and flour. This recipe offers an alternative that tastes just as good (or even better in my opinion) which uses maple syrup as a sweetener and cinnamony gluten-free oats. Give it a try with all of those apples from the orchard! I’ll definitely be making this one deep into the fall, but you could also make my peach crisp recipe, which is linked here, if you’d prefer.

Apple Crisp Ingredients

Apples: Apples are of course the main ingredient in this recipe. I strongly recommend using fresh apples rather than frozen or canned, but any will work as long as they are just one ingredient.

Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is used in this recipe in replacement of the butter that is usually in a crisp recipe. The recipe will not taste like coconut, but the oil adds lots of moisture and helps caramelize the apples and crisp up the oat mixture.

Maple Syrup: Maple syrup is used for sweetness in this recipe, and also adds moisture in addition to the coconut oil. You could also use honey or date syrup if you’d prefer instead of maple syrup.

Cinnamon: The cinnamon in this recipe adds lots of warm flavors that are perfect for this seasonal dish. Feel free to experiment with other seasonings you like such as nutmeg and allspice as well.

Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract also adds lots of flavor to the recipe and contributes to the warm, homey flavor of the crisp. If you’d like to omit the vanilla, it will not dramatically change the taste of the crisp.

Gluten-Free Oats: I typically get my gluten-free oats from Thrive Market, which I love, but you can use any oats you like. They don’t have to be gluten-free, of course, if you don’t have a preference or allergy.

Almond Flour: Almond flour works alongside the oats as the main part of the “crisp” and the dry ingredients that will be covered with coconut oil and maple syrup. I haven’t tested this recipe with any other flours.

How To Make Apple Crisp

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a skillet or baking dish with coconut oil.

Step Two: Remove the cores from the apples and slice each one into thin slices. Add the apples to a mixing bowl.

Step Three: Pour the 2 tbsp of coconut oil, 2 tbsp of maple syrup and vanilla extract onto the apples and use a spoon to mix and completely cover the apples.

Step Four: In a separate bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, oats, almond flour and salt. Then add in the 1/4 cup of coconut oil and last 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Mix again to coat the oats.

Step Five: Transfer the apples to the baking dish, fully covering the bottom. Add the oat mixture on top, covering the apples evenly.

Step Six: Bake the apple crisp for 45-60 minutes, until the oats are browning and the apples are soft and caramelized. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to four days.

If you try out this recipe, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below if you love it. You can also snap a photo & tag @jenneatsgoood on INSTAGRAM. Your reviews help support this blog and make it possible for me to continue to create healthier recipes!