The Best Healthy Apple Pecan Crisp
User Reviews
5
The Best Healthy Apple Pecan Crisp
Description
This recipe uses a mixture of sweetened and spiced apples tossed with maple syrup, cornstarch to thicken, lemon juice to balance sweetness, cinnamon for warmth, vanilla for depth, and a pinch of salt. The apples are baked in a prepared dish and topped with a crisp mixture made from rolled oats, chopped pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter, which bakes into a crunchy topping.
The dessert develops a tender and bubbly fruit base beneath a golden, textured crust with nutty accents from pecans. Serving it warm, often with vanilla ice cream, complements its warm spice and sweet fruit flavors. The crisp topping can be further toasted by broiling briefly if desired.
Leftovers keep refrigerated for several days and the dessert can be prepared ahead and frozen before baking. Reheating is best done in the oven or air fryer to maintain topping crispness. Honeycrisp apples or similarly firm, sweet-tart varieties work best for maintaining texture in baking.
Ingredients
Apples:
- 5 red apples peeled and thinly sliced, medium, 800g
- 1/4 cup maple syrup pure, 60g
- 1 Tbsp EACH: cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp EACH: lemon juice
- 1 tsp EACH: cinnamon
- 1 tsp EACH: vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
Crisp Topping:
- 1 cup rolled oats 100g
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped, 56g
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 cup butter melted, 56g
For Serving:
- vanilla ice cream optional (but not really!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish or 8x8 dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the apples, syrup, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and salt and toss to evenly coat.
- In a medium bowl, add all the topping ingredients and mix with a fork to combine.
- Add the apples to the prepared dish. Then add the crisp topping on top.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until apples are soft and it’s crisped to liking. You can broil for 1-2 minutes to crisp up the top even more, but watch it carefully so it doesn't burn!
- Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Assemble and freeze the unbaked crisp for up to 3 months; bake directly from frozen at 350°F until golden and bubbly.
- Reheat in oven or air fryer to maintain crisp topping; microwaving may cause sogginess.
- Prepare in advance and refrigerate before baking for convenience.
- Use firm, sweet-tart apples good for baking like Honeycrisp or Pink Lady; avoid very tart varieties like Granny Smith for this recipe.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 262 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1/8 of crisp | |
| Calories | 262kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 35.9g | 12% |
| Protein | 2.4g | 5% |
| Fat | 12.1g | 19% |
| Saturated Fat | 4.3g | 22% |
| Fiber | 4.2g | 17% |
| Sugar | 23.4g | 47% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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