Is there anything better than warm apple crisp baking in the oven?
This has been my go-to dessert lately to serve to friends and family. It’s easy to make, it’s relatively healthy, and it will make your kitchen smell amazing!
I’ve made lots and lots of apple crisps in the past but this one takes the cake. It starts with warm, stewed, soft apples that are cooked down with a little apple cider vinegar for pop. Then they’re spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and a pinch of cardamom. I love these apples so much that you could just stop here and eat the apples by themselves if you wanted a truly healthy fruit-only dessert. They’d also be insanely good on oatmeal for breakfast.
But since this is dessert and it’s called apple crisp, let’s talk about that crispy topping! It’s a mix of rolled oats, almond flour, walnuts, coconut oil, brown sugar (or coconut sugar), and of course more cinnamon, because I don’t think there could ever be too much cinnamon in an apple crisp. This also happens to be vegan and gluten-free because these ingredients taste so amazing on apples that butter or flour just aren’t necessary here.
This recipe is great for entertaining because it can almost entirely be made in advance. I make the apples and the topping ahead of time and divide the the apples among the ramekins. When I’m about ready to serve it, I sprinkle on the topping and pop them in the oven.
I like to make these extra festive by sprinkling them with pomegranates. Serve with vanilla ice cream and dig in!
Spiced Apple Crisp with Pomegranates
- 4 apples, sliced
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- Pinch of sea salt
- ½ cup whole rolled oats
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup crushed walnuts
- ⅓ cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup firm coconut oil
- Pomegranates
- Vanilla ice cream
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Make the filling: Combine the apples, apple cider vinegar, and water in a saucepan and simmer over very low heat, covered, stirring occasionally (making sure the apples don’t burn on the bottom of the pan) for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir, and add the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and salt and stir again. The apple should be tender and the juices should be thick.
- Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the oats, almond flour, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Use your hands work in the firm coconut oil until the mixture crumbles.
- Scoop the apple filling into 4 individual ramekins, top with the crumble (you may have a little bit extra) and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly crisp on top.
- Remove from the oven. Top with pomegranates and serve with vanilla ice cream.
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