Easy Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp

Packed with a mouthwatering bite of a satisfying crunch of goodness in every bite of this Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp this recipe is for you.

Oh my gosh, is there any better smell in the house than Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp in the oven?

Seriously, I wish I could bottle the comforting smell wafting around my house.

Then it comes out of the oven and I can't even wait to dig in. My ice cream's ready! Yum!

I had just made my mini cheesecakes, and I accidentally discovered this recipe when I was hunting for something quick and easy to make for dessert.

I've been known to eat this for breakfast. It's apples right? I consider the apples part of my healthy morning routine.

After all, what's the old saying "An apple a day keeps the Doctor away." There you go. I'm being healthy. lol

Gluten and Refined Sugar Free Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp

By using oats, one bite of this delicious dessert recipe and you won't believe it's gluten and refined sugar free.

With the addition of fresh thyme it adds a subtle savory taste to this otherwise sweet flavor of this classic recipe.

A crispy crust for your apple crisp includes a crunchy layer of oats and is browned to be crispy and golden.

If you want a more traditional apple crisp for you and don't mind the gluten and sugar, there is an option for a traditional crumble apple crisp topping.

What Apples should I Use?

The best apples for any cinnamon apple crisp or even an apple pie are firm apples.

Granny Smith or Pink Lady are the best apples. They hold up well to the heat of baking and won't turn mushy on you.

For this recipe I am using the Pink Lady apples.

How to Make Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp?

Ingredients:

Apples: Well you can't make apple crisp without apples. The best apples are the Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples. I used the Pink Lady apples for this recipe. However, the Granny Smiths work just as well.

Fresh Lemon Juice: By using fresh squeezed lemon juice, you can avoid all the preservatives used in bottled lemon juice. I find the fresh tastes better.

Apple Juice: I love using fresh squeezed apple juice in a recipe. It provides the add sweetness and flavoring to bring out the apples in this recipe.

Real Maple Syrup: Real or sometimes called pure maple syrup has no artificial ingredients. It's made from the concentration of sap of a sugar maple tree. Real or pure maple syrup is much healthier than the fake maple syrup.

Ground Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon comes from the inner bark of several tree types, called the genus Cinnamon. I commonly used cinnamon in baking and even in condiments.

Allspice: They made allspice out of dried berries. It comes from a plant known as the Pimenta silica. The flavor of allspice is like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and pepper. It adds a subtle flavor to most dishes.

Fresh Thyme Leaves: These woody type of leaves should be chopped up with the leaves. I commonly used thyme in deserts, vegetables, potatoes and even fresh bread. It is popular in Mediterranean style cooking.

Salt: Have you ever noticed that salt is almost in every single recipe? That's because it is used to add texture, enhance flavor and acts as a binder when holding a recipe together.

Topping Ingredients:

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: Rolled oats are generally made from steel-cut oats that have been rolled out to make them flat. They are cut into smaller pieces to help them cook faster. They make a great crispy topping for the apple crisp.

Almond Flour: Using almond flour in this recipe helps to add a very mild sweetness and richness to the apple crisp recipe. Plus baking with almond flour helps to extend the shelf life of baked items.

Almonds: Almonds are considered one of the superfoods. They are a healthy protein, fat and include antioxidants and important fiber. Cooking with the almonds helps to provide the crunchy top.

Honey: I prefer locally sourced honey from the local bee farms. If I can't get any honey, I have used orange honey.

Unsalted Buttter: Basically unsalted butter simply means that the salt levels in this recipe account for no other salt sources.

Crumble Top for Apple Cobbler

A traditional apple cobbler has the same baked apple cinnamon ingredients, with a different topping. It rarely includes oats or nuts.

The crumble topping on is like a crumble apple pie.

We can also roll it out similar to a pie crust, placed over the baked crisp recipe and baked to a golden brown.

Directions:

(Scroll down for the complete recipe card.)

1. Place top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8” x 8” baking dish and set aside.

2. Place apples in a large non-reactive bowl and toss with fresh lemon juice. Add maple syrup, apple juice, cinnamon, allspice, thyme leaves, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside. 

3. Place apples in a large non-reactive bowl and toss with fresh lemon juice. Add maple syrup, apple juice, cinnamon, allspice, thyme leaves, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside. 

4. Combine topping ingredients in a separate bowl and stir until oats are thoroughly coated and all ingredients are well combined. Set aside. 

5. Pour apple mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Spread the topping evenly across the top in a uniform layer, as well. 

6. Place into a pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. If the top layer is nicely browned, cover dish loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until the apple crisp is nice and bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. 

7. Serve warm with some vanilla bean iced cream or freshly whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy! 

Add some ice cream or fresh cream and ENJOY!

Printable Easy Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp

Easy Baked Cinnamon Apple Crisp