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Healthy Apple Crumble | Gluten-Free, Clean-Eating, Vegan, and Super Easy!

Last Updated On: · by · This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. · 4 Comments

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This Healthy Apple Crumble is apple and spice goodness, and a good-for-you crumble all rolled into one. With nuts, pepitas, and tasty cinnamon, this is a gluten-free clean eating dessert soon to be your next favorite! 

This Healthy Apple Crumble is apple and spice goodness, and a good-for-you crumble all rolled into one. With nuts, pepitas, and tasty cinnamon, this is a gluten-free clean eating dessert soon to be your next favorite! this RECIPE

Do you love apple desserts?

There something about the delicious aroma of apples and cinnamon baking. The smell of apples and spices is comforting, and to me, anything with apples in it is a treat.

I decided to put together a good-for-you recipe full of apples and goodness and I am thrilled with the results!

This apple crumble recipe is so simple, tasty, warm, and delicious.

Healthy Apple Crumble is like warm apple pie meets sweet crumbly goodness.  Nothing wrong with that, eh?

I like to use tart apples and a bit of lemon in this recipe because it keeps the dessert from being too overpoweringly sweet. Trust me – it's amazing.

The best part of this dessert is how forgiving it is.  You can taste as you go.  So, if you don't quite like it, change it.

Too sweet? Add some lemon juice or zest.

Too sour? Add some coconut sugar.

Too bland? Add some cinnamon.

I love it!

For another healthy dessert recipe, try checking out my Healthy Coffee Cake.

Make the Healthy Apple Crumble in either individually-sized portions or in a large casserole dish to scoop out and serve. Either way is fine and both will provide apple-crumbly-goodness. Or, use oven-safe mugs for a cute presentation at your next get together.

If you'd prefer, you can substitute fresh peaches or plums in this recipe.  Also, since plums and peaches are naturally less crisp than apples, you can bypass the step of cooking them prior to baking the crumble.

Overhead view of a glass bowl of Granny Smith apples, washed and ready to be sliced and used in Healthy Apple Crumble.
Overhead image of sliced apples in a glass bowl sprinkled with cinnamon, ready to be mixed.

WHAT TYPES OF APPLES ARE BEST FOR HEALTHY APPLE CRUMBLE? 

My recipe for Healthy Apple Crumble calls for Granny Smith Apples. That’s because I love the tart flavor that pairs so well with the sweet goodness of the topping. Depending on your tastes, however, you can definitely try another type of apple. 

  • The Idared apple is tart, too, as are the Cortland and Cameo
  • If you are looking for a sweeter, yet crisp apple, go for Empire, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, and Gala
  • Fuji and Golden Delicious apples are juicy and also sweet
  • Cortland’s and Idared’s hold their shape well when baked but all of the varieties mentioned work great
  • For a blend of sweet and tart, mix Granny Smith with Pink Lady or Golden Delicious with Braeburn
Image of a glass bowl full of sliced Granny Smith apples being covered in cinnamon mixture.

TIPS FOR MAKING HEALTHY APPLE CRUMBLE

Apple crumble is one of those desserts that allows for variation here and there as far as apple preferences, you can vary it up according to your taste. I like tart, but if you are a fan of mild yet sweet, for example, go for Gala. I’ve got some other tips to make the best crumble, and here they are:

  • Slice the apples uniformly and of equal size as much as possible for even cooking throughout
  • To have softer apples, cook them for 10 minutes in the oven before adding the crumble
  • If the topping is browning and the apples are still firmer than you’d like, cover the crumble with foil and bake a bit longer, testing every five minutes
  • Lightly grease the baking dish, so the crumble does not stick
Overhead view of sliced Granny Smith apples coated with cinnamon mixture and placed in rectangular casserole dish.


HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT HEALTHY APPLE CRUMBLE

To reheat, you can:

  • microwave a portion for 30-60 seconds 
  • place in the oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

This super scrumptious apple crumble is best if served fresh. You can bake and cool and then keep it on the counter for one day. But, you can store it in the fridge for up to a week as long as you put the crumble in an airtight container. 

Overhead view of a glass bowl with ingredients for the crumble topping, including almond flour, nuts, pepitas, cinnamon, sea salt, and coconut oil.
Close up image of sliced Granny Smith apples in a casserole dish, with crumble being sprinkled over the apples.


HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY APPLE CRUMBLE NUT-FREE

If you have a family member who is allergic to nuts, you will want to vary the recipe and replace them. Several options work well in an apple crumble. Consider these:

  • Nut-free granola
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Raisins
  • Rar rolled oats  
  • Dried cranberries
Overhead view of baked Healthy Apple Crumble in a white rectangular casserole dish.


NUT SUBSTITUTES FOR HEALTHY APPLE CRUMBLE

For those who can enjoy nuts, try any of these!

  • walnuts
  • pecans  
  • almonds  
  • pistachios  
  • cashews  
  • macadamia nuts  
  • hazelnuts 
Overhead image of a rectangular ceramic dish full of Healthy Apple Crumble, with a serving soon removing some of the dessert.

WHAT IS THE BEST DISH FOR BAKING HEALTHY APPLE CRUMBLE?

I always prefer to use a glass or ceramic 9x12 baking dish when making apple crumble. You could also use cast-iron.

Close up of a white ceramic dish full of baked Healthy Apple Crumble, being served with a wooden serving spoon.

MORE HEALTHY APPLE RECIPES

I love baking (and eating) any dish that includes apples! Add these recipes to your repertoire to enjoy this healthy fruit in many ways:

This Healthy Apple Crumble is apple and spice goodness, and a good-for-you crumble all rolled into one. With nuts, pepitas, and tasty cinnamon, this is a gluten-free clean eating dessert soon to be your next favorite!

Healthy Apple Crumble

Lacey Baier
This Healthy Apple Crumble is apple and spice goodness, and a good-for-you crumble all rolled into one. With nuts, pepitas, and tasty cinnamon, this is a gluten-free clean eating dessert soon to be your next favorite!
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 251 kcal

Equipment

*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Filling

  • 8 cups sliced Granny Smith apples (approx. 7 apples)
  • ½ cup coconut sugar plus more to taste if needed
  • ½ fresh lemon zest and juice plus more to taste if needed
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt

For the Crumble Topping

  • 1 cup almond flour
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans can also use walnuts or almonds or a mixture of all 3
  • ¼ cup pepitas
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoon melted coconut oil plus more to lightly grease baking dish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and lightly grease an 8x13-inch baking pan with coconut oil.  Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the apple filling, including the apples, coconut sugar, lemon zest and juice, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and sea salt.  Stir to combine.
  • Pour the apple mixture into the baking dish, and place into the oven.  Cook for 10 minutes, or until the apples begin to soften. While the apples are cooking, prepare the crumble topping.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, combine the ingredients for the crumble, which include the almond flour, chopped nuts, pepitas, cinnamon, sea salt, and melted coconut oil.
  • Carefully remove the apples from the oven and top with the crumble topping.  Return the crumble to the oven, and bake, uncovered, for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and apple mixture is bubbly.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cupCalories: 251 kcalCarbohydrates: 30 gProtein: 4 gFat: 15 gSaturated Fat: 4 gSodium: 94 mgPotassium: 169 mgFiber: 5 gSugar: 20 gVitamin A: 68 IUVitamin C: 6 mgCalcium: 45 mgIron: 1 mg
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Tag @asweetpeachef on Instagram so we can check it out.

This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

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Comments

    5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Joy

    5 stars
    OMG. This tasted amazing, for a recipe with so little (coconut) sugar in the recipe. I even halved the sugar in my crumble and it still tasted so yummy! The walnuts i included in the crumble topping added such flavour. Apple crumble is such an old favourite of mine I was afraid I would lose it with clean eating, but this blog has been such a godsend. Thank you Lacey, changing our health one at a time.

    Reply

  2. Ghulam Mohyudin

    5 stars
    Good to know that works too! I learn so much from you as well! Keep it up great post.

    Reply

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Dustin

5 stars
we should turn this into a clean recipe with a video 🙂

Reply

  • Jan

    Yummy - thanks!

    Reply

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