Apple Crisp Granola

Name: Apple Crisp Granola
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: Baking spray (for the pan); 4 apples, (medium. Use 5 apples if they are small.); 2 Tablespoons maple syrup; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 2 Tablespoons cornstarch ((optional)); 2 cups granola; ¼ cup flour ((can use gluten-free)); ¼ cup brown sugar, (or brown stevia or monkfruit sweetener that measures 1:1 for sugar); 1½ teaspoons cinnamon ((divided use)); ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg; ¼ teaspoon allspice; ¼ cup coconut oil (or canola oil); ¼ cup butter, (softened. Choose canola or coconut oil, if vegan.)

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This homey dessert has the essential, but often elusive, quality necessary in a fruit crisp: a satisfyingly crunchy crisp topping!

You'll love the ease of this unfussy dessert recipe. It's excellent for seasoned pros or baking novices. (Hint: Perfect for holidays and Sunday family gatherings!)

As it bakes, the house is filled with mouthwatering aromas of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice--the appetizing perfume of winter and holiday cheer!

Enjoy this dessert with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of plain yogurt. Photo by Jani H. Leuschel

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Table of Contents

Ingredients
How to Make
- Apple prep instructions
- Cooking tips
Variations
FAQ⁉️
Does this dessert have any health benefits?
Serving suggestions
Other recipes you may enjoy...

Ingredients

Apples
Lemon juice
Maple syrup
Cornstarch (optional)
Granola
Flour, regular or gluten-free
Brown sugar
Cinnamon (divided use)
Nutmeg (divided use)
Allspice
Coconut oil or canola oil
Butter

🍏 Apples: You can put any apples you have in the crisper to work in this recipe, although traditional baking varieties such as Granny Smith (green apples), Jonathan, and McIntosh are go-tos.

Tartish Pink Lady apples and sweetly acid Honeycrisps are delicious, too.

🍁 Maple syrup: Please use the real thing instead of pancake syrup. You can also substitute white or brown sugar.

Cornstarch: It's optional but will thicken the apple filling, which means less moisture so the topping stays crispy.

Granola: If using store-bought granola, check the label for sugars. Look for a brand that offers whole grains, fewer added sugars, and minimal dried fruit. Granola varieties like honey oats or vanilla honey oats are best. It's alright if there are a few nuts.

The granola should not be so clumpy that it creates big lumps in your topping. Place the granola in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin on it to break up large clusters, if needed.

Flour: Very little flour is needed, just enough to bind the topping ingredients. Use all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry flour. Choose gluten-free if you avoid wheat products.

Brown sugar: You can use brown stevia or monkfruit sweetener to save a couple of grams of added sugar per serving. Try this if you have diabetes or diabetic family.

Cinnamon: Many brands contain high levels of lead. This is especially concerning for children. For lower levels (per testing from Consumer Reports) use (affiliate link) Morton and Bassett San Francisco Organic Spices or Whole Foods 365 Organic.

Allspice: If you don't have allspice in your pantry, cloves or mace are fine substitutes, and also, give the dish a darker spice note.

🥥 Coconut oil: It's fine to swap in canola oil to lower the amount of saturated fat in the recipe.

Note: Quantities and complete instructions are in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make

Wash your hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water for 20 seconds, before starting.

Apple prep instructions

Brown cutting board holds half a green apple being sliced.

Cut the apples in half and remove the core and ends. Lay the flat side on a cutting board (affiliate link) and slice it.

Small cubes of green apple on a brown cutting board with a silver chef's knife.

Cut the slices into rough cubes of an inch of less.

Chopped apple cubes in bowl with white cornstarch on top.

In a large bowl, toss the apple cubes with maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornstarch (if using).

Pouring red-skinned apple filling cubes from white bowl into square, clear baking dish.

Pour the filling into a square baking dish (affiliate link) that has been greased or has a coating of non-stick baking spray.

Light brown granola with white flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, etc in a white bowl.

Wipe out the bowl that held the apple cubes. Combine granola, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix thoroughly.

Brownish topping for apple crisp in a white bowl with yellow pats of butter on top.

Add the oil and softened butter, and blend them into the dry ingredients.

Brownish, clumpy granola topping unbaked over apple filling in clear, square baking dish.

Spoon the topping over the apple filling and spread evenly, patting it down lightly.

Square clear dish with unbaked apple crisp on top of a foil-lined baking sheet.

Place in a 350°F oven on a foil-lined baking sheet (to catch any juices) for about 45 minutes.

Baked brown apple crisp with granola topping in square clear baking dish. — Photo by Jani H. Leuschel

After it comes out of the oven, place on a wire rack (affiliate link) until it's cool enough to serve.

Three round dishes hold apple crisp topped with a white scoop of vanilla ice cream. — Photo by Jani H. Leuschel

Serve topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, or some plain Greek yogurt.

Cooking tips

The goal of a crisp is tender, sweet fruit with a contrasting crunchy sweet topping.

To keep the topping from becoming soggy, spread it over the fruit just before baking.

Make-ahead tip: You can prep the apples in advance. Place the filling in your baking dish and refrigerate. (If they brown a little, it won't affect the taste!) Store the topping separately and spread over the apples just before baking.

The oven temperature needs to be medium to medium hot, about 350°F to 375°F. This creates tender yet firm apples without overbaking the granola topping. The granola helps the topping stay crunchy during a longish bake.

Depending on how the apples are sliced or cubed, baking time could vary. Small cubes or very thinly sliced apples could bake in perhaps 30 minutes, while thicker pieces could take up to an hour.

To break down any large clusters in your granola, place it in a large plastic bag and go over it with a rolling pin.

Variations

🍒 Different fruits: Use any type of fruit you like for the filling. You'll need about five cups. Canned fruit that is already soft will not need a long bake.

Dried fruits are wonderful when mixed in with apple filling. Cranberries or craisins are especially seasonal and help thicken the fruit base with their high pectin content.

Raisins, dark or golden, currants, and chopped dates, are also good choices.

Chopped pecans or walnuts, slivered or sliced almonds are nice additions to the topping. Choose your favorite.

FAQ⁉️

Can I use any type of granola?

Choose a granola that doesn't have large clusters. Also, avoid granolas with large amounts of dried fruit that may burn during cooking. Good store brands are Kind and Bob's Red Mill.

Of course, homemade granola is great, too. Try my Granola with Chia Seeds!

🕑Can I make Apple Crisp Granola ahead of time?

Yes, and no! You can prep the topping up three days ahead of time and fix the apple filling a few hours in advance. But, and this is important, you need to store them separately in the fridge.

Let the topping sit at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before you spread it evenly over the apple filling. Bake the crisp immediately after you do this!

Is this recipe gluten free and vegan?

It is easy to adapt for either diet. Use gluten-free flour instead of wheat flour if you are sensitive to gluten proteins, and choose a gluten-free granola.

For a vegan recipe, substitute coconut oil for butter.

Do I have to use sugar, sweetener, or maple syrup in this recipe?

Using sugar with the apple filling will improve the texture as well as the taste. Maple syrup adds flavor, but you don't have to use either, especially if you add dried fruit and your apples are sweet.

The topping tastes more dessert-like with syrup or sweetener. Cut back the sugar or syrup if your granola has many added sugars. Also, this crisp makes a great breakfast when less sweet stuff is used!

How do I store the apple crisp? Can I freeze it?

Cover leftover or pre-baked crisp tightly with plastic wrap or foil and keep it in the refrigerator. Eat it within three days for the best taste and texture.

I don't recommend freezing. The topping may get soggy and the apple filling will be very mushy when thawed.

Does this dessert have any health benefits?

Made with apples, whole grains, and a moderate amount of fat and sugar, this dessert can easily fit into a healthy lifestyle and has many wholesome aspects.

Apples: These everyday fruits are touted as beneficial for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and maybe, asthma, too. Since they contain pectin, a soluble fiber, they may also help with gut health.

Apples also have plenty of the antioxidant quercetin, a flavonoid with antihistamine and anti-inflammatory effects. This recipe leaves the skins on the apples because that adds nutrition, bonus amounts of fiber and quercetin!

Whole grains: The amount of whole grains found in the recipe will depend on the granola. If you choose one with plenty of oats, and maybe barley, millet, popped amaranth, and other whole grains, you'll reap more benefits.

Whole grains add fiber (along with the apples), as well as B vitamins, and minerals, such as magnesium. They're good for cardiovascular health, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.

This dessert is a health balancing act between the toothsome sweetness from added sugars, a few tasty saturated fats, and the wholesome goodness offered by unpeeled apples and whole grains.

Enjoy in moderation!!

Serving suggestions

The best way to eat Apple Crisp Granola is hot from the oven. A scoop of frozen vanilla ice cream, yogurt, or non-dairy frozen dessert is perfect if you're entertaining or hosting a holiday dinner.

Or just give it a kiss of whipped topping. That's yummy, too.

Caramel sauce takes this apple crisp to the next level!

You could eat the crisp for breakfast, too. Top it with plain yogurt.

Other recipes you may enjoy...

You can certainly reach for some homemade granola to use in this recipe. My Maple Hemp Seed Granola is a cinch to prepare. Make some extra and gift your friends!

Chia Banana Pudding is another healthy dessert. It can do double duty as breakfast.

Orange pudding cake in white ramekin on white marble countertop with orange zest and mint leaves around it — Orange Pudding Cake with Star Anise. Photo credit: Jani H. Leuschel

Easy Orange Pudding Cake with Star Anise is an indulgent-tasting cake that makes its own layers. Whether you serve it in individual ramekins or family-style, it has a special, holiday vibe.