If you're looking for something sweet to share with your honey tonight, look no further than this delicious and healthy apple crisp. With less than two tablespoons of sugar per serving and loaded with whole grain oats, wheat germ and fresh apples, you could even eat this dessert for breakfast!
All the beautiful fall colors and the chillier weather has been making me want to snuggle up and engage in all things hygge. Part of the beauty of the season, to me at least, is turning on the oven, filling the house with cozy scents and eating warm and comforting meals. This healthy apple crisp for two fulfills all of those autumn checklist items.
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So what makes this apple crisp "healthy?"
Can a dessert ever really be healthy? While I definitely used a bit of granulated and brown sugar in this recipe, I'd argue that it's pretty dang healthy. In fact, the total added sugar per serving is a mere 20 grams, well within the American Heart Association's daily sugar recommendation.
On top of that, each serving has a whopping 8 grams of fiber. According to the AHA, we should be shooting for 25-30 grams of fiber per day from food. This dessert gets you almost ⅓ of the way there!
Finally, with nearly a third of the daily recommendations for both Vitamin A and Vitamin C, I think we can all agree that this indulgence definitely at least verges on the healthy side of things. I honestly wouldn't feel guilty about eating one for breakfast, especially when I used to consider a vanilla iced coffee and a chocolate chip cookie an acceptable morning meal.
I also would like to offer the argument that since this is a dessert made for two, the fact that there are no leftovers likely to tempt anyone into overindulging also contributes to the overall "healthiness" of the recipe.
How to make this healthy apple crisp
First up, peel and dice your apples. Sprinkle them with the granulated sugar and spices and toss to coat. Allow to macerate for 20-30 minutes, or until juices have been released from the fruit. This will create a yummy syrup for the crisp.
While the apples are macerating, make your crisp. Use a fork or a pastry cutter to mix all dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter. If necessary, you can use your hands to rub the butter into the dry ingredients to get a crumbly texture.
TIP: Some wheat germ comes pre-toasted. If your wheat germ is raw, toast it in a dry pan until it smells nutty. This will majorly enhance the delicious flavor that wheat germ brings to the table.
Once the apples have released their juices, toss in the lemon juice, lemon zest and cornstarch. Butter your pan(s), then divide the apple filling evenly. Top with crisp topping and bake for about 30 minutes, or until your house smells heavenly, the apple syrup is bubbling and the tops are golden. Voila!
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I serve the apple crisp?
While it's perfectly acceptable to serve this delicious dessert as is, I highly recommend that you a.) serve it warm, and b.) dress it up with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of frozen yogurt.
Can I make this apple crisp vegan?
Sure thing! Just sub vegan butter or coconut oil for the butter.
Is there an alternative for the corn starch?
Sure! Just swap in twice the amount of either AP Flour or Tapioca Starch for the corn starch.
Can I make this gluten free?
Sure thing. While you'll miss out on the yumminess that is wheat germ, you can totally substitute an equivalent amount of ground flaxseed.
Want more healthy eating inspiration? Check out these other lighter recipes:
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Healthy Apple Crisp for Two
Ingredients
- 1 lb Apples firm and tart variety
- 2 tablespoon Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg freshly grated is preferred
- 1 tablespoon Corn Starch
- ½ Lemon zested and juiced
Crumble Topping
- ¼ C Rolled Oats
- 1 Tbsp Wheat Germ toasted
- 2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoon Butter cold, + more for greasing pan
- 1 tablespoon Pecans minced
Instructions
- Peel and medium dice the apples. In mixing bowl, sprinkle them with sugar and spices, then mix to coat. Allow apples to macerate for 20-30 minutes, until they have released their juices.
- Make crumble by mixing together all ingredients with a fork. If necessary, use your hands to rub into crumbly pieces.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter your cooking pan. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and starch to apples. Stir to coat. Evenly distribute between pans. Top with crumble topping.
- Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, until top is golden and apples syrup is bubbling. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a squirt of whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- Vegan? Swap out coconut oil or vegan butter
- Allergic to corn? Swap out ground flaxseed for the cornstarch
- Any apples will work, but I prefer tart, firm varieties such as Fuji, Honeycrisp or Gravenstein
ChristinaS1 says
Question: are you discarding the juice after maceration?
Ash, The Grocery Addict says
No ma'am! Keep all the yummy juices intact. 💛
Joan Bright says
Just moved AND went through a break up and I'm building my apt little by little - don't have all the kitchen tools, little furniture, etc. I used to have a small cast iron pan, and would like another-small would probably be manageable even with arthritis. What size are the 2 small cast iron pans for this recipe, please? I know they'll come in handy going forward, too so might as well start with whatever size this recipe, which looks yummy, would need. Thanks!
Ash, The Grocery Addict says
Congratulations on the move, and good for you for moving on to something new! I'm sending all my best wishes that you're at the start of a delicious new chapter of your life. 💛 In the photos for this one, I used 6" pans, but the recipe is super flexible — it also does great in a 6" cake pan that's at least 2" deep. If your arthritis is flaring, the cake pan might be easier to handle!