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An easy recipe for a naturally sweetened apple crisp flavored with cozy chai spices. Those spices make it absolutely irresistible… And maybe even more delicious than traditional recipes!
A couple of years ago, Mom stopped by my apartment shortly after the sun rose on a Saturday morning. I threw on a sweatshirt and walked out, backpack in tow, to climb into the car and rubbed her golden retriever’s ears before we set out on the road.
Mom easily navigated the empty freeways, heading out past modern civilization and towards the winding mountain roads, cruising through the dense fir trees and rocky hillsides until we reached my parents’ cabin. Upon arriving, Mom showed me how to turn the water back on using the special metal rod in their front yard, and we unlocked all of the heavy door and window covers to allow fresh air to flow through the rustic home.
Once the sun rose a little higher and the chilly morning air disappeared, Mom slipped her dog into his leash, and we started down the narrow street for a hike around the grassy meadows in their part of the forest. At the edge of the field, Mom paused to snap a few pictures of aspen, their stately white trunks holding out branches with tiny leaves shimmying in the light breeze.
We took our time, thoroughly enjoying the quiet solitude of nature, and when we arrived back at the cabin a few hours later, we piled plates high with fruit to take out onto the large front deck and eat while relaxing in lounge chairs in the sun. Bananas, cherries, berries, apples, watermelon… And with their sweet taste lingering in our mouths, we each accidentally fell asleep for a bit, thanks to the comforting feeling of the sun’s warm rays!
Since my parents are heading up to their cabin this weekend, I thought they’d probably enjoy another fruity treat while sitting on that front deck, so I sent along this Healthy Chai Spice Apple Crumble with them! Mom drinks a chai latte every day, so I knew she’d fall in love with this dessert’s cozy spices… And with a full serving of fruit and under 120 calories, it totally fit into her “Lose It” diet too!
HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY CHAI SPICE APPLE CRUMBLE
So let’s go over how to make this guilt-free crumble! Because I grew up eating apple slices every day in my lunch, I’ve always enjoyed all baked treats with apples… But I didn’t exactly realize until I became a teenager that there were more varieties than just “red,” “green,” and “yellow!”
I typically turn to Fuji apples for my baked goods because {a} they taste slightly sweeter to me (aka my baked treats don’t need any added sweetener!), and {b} rather than turning mushy like some other red apple types, their firm texture holds up perfectly in the oven. Win-win!
You’ll sprinkle those chopped apples with homemade chai spice. It’s super simple! Cinnamon {my favorite!}, ginger, cardamom, and cloves. That’s it! They taste so cozy and comforting and absolutely irresistible, so I highly recommend including all four. Please oh please, don’t skip any—for the sake of my mom! ♡ You’ll also toss in some cornstarch to help thicken the juice that the apples release while baking.
Then for the streusel topping… You’ll use five ingredients, and you probably have all of them in your pantry already! Oats, whole wheat flour (or gluten-free!), cinnamon, pure maple syrup (like this!), and a small amount of butter. Coconut oil also works, if you prefer, but it doesn’t quite have the same taste or texture. You’ll mix those together, then sprinkle it over the apples in your pan. The topping really likes to clump together, so make sure you break it apart into small chocolate-chip-sized pieces while sprinkling!
After baking, it’s really important to let the crumble cool completely and rest before slicing and serving. This allows the cornstarch to continue working its magic so those juices come together and the crumble doesn’t completely fall apart when you serve it. If you prefer to serve it warm, still let it cool and set completely; then reheat individual portions. And serve with healthy vanilla ice cream! Or whipped cream… Or both, as my parents suggest!
Does anyone else always pick out the slice with the most streusel? Or is that just me?… I think it basically counts as granola, which makes this apple crumble healthy enough for breakfast! 😉
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy chai spice apple crumble!
Healthy Chai Spice Apple Crumble
© Amy's Healthy Baking
Yields: 9 squares
This is my mom’s all-time favorite crumble! It’s full of her favorite cozy chai spices (she drinks a chai latte every day!), and the sweet tender apples pair perfectly with the streusel topping. Leftovers will keep for at least one week if stored in the refrigerator covered with foil or in an airtight container.
5 from 8 votes
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Ingredients
FOR THE STREUSEL
- ¾ cup (75g) old-fashioned oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ¼ cup (30g) whole wheat flour or millet* flour (measured like this)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup, room temperature
- 1 ½ tbsp (21g) unsalted butter, melted (see Notes!)
FOR THE FILLING
- 6 cups (767g) diced red apple (about 4 large – see Notes!)
- 2 tbsp (16g) cornstarch
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat an 8”-square pan with nonstick cooking spray.
To prepare the streusel topping, whisk together the oats, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the maple syrup and melted butter. Stir until fully incorporated.
To prepare the filling, toss the apples with the cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves in a large bowl until completely coated.
Transfer the filling to the prepared pan, and gently press down with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with the topping. (The topping tends to clump a lot, so break it up into really small pieces.) Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until the apples are fork tender. Cool completely to room temperature; then refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving to allow the juices to fully thicken.
Notes
IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s extremely important to measure the flour and oats correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That's the one I own and love!) Too much of either will dry out the topping and give it a crumbly texture — especially the oats! They act like little sponges and soak up lots of moisture.
IMPORTANT APPLE NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It’s important to chop the apples fairly finely, about the size of blueberries, to help them bake evenly and soften completely. I know it takes a little extra time and effort, but I promise it’s worth it!
I personally love and use Fuji apples, but Gala and Braeburn apples would work as well. If you prefer a tarter flavor, then substitute up to 2 cups of diced Granny Smith apples for the equivalent amount of red apple, but I’d recommend against more than that since you aren’t adding any sweetener to the filling.
I leave the skin on my apples, but you're welcome to peel your apples, if you prefer.
IMPORTANT STREUSEL TOPPING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: The streusel topping generally clumps a lot, but if you break it up into tiny bits (no larger than the size of peas!), I promise there's enough to fully cover the apples.
However, I understand not everyone has the patience to do that, and some people also prefer a larger ratio of topping to fruit. So if that's you, then you can easily double the amount of streusel topping!
OATS ALTERNATIVES: Instant oats (gluten free if necessary!) may be substituted for the old-fashioned rolled oats. Do not substitute steel-cut oats; they don't soften properly while baking.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the regular whole wheat flour. Oat flour (gluten free, if needed) will also work, but be very careful when measuring it because it tends to be more absorbent than wheat-based flours.
SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.
GLUTEN FREE OPTION: To make the crumble gluten free, use the millet flour option. Almost any other gluten free flour will work as well, except for coconut flour. Do not substitute coconut flour because it makes the topping very crumbly and dry.
DAIRY FREE + VEGAN OPTION: For a vegan version, substitute stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one) in place of the butter for the best results. Coconut oil will also work, but the flavor and texture of the topping will be slightly different.
TO SERVE WARM: If you prefer to enjoy your crumble warm, then reheat individual portions once it has chilled in the refrigerator. Do not serve the crumble when it's still warm and fresh from the oven. It needs to fully cool and rest to allow the cornstarch to completely thicken the moisture the apples release while baking.
{gluten free, egg free, vegan option, dairy free option, clean eating, low fat}
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.
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