Gluten Free No Sugar Added Apple Crisp
Gluten Free No Sugar Added Apple Crisp is a must to make if you’ve been apple picking this fall. Apples and a baked but healthy crisp topping go hand in hand beautifully!
Just because there’s no added sugar to this apple crisp doesn’t mean it lacks in taste at all! A mixture of wonderful hearty ingredients make a delicious topping for baking any fruit, not just apples. This recipe is adapted from my Whole Wheat Blueberry Crisp. Changed slightly to make it gluten free and accommodate a new sugar-free alternative I’ve been trying called erythritol. You could also substitute honey or coconut sugar as your sweetener or use powdered stevia in its place as well.
The reason for the use of erythritol is because many readers have said they just can’t get used to the taste of stevia even with the brands I suggest. If you fall into that category and have tried the stevia brands suggested, but still feel you taste an aftertaste, erythritol may be an option for you.
Erythritol is a sugar alcohol found in some fruits and fermented foods. It’s 60-70% as sweet as table sugar so not as strong in sweetness as stevia. It does not effect blood sugar just like stevia. I’ve been wary to use any sugar alcohols or anything that ends in -tol because I’ve read in some people it causes gastric side effects. But erythritol is the least likely to cause stomach upset so I’ve been trying it out.
I made this recipe for my entire family for a birthday party for my mother. There was only one tiny piece left after everyone had gone home. I plopped some dairy free whipped cream on it and enjoyed it all by myself! That’s good enough evidence to me that everyone loved it.
The only time consuming part of the recipe is honestly just coring and peeling and slicing the apples. After that, it’s super easy and well worth the effort! If you have no issues with gluten feel free to use regular rolled oats and oat flour.
With naturally sweet apples and a healthy topping that has no added sugars, you can feel good about serving this to your family anytime.
Gluten Free No Added Sugar Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Filling
- 6 cups sliced apples peeled, cored (Macintosh, Gala or Granny Smith)
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- Juice of 1 lemon or 2 tablespoons
- pinch salt
Topping
- 3/4 cup oat flour or gluten free flour
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats not quick cooking
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup erythritol or 1 tablespoon powdered stevia
- 4 tablespoons butter cubed, room temperature
- optional: 1/4 cup pecans if no nut allergies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine filling ingredients and set aside.
- In a large bowl stir together all topping ingredients except butter.
- Once mixture is combined cut butter into mixture until crumbly.
- Coat a 9 by 13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Pour filling into baking dish and cover apples with topping mixture.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes until topping is golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
About Brenda
Brenda Bennett is a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified Sugar Detox Coach, certified Keto Coach and certified Life Coach. She has been Sugar Free & Refined carb free for 17 years and has written 2 cookbooks, Sugar-Free Mom, and Naturally Keto and her 3rd book The 30-Day Sugar Elimination Diet, is a four part program to help you detox from sugar, eliminate cravings, balance blood sugar and lose weight all while eating a delicious, nutrient dense whole foods. Meal plan offers two tracks to follow, low carb or keto. She is the founder of the Sugar Free Fresh Start course and Sugar Free Tribe weight loss membership. Learn more.
Can this recipe be done in a muffin tin?
Erythritol is great for baking, but think twice about using it if you have pets. It is toxic to dogs (not sure about cats) and can cause severe reaction and even death. I’ve seen it first hand when my dog got a tiny piece of banana bread made with it and got very sick.
Are you thinking of xylitol?
Can I substitute cornstarch for the arrowroot?
yes
The recipes says 3/4 oat flour or gluten free rolled oats…I’m assuming this is 3/4 cup? Thanks in advance.
Yes thank you i will fix that.
Thanks for the quick reply! It’s currently in the oven…can’t wait to see how it comes out. 🙂
Is there any substitute for arrowroot powder?
xanthan gum, guar gum, corn starch
This recipe was good! I maybe a few changes. Used much less stevia and olive oil instead of butter.
I used three servings, three tiny scoops of stevia (comes in the Trader Joe’s 1 oz. containter), which is 135 mg instead of what you suggested. A tablespoon of stevia is nearly half the bottle which is equal to 100 servings!! I think the mistake that people make with stevia is using too much.
* made not maybe.
I just made this, and Alison, you are soooo right. I read and re-read the recipe thinking “that can’t be right, that seems like way too much” but I had pretty tart apples and I usually go by the book the first time on new recipes. Now I have to figure out how to salvage the insanely over-sweet crisp I made! I’d say 1/2 a teaspoon at most of a pure powder! OMG *gulps water*
Any suggestions for converting/salvaging this? I HAVE to dilute that sweetness!
Every stevia has differences and some are sweeter than others. I link to the brand I use and if you use another brand, using a smaller amount than suggested on anyones recipe with stevia would be the best bet then taste it and adjust to your preferences.
Also the powdered stevia I linked to is NOT the same as the Trader Joes which is the pure extract, please see the link provided.
The first ingredient is filling. Maybe I just got a little bit confused but what is the filling made from?
it’s the 4 ingredients listed under the title “filling”
I LOVE this recipe! I made it without the erythritol/stevia or flour, though. It doesn’t need them! So sweet without.
Love a good apple or peach crisp.
Thanks Charlotte!
Would it be ok, Brenda, to substitute a butter alternative a la I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter or the like? Thanks!
I haven’t used that alternative but it’s worth a try.
We’re also dairy free. Any suggestions on subbing for the butter? Coconut oil at room temp? I’m looking forward to trying this.
Yes I think coconut oil is a great sub for the butter here.
Thanks! Our family and our Sunday School class are going apple gleaning tomorrow afternoon, and I’m planning on making lots of frozen apple crisps.
We made this tonight and it was good, but it wasn’t great. I used about 1/3 cup of coconut oil instead of the butter and a generous squirt of agave nectar to sweeten it. Next time I will add a little water to the dish to help the apples soften. It would be best with ice cream or whipped cream.
Did you leave out the erythritol?
I love cookies and frosting. I can’t stop thinking about my baby’s 1 year party. Not so much because we get to celebrate his first year as it means, he will be done or nearly done nursing so I can eat some foods I really miss that consist of dairy, egg & soy. It will be a big celebration for EVERYONE!