You’ll love this recipe for diet apple crumble. It’s a great dessert for one person or can also be served with ice cream for a great dessert to share! Serve warm with vanilla ice-cream, sliced bananas and a dollop of whipped cream. It’s no easy feat to invent a delicious crumble recipe that tastes good, but leaves you feeling like you’re eating the healthiest dessert in the world. I came up with one such recipe, and wanted to share it with all my fellow foodies. Here it is!
Clean Eating Apple Crumble {The Ultimate Healthy Dessert}
Clean eating apple crumble: Coconut and Oat crumble on top of sweet, juicy apples. This is SO Good!
This recipe is based on a Masterchef episode I watched a couple years ago. Since then, its been a regular addition to our meal plan. 3 out of 4 of my kids love it. I’m still working on No. 4. But not too much as it means there is more for me. It makes a good mid morning snack too after dropping kids at school 🙂
Clean Eating Apple Crumble
This Clean apple crumble is a cleaned up version of the apple crumble I’m sure you know and love. Having an easy, healthier version of old favorites has been key to making eating Clean successful, and this yummy dessert doesn’t disappoint.
It’s actually so simple to make and you probably have most of the ingredients already in your pantry. You can use fresh apples, but I used canned apple so I always keep a couple cans in my pantry for an easy dessert.
It’s main ingredients are: Apples and apple juice, so that’s OK with me. If I don’t go out of my way to make Clean Eating easy, then it just wouldn’t happen.
Then sprinkle the crumble on top of the apple filling and pop it in the oven. If you are making the apple crumble earlier in the day, you can cover and refrigerate at this stage so it’s ready to go in the oven later that evening.
The crumble topping on this can be made by hand or in a food processor. I’ve used flour here, but you could add a little more fiber and use oatmeal whizzed in a blender instead. Mix the crumble in a large bowl to keep the kitchen clean! Oat flours are great for extra fiber and can often be used in place of flour.
A Medium Sized Apple (Or Pear)
I’ve made an apple crumble here but you could use pears if you prefer. Pears offer the same sort of finished fruity crumble and the crust works just as well with pears. I’ve discovered the beauty of pears with cinnamon recently and they work just as well as apples, so use whatever fruit you have to hand or can buy reasonably priced locally to you.
Gala, Fuji or Pink ladies are all good apple varieties to use for this crumble, they’re all really sweet and keep their shape well whilst cooking.
Bonus points if you have apple or pear trees in your back yard, it’ll be even more delicious if they’re free 🙂
Apple Crumble Filling
The apple crumble filling here is the main event. I unashamedly use tinned apples to make this pudding. I keep a store of these in the pantry so they’re always on hand, and they’re quicker and easier than peeling and stewing fresh apples.
When you’re buying tinned apples, you want the ingredients to be: apples. And that’s it. No sweeteners, not preservatives (the canning process does this for you!), nothing else. Just apples: This way you know they’re clean.
Of course, if you’ve got a glut of fresh apples needing to be used up, feel free to peel and stew them. Most fresh apples work well with this recipe, however, the naturally sweeter the apples, the sweeter the end pudding’s gonna be!
To sweeten this apple crumble, or apple pie if you prefer I’ve used the apples themselves to give the main hit of sweetness and then topped it up with coconut sugar. Feel free to use honey or pure maple syrup if you like. Using shredded coconut in the crumble topping adds more natural sweetness again, this is dessert after all!
A Handful Of Raisins
If you like you can throw in a handful of raisins or sultanas if your kids like them. Some of mine are a bit fussy about raisons and so I’ve left them out when i’ve made this, but feel free to add some into yours. They’ll absorb the liquid as they cook in the crumble, so I’s recommend adding an extra 2 tbsp of water to the filling mix to allow for this.
Additions
Sometimes I add a level table spoon of Cinnamon to this recipe, sometimes not. Apple crumble and cinnamon go hand in hand for me, so personally, I love this addition. You could also add Nutmeg, which is also has a lovely flavor, but less popular with my kids.
You could also try cardamom with this if you like the flavor. It gives this apple crumble a slightly exotic feel so if you’re looking to make something a bit different, this would be a good one to try. I have cardamon whole here so I’d recommend either putting a couple of whole seeds into the apple filling and then making sure you don’t accidentally serve one to the kids or finding ground cardamom and using half a tsp. The taste can be unusual for smaller kids, so add with caution!
Ginger goes well with apples. I’ve tried using both ground ginger and fresh ginger and we all prefer the ground ginger version. Add one tsp to the filling mixture, this is enough to give a subtle ginger flavor that’s enough for small kids to still enjoy.
While I don’t like to add a lot of extra sodium to recipes, adding a teaspoon of sea salt to the apple filling is great if you’re a salt lover. This works especially well if you’re serving this with the coconut caramel.
I often add berries to an apple dessert to make my Apple Berry Crumble, and of course the main, most requested and frankly utterly delicious addition, Clean eating custard, which takes just a few minutes to prepare and you can whip up while the apple crumble’s in the oven.
Alternatively you could add some ice cream and serve this crumble with yummy ice cream melting into the hot apple crumble. Yum 🙂
Add These To Taste
So, you can add some raisins or sultanas, cinnamon, or you could leave this plain as I have and serve it with some coconut milk caramel or dairy free custard.
You could also turn this into more of a mixed fruit crumble by going half and half on apples and pears, or apples and any other fruit you love. Cheery’s work well in this (use fresh and not frozen as there’s too high a water content in frozen).
Storing and Reheating
If you want to prepare this pudding ahead of time, make up the whole recipe, but don’t put it in the oven until right when you need it, so the crumble’s crisp when you tuck in. You can make this up to 48 hours ahead of time and it’ll keep well in the fridge, covered, until it’s ready for the oven.
If you want to reheat leftovers, pop them back in the oven for 7-8 minutes un til warmed through again. I have microwaved this before to reheat it and while it work okay, it’s better reheated in the oven so you get the crisp crumble again, which the microwave doesn’t do.
How To Make A Clean Eating Apple Crumble
Crumble:
- ¾ cup Plain flour
- 1 cup Desiccated coconut
- ¼ cup Softened butter
- ½ cup Coconut sugar OR You can replace with ½ cup of raw sugar OR ¼ cup of honey OR Maple syrup
Filling:
- 2 Cans of apple 2 x 400g
- ¼ cup Raw brown sugar OR you can replace with ¼ cup of honey or Maple syrup
- 1 Lemon Juiced
Instructions
- Filling: Dissolve sugar in the lemon juice and mix well through apple. Place in an oven proof pie dish.
- Topping: Mix all ingredients together until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Place evenly on top of apple filling.
- Bake for 35 minutes or until crumble is golden brown.
- Serve with fresh cream.
Low Sugar Apple Crumble
Fall is my absolute favorite season and apple crumble is something on my “must make” every year. Honestly, what warms the soul more than a warm bowl of apple crisp and the smell of baking apples and cinnamon? I truly think nothing.
This is actually my mother’s recipe and is near and dear to my heart. She would often make apple crumble when apples in the crisper drawer were on their last leg. What a great way to use up that extra fruit!
Is Apple Crumble Healthy?
Of course! As many of you know, I take an “all foods fit” approach. I think any food can fit in a kidney friendly diet.
This low sugar apple crumble can absolutely fit in any healthy diet. I love fruit desserts. It is such a yummy way to add some natural sweetness – plus some extra fiber, vitamins and minerals!
This crumble also only has 9g of added sugar.
Low Sugar Apple Crumble Ingredients
Apples
Of course, low sugar apple crisp needs apples! I love to use a mix of apples for baked apple desserts. I usually add a few tart granny smiths for some crunch. And, some sweeter apples like fuji or gala.
You could easily swap apples for other fruits in this recipe. Try:
- Peaches
- Blueberries
- Pears
- Plums
- Nectarines
- Pineapple
Oats
Oats are key to any crumble! They give the dessert a little body and chewy texture. Any kind of oatmeal works here.
Brown Sugar
Yep! This recipe calls for some actual (real!) brown sugar. In my cooking, I generally prefer to use a little bit of the real stuff when it comes to sweetener. But, you could swap the brown sugar for Splenda if you prefer.
Flour
Old school, all purpose flour is what I usually use. You could use whole wheat for a little extra fiber.
Cinnamon
Warm baking spices, like cinnamon, are necessary for any apple dessert in my opinion! Adding cinnamon and other spices helps add extra flavor and keep the sugar down.
Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice too if you are feeling fancy!
Salt
Just a pinch! Don’t worry, the total sodium comes out to only 17mg per serving.
Butter
We need a little fat to help the crumble get crispy and golden brown. I always go with unsalted butter to help keep the sodium down.
Can I Add Ice Cream?
Of course! Of course, adding ice cream does add sugar, potassium and phosphorus as well. Make sure to take those into consideration! Whipped cream is a great way to add a little creaminess with less sugar.
Happy Eating!
Melanie
Low Sugar Apple Crumble
Easy, low sugar apple crumble to warm your soul on chilly fall days!
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 126kcal
Ingredients
- 4 large apples peeled & cut into 1/2″ slices
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Place apples in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Combine oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter or 2 knives. Sprinkle crumble over apples.
- Bake 40-45 minutes, until bubbly and topping is crispy.
Notes
Nutrition Facts (1/12 of a 9×13 pan): 126 calories, 4g fat, 2g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol, 1g fiber, 9g added sugar, 1g protein, 17mg sodium, 16mg calcium, 94mg potassium, 26mg phosphorus, 2mg oxalate
The Best Apple Crumble Recipe
A decadent dessert that’s actually good for you? We’ve got you covered with this scrumptious crumble.
Though “as American as apple crumble” might not have the same ring to it, it does have the same spirit behind it. These individual dishes of tart, sweet roasted apples and crunchy cobbler topping make for a deeply satisfying end to a meal. What makes this one so special is the topping: Not only do the oats and almonds give this dish a shot of fiber, healthy fat, and antioxidants you wouldn’t find in a standard flour-based crumble, but the crunchy texture of the topping makes for a more rewarding contrast to the soft cooked apples.
NUTRITION: 290 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated), 44 g carbohydrates
SERVES 4
YOU’LL NEED
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into wedges
1⁄2 cup apple juice
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1⁄4 tsp cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp nutmeg
1 cup rolled oats
Pinch salt
2 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1⁄4 cup chopped almonds
Whipped cream or crème fraîche
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Combine the apples, apple juice, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the oats with the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1⁄8 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1⁄8 teaspoon nutmeg, plus a good pinch of salt.
- Add the butter and work the mixture with your fingertips until it comes together in moist clumps. Add the almonds and work them in as well.
- Divide the apples among 4 ramekins, and top with the oatmeal-almond mixture. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for about 25 minutes, until the apples are hot and bubbling and the crumble has begun to brown. (If the topping isn’t significantly brown, you can turn on the broiler for the last minute of cooking.)
- Let cool for a few minutes. Serve with a generous dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche.
Eat This Tip
This crumble topping—made from crunchy bits of almonds and fiber-rich oats—can be adapted to almost any fruit. It’s best to follow the seasons, not only because the fruit will be more readily available and cheaper, but, more importantly, because it will be better. Here are three seasonal crumbles worth trying as well:
- Spring: Rhubarb and strawberries
- Summer: Peaches and blueberries
- Fall: Pears and cranberries