This post is sponsored by Hannaford, but as always, all opinions are mine.
Autumn is in full force here in Vermont. The leaves have started to change in color and it is simply breathtaking. Witnessing the start of foliage season is to me, one of the biggest benefits of living in this region. With the weather changing, especially during the early hours of the morning, I find myself craving something warm and hearty.
With apples now in abundance, this healthy apple crumble recipe is just what I’m looking for to start the day.
One of the most important things I have learned over the years in sharing recipes and writing a food blog is that I should be very careful when labeling a dish “healthy.” The word can hold such different meanings from person to person, depending upon their diet and lifestyle.
With that being said, I wholeheartedly believe that by making small changes in your cooking, you can easily increase the healthfulness of a recipe. And thankfully, the rest of the world is beginning to come to the same conclusion. As the demand increases for healthier ingredient options, brands like Hannaford are leading the way by not only providing quality products but by making them more affordable as well.
How To Make Healthy Apple Crumble
If you are a baker, you know that the classic apple crumble recipe is made by sweetening apples with brown sugar and then topping them off with a crumble comprised of flour, brown sugar, and butter.
While I have made crumbles like this many times over the years (and know how decadently delicious they can be), I am here to tell you that my healthier version can easily compete with the classic one. In my recipe, I used maple syrup instead of brown sugar. The healthy crumble topping recipe is made with ground oats, almond flour, quinoa, coconut oil, pecans, and maple syrup. As you can see, it is a whole new set of ingredients for an end product that is much healthier, yet rivals the original in flavor.
The rest of the recipe is pretty much the same. Cinnamon-flavored apple chunks covered with the crumble topping and baked in the oven for a scrumptious autumn breakfast dish.
Shopping For The Ingredients:
To get the ingredients, I went to our local Hannaford grocery store. Quite frankly, having lived most of my life in Atlanta, I wasn’t familiar with this brand until we moved here to Vermont. However, since my first visit to their spacious, well-kept store, I have become a regular. I love that they have an extensive line of healthy, yet still affordable, ingredients to choose from – all in one place.
As the weather begins to cool and fall creeps in with every leaf that turns orange, welcome the flavors of the season into your home with this guilt-free and healthy apple crumble recipe.
If You Liked This Healthy Apple Crumble Recipe, You Might Also Like
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Overnight Apple Muesli
- Slow Cooker Unsweetened Applesauce
- French Apple Cake
- Vegan Gluten-free Apple Crisp without Butter
- Need more inspiration? Check out all our Breakfast Baked Goods for more ideas.
Healthier Apple Crumble
Ingredients
For The Apple Layer:
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, for greasing the casserole dish
- 4-5 cups apples, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder, or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Crumble Topping:
- 1 ½ cups (4.76 oz.) of old fashioned ground oats
- ½ cup (1.7 oz.) almond flour (or almond meal)
- ¼ cup (1.5 oz.) cooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
- ½ cup (2.2 oz.) pecans, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup coconut oil, warmed and cooled
- ½ cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a casserole dish (9 X 13 or 8 X 11) generously with coconut oil. Set aside.
- To make the apple layer, mix together the apples, arrowroot powder (or cornstarch), ground cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Drizzle it with maple syrup and lemon juice. Give it a gentle toss. Transfer to the casserole dish and spread in an even layer. Set aside.
- To make the crumble topping, mix together the oats, almond flour (or almond meal), quinoa, pecans, cinnamon and salt in a mixing bowl. Drizzle the mixture with coconut oil and maple syrup. Give it a stir to make sure that the oats are coated with all the other ingredients. Some chunky pieces are okay.
- To assemble: Spread the crumble topping evenly on top of the apple mixture.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the topping turns golden brown.
- Serve with more maple syrup, a dollop of creme fraiche or yogurt on the side.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Could this recipe be prepared the night before and baked in the morning?
Hi Tracy,
Yes, it can be. However, I would put the crumble on top at the last minute before putting it in the oven.
I hope this helps.
Why are the nutritional info above different? That’s a lot of calories. Eek
Hi Paula,
I really don’t know why they were different, but I made the changes to reflect the correct amounts. Thank you for letting me know.
While I agree that this dish is high in calories (mostly because of the fact that it uses almond flour), they are healthier calories when compared to apple crumble made with brown sugar, all purpose flour and butter. Still, I agree with you that it is high in calories. That is why, depending on your dietary needs it should be consumed in small portions.
Thanks!
Is the quinoa raw or cooked? I love crumble on any fruit, this has so many good items. thanks you
Hi Joan,
Good catch. It is uncooked. I updated the recipe.
We love this apple crumble as it is much healthier than the classic crumble made with butter and sugar.
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.
Cheers!
Hey Joan,
After a few readers emailed me saying that the uncooked quinoa was a little crunchier than they would have liked, I made the recipe again and realized that they have a point. While I like it both ways, I wanted to let you know that you can use both cooked and uncooked quinoa in this recipe.
I hope this helps.
Ayse! You are so talented. I love your video and all of these beautiful photos. All of it together captures cozy, simple, wholesome, and is such a celebration of this early fall season. Love how you updated a classic with more grains and maple syrup. Agree, maple syrup as a sweetener adds so much character and I never miss the processed sugar!
Awww thank you Emily. This means so much to me, coming from you. Videos are a lot of work, but super helpful for readers.
Aaand don’t you love a good apple crumble? Especially this time of the year. 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by my friend.