Baked Apple Crisp

This weekend hubby and I managed to finally got to celebrate our 25th anniversary only a year and some months late. We went to the mountains of North Carolina and went apple picking. We also visited a few farms along the way so look for posts about our adventures coming soon. But I was inspired to create this yummy baked apple crisp recipe using apples we got from Sky Top Orchard.

One taste of this delicious dessert and you won’t believe it is both gluten and refined sugar-free. The addition of fresh thyme adds a subtle savory note to the otherwise sweet flavor profile of this classic recipe.

Tip: Choose firm apples for this recipe. These varieties will hold up well to the heat of baking without turning to mush. 

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45-50 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 6 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 c. real maple syrup
• 2 T. 100% apple juice (sugar free)
• 1 t. ground cinnamon
• ½ t. ground allspice
• 1½ t. fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ t. salt

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 c. almond flour
• 1/3 c. almonds, sliced
• 1/3 c. honey, preferably local
• 3 T. unsalted butter, melted

To Serve: (Optional)

Vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream

Directions:

1. Place top oven rack in the center position and pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8” x 8” baking dish and set aside.
2. Place apples in a large non-reactive bowl and toss with fresh lemon juice. Add maple syrup, apple juice, cinnamon, allspice, thyme leaves, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside.
3. Combine topping ingredients in a separate bowl and stir until oats are thoroughly coated and all ingredients are well combined. Set aside.
4. Pour apple mixture into prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Spread the topping evenly across the top in a uniform layer, as well.
5. Place into pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes. If the top layer is nicely browned, cover dish loosely with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Continue baking for another 15-20 minutes or until the apple crisp is nice and bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
6. Serve warm with some vanilla bean iced cream or freshly whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!