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A simple and easy paleo apple crisp recipe that yields gooey cinnamon apple filling with a delicious crisp topping! The best paleo apple crisp made with whole ingredients.
Who’s ready for ALL the fall-inspired desserts? Today, I’m sharing a reader-loved Beaming Baker recipe for Paleo Apple Crisp… with updated photos, slightly revamped recipe and more!
Are you ready for it? Let’s do this!
Let’s welcome fall with open arms, open mouths (what a visual), and open forks (how one does that, we might never know). Just… get ready to spear that fork right into a nice, warm, gooey, crispy-topped Paleo Apple Crisp made with coconut and pecans!
Paleo Apple Crisp with Pecans & Coconut!
This paleo apple crisp recipe started pretty innocently as a regular ol’ gluten free apple crisp. There were oats involved, hopes for a beautiful crumble top that even Betty Crocker would give me the stinkeye for in a local bake-off.
As if she would stoop to my level.
Anywho, oats were involved and things looked promising. But (isn’t there always a big old butt??), that ol’ jerk wonderfully versatile ingredient named coconut oil reared its difficult head. Dagnabit.
Truth is, coconut oil just doesn’t work like butter. There. I said it. In the case of making a deliciously crispy apple crumble topping, it was not to be. At least not with the ingredients I knew were traditionally expected.
So after Erik and I peeled apples til our eyes were crossed joyfully reveled in the delight that is peeling and coring 20 apples for those sanity questioning incredibly educational apple crisp trials, I decided to change directions.
>>related: Gluten Free Apple Crisp Recipe
The Making of This Paleo Apple Crisp
Sometimes, you just have to scrap everything you know and start fresh.
Once Erik begrudgingly bemoaned playfully and happily agreed to help peel more apples with me, we began again. One thing I learned from the previous apple crisp trials was how little added sugar I could use to still create a gooey and perfectly sweet apple filling.
Now that I had the grain free apple crisp filling nailed down, all I needed to figure out was the topping. I went around the internet, searching for the most negative feedback on traditional apple crisp recipes.
One thing I learned: people really don’t like a non-crispy topping.
As such, one of my top goals was: Make a Crispy Topping.
After some soul searching, a few semi-snide passive aggressive comments lovingly traded between me and Erik, then a few be-cool-guys-don’t-let-the-apples-get-to-you BB team talks, I had an epiphany.
Paleo Apple Crisp that’s actually crisp!
Let’s make this apple crisp PALEO.
YES!!! Throw away the flour, throw away the grains, and start fresh. But, don’t throw stuff away because it’s expensive and that’s wasteful. Just… throw it away figuratively.
I used elements from my super crispy, grain free paleo granola to create the lovely paleo apple crumble-worthy topping for this delicious paleo apple crisp!
Which has now become one of my top paleo recipes!
A simple & easy paleo apple crisp recipe for super crisp topping and gooey cinnamon apple filling.
TL;DR: Grain Free Paleo Apple Crisp
Let me tell you about this out-of-this-world grain free paleo apple crisp. It’s:
- so deliciously crispy on top, you can legit tap it with a spoon and hear it!
- filled with warm, cozy grain free apple filling
- vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, PALEO
- bursting with nutty goodness
- refined sugar-free & flourless
- made with the simple, healthy ingredients you love
- tested like crazy so you don’t have to
Best Tools for Yummy Paleo Apple Crisp!
- Blanched Almond Flour – one of my favorite ingredients for paleo baking. Super fine blanched almond flour: the perfect way to make this grain free apple crisp!
- Coconut Oil – a paleo vegan + gluten free baking staple in my pantry.
- Large Coconut Flakes – one of the key ingredients in my paleo apple crisp. They crisp up like woah!
I can’t wait to hear what you think of my grain free paleo apple crisp! Let me know in the comments below if you try it. 🙂 As always, I’m so grateful to be here with you, sharing in these tasty kitchen adventures! ‘Til the next one…
Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️
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Did you make this paleo apple crisp recipe? Take a pic & share it on Instagram with the hashtag #beamingbaker & tag @beamingbaker. I’d love to see it!
Paleo Refined Sugar Free Desserts
- Healthy Apple Crisp Recipe
- Dark Chocolate Paleo Snack Bars
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Paleo
- Ultimate Chewy Paleo Coconut Cookies (Vegan, GF)
- Vegan Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp (Paleo option)
Paleo Apple Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
Paleo Apple Crisp Filling
- 3 medium apples, peeled and thinly sliced* (4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon blanched almond flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons water, optional
Pecan Coconut Crisp Topping
- ¾ cup pecans, chopped
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes or raw coconut chips
- ¼ cup blanched almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with coconut oil. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add all Filling ingredients: apples, coconut sugar, maple syrup, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract. Using a rubber spatula, stir and fold until apples are fully coated and sugar has dissolved. If your mixture isn’t very wet, add in water—you’ll want to see 1-2 tablespoons liquid at the bottom of your mixing bowl. I used 1 ½ tablespoons water in mine.
- Pour this mixture into the prepared baking pan. Use the spatula to smooth apples into an even layer.
- Add all Topping ingredients to a medium bowl. Using a fork, stir and fold until crumbles form. Gently spoon evenly over apples, making sure to keep crumbles intact.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes. Mine took 45 minutes. It’s done when the topping is a deep golden brown and the juice around the filling has thickened. To test, use a spoon to carefully lift up a corner of the crisp to see the juices. If it's still watery, bake for another 5 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 mins. Serve warm with a scoop with dairy-free ice cream on top. Enjoy! Storing instructions below.
Notes
© beamingbaker.com. All content and images are protected by copyright. Please do not use my images or recipe without my permission. Please do not republish this recipe, instead, include a link to this post for the recipe.
I am currently on a non-dairy, non-gluten, non-refined sugar dairy and was so thrilled to find this recipe. I make a mean apple crumble (albeit with butter and brown sugar and flour). But your recipe hit the spot. It is fantastic. You don’t even notice that the usual ingredients are missing. Awesome job! Thank you so much!
Emily, thanks so much for your comment! 🙂 I tested and re-tested, and re-wrote this recipe countless times until I felt like it could really stand up to a traditional apple crisp. So it’s wonderful to hear your positive feedback! Good luck with going non-dairy, non-gluten and refined sugar free–you’ll find plenty on the site that fits! 🙂
I’ve had this recipe bookmarked for at least 2 months and I finally made it. It was great!I like this one better than a crisp with oatmeal. And it is just sweet enough to satisfy the sugar cravings.I didn’t use the ice cream either. I used walnuts instead of pecans because that is what I had. The last time I bought nuts at the bulk bin the walnuts were on sale for about $5.00 a pound and the pecans were $10.00 a pound. Easy choice for me.
Hi Lisa, so happy to hear you finally whipped this up! (And especially that it did not disappoint!) 🙂 Walnut vs. pecans: oh, I totally feel you! Sometimes it makes much more financial sense to swap the nuts. Thanks for reporting back. Enjoy!
Is there anyway to substitute the pecans with walnuts??
Hi Amy, subbing the pecans with an equal amount of chopped walnuts should work just fine. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
This looks absolutely delicious. I have an allergy to almonds. What would be a good substitute for almond flour? Possibly just gluten free flour? I think coconut flour is to heavy compared to almond. I used a lot of almond flour before I found out about the allergy.
Thanks!
Hi Andrea, the closest possible substitute would probably be cashew meal. The texture is pretty similar–but I haven’t tried it, so I’m not 100% sure. You can also try sunflower seed meal (for a nut-free option). Good luck! 🙂
I have to avoid nuts due to a breastfeeding elimination diet. Could I substitute coconut flour in place of almond flour and add extra coconut flakes instead of pecans?
Thanks in advance, this looks delicious!!!
Hmm… this might be a bit tricky, Jillian. You could possibly try the following (no guarantees on the results though): sub the almond flour with equal amounts sunflower seed meal (hopefully seeds are okay), then sub the pecans with coconut. Good luck! P.S. I definitely would not recommend using coconut flour. It’s very unpredictable.
Thanks for this delicious crispy apple crisp. I have tried several recipes but I am one of those who prefers the crispy, crunchy topping and you nailed it with this recipe. I was short on pecans so I mixed in chopped walnuts. I love the coconut and maple syrup added to the topping. Thank you for FINALLY providing a great Paleo Grain Free recipe!
Hi Sheri! I’m so happy that you enjoyed my recipe. 🙂 Actually, it was one of my TOP goals to achieve that crunchy top. I literally tapped a spoon on the top as the ultimate test (dorky, I know haha): if I could actually hear how crunchy is was, then my recipe was done! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to let me know the spoon test works! 😉 Happy Paleo Baking!
I really love apple and cinnamon, and with a dash of vanilla, it’s my favorite flavor. And this turned so much better than I expected. Thank you for sharing.
So glad to hear you enjoyed this, Ashley! 🙂
Apple crisp is one of my all time favorite desserts! I love the addition of coconut and pecans, can’t wait to try it in my next batch!
Oh yeah!! Can’t wait to hear what you think–coconut and pecans are big around these parts! 😉 Enjoy!
Can’t wait to try this! Due to gluten sensitivity issues, I have been trying to bake on the healthier side using a few different flours and gluten-free oats (thank you Trader Joe’s) so I truly appreciate your recipes and their simplicity (not crazy or costly ingredients.) I have loved every thing I have made from your site! Thank you so much.
Hi Maria, thank you so much for taking the time to leave your wonderful comment. 🙂 It’s always been my goal to create tasty, healthier recipes that don’t require tricky/insanely hard-to-find ingredients (who has the time or inclination for that, right??). Your words motivate me to keeping going, and to create even better recipes. 🙂
It is absolutely my pleasure to create allergy-friendly treats for you. Hugs!
I’m so glad this apple crisp recipe turned out in the end, and it sounds and looks wonderfully delicious! The topping does look incredibly crispy, too! 😉
Thanks so much, Marsha! It really was trickier than expected. Haha. It’s SO crispy–woohoo!!! xoxo
Made this when my In-Laws were visiting. This was super easy and it is absolutely delicious!! My MIL even asked for the recipe!! Thank you for sharing this recipe is definitely a must have! FYI I didn’t cover mine with tin foil and it turned out awesome! Also, the more variety of apples you can use, the better!!
Oh, when your MIL asks for the recipe, that’s when you KNOW it’s a winner! 😉 So happy to hear that you and your in-laws enjoyed this. So much YES on the variety of apples. Happy Baking!
That looks amazing! I will have to try that when I’m done with my Whole30.
Thanks so much, Kim! Good luck with Whole30. I can’t wait to hear what you think! 🙂