A healthy version of a classic fall dessert, this Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp is the perfect warm and sweet comfort food on cozy nights. It’s grain free, gluten free, paleo, vegan, and soy free with simple whole ingredients and the fall flavors you crave.
I used to make non-paleo versions of apple crisp a few times every fall.
In fact, the first thing Adam ever witnessed me cook/bake was an apple crisp! We were dating for less than a month, and he was clearly impressed and still talks about the apple crisp day!
So, apple crisp was my original claim to fame with my husband.
I knew I had to get the paleo version of this right and luckily I came up with a crisp topping that’s SO delicious and made with good for you ingredients.
Toasty, crispy, just sweet enough. I know you’ll love it!
This recipe is such a hit with my family that whenever I make it it’s gone within a couple of hours.
The topping has a taste more along the lines of granola than anything paleo, so the seeds were definitely planted for a few of my homemade granola recipes!
I’ve said before that I used to have a major cereal habit and granola was probably my favorite of all. I LOVE my paleo versions now!
But let’s get into all the apple crisp details now 🙂
Ingredients Needed for Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp
For the filling:
- Apples
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger
- Maple syrup (optional)
6 apples is the perfect amount for this Maple Pecan Apple Crisp. Make sure that you wash them well, then peel them, core them, and sliced into 1/4 inch thick pieces.
For the topping:
- Coconut oil
- Raw pecans
- Almond flour
- Maple syrup
- Coconut flakes
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, & allspice
- Sea Salt
What type of apples should I use?
There are lots of great apple varieties that are perfect for baking and since they’re in season right now, they’re even more flavorful than ever! I used Pink Lady apples but you could also use Jonagold, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn for a delicious apple crisp.
How to Make Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp:
First, you’ll make the filling. Place the apple slices, spices, and maple syrup in a large bowl and toss everything together. Place everything in a baking dish, then set that aside and make the crisp topping.
The crisp topping is so easy – just place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse or process until a crumbly paste forms.
Crumble the topping over the apples and bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until the the topping has browned and the apple filling is bubbling.
This Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp has become one of our favorite fall recipes. And that says a lot considering that it’s not even made with pumpkin!
In fact, I have a pumpkin sitting around that has my daughter questioning what I’ll make with it every day.
It’s so funny (and cool) that my kids see pumpkins and think about cooking with them.
I don’t think I knew you could cook with a pumpkin until I started eating paleo. Wild right?! But it’s time for APPLES now!
Grab your favorite baking dish and get your apples peeled because it’s time to bake – let’s go!
Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp {Vegan}
Paleo Maple Pecan Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Crisp Topping:
- 1/3 cup organic coconut oil refined, solid, or vegan butter
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 3/4 cup blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2/3 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon *
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice or cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Apple Filling:
- 7 medium apples peeled, and sliced to 1/4 inch thickness. (Pink lady and Honeycrisp are great!)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon *
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 3 tablespoons maple sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour or arrowroot
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350° F.
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Begin with the crisp topping. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the nuts break down and a crumbly, pasty mixture forms. Chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
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In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the spices, tapioca, maple sugar and vanilla, then transfer to a 9 or 10 inch pie dish or baking dish, set aside.
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Drop/dollop the topping all over the apples to fully cover (or as fully as possible) and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until the apples are bubbling and the topping is brown and crisp. Check around 25-30 minutes and if the topping is browning too much, cover with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes.
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Let sit for at least 30 minutes to cool down before serving warm. Serve with coconut vanilla ice cream if desired.
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If you're lucky enough to have leftovers, you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days (without the ice cream!) and reheat before serving. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*If you have apple pie spice, use 1 tablespoon of it in the topping and 2 teaspoons in the filling, instead of the individual spices.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo Fruit Dessert Recipes? Try one of these!
Almond Butter and Jelly Cookie Bars
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Hi Michele,
Your delicious recipe has been nominated as one of the “Top 100 Best Apple Recipes of 2014 for National Apple Month”. You and your readers can vote for it here: http://thefoodexplorer.com/fruit-2/100-delicious-apple-recipes-for-national-apple-month/ (position #48 – random order).
Happy National Apple Month! 🙂
Two thumbs up! I made it for my church small group and they loved it!
Awesome! So glad everyone liked it 🙂
Hey Lovely! This recipe is DELICIOUS! Mind if I share it with your picture and a link to your blog for a roundup of yummy paleo dessert options for thanksgiving?
Thanks! Of course you can share 🙂
Thanks for the Apple crisp recipe. Just made it for Thanksgiving and it was delishish. Will definitely make it again.
Awesome! So glad you liked it 🙂
My family of four polished this right off without any problems at all. The top started to get too dark at 43 minutes, so I draped some foil over the top. I baked mine for an hour and thought the apples were a little too done for my taste. DELISH though and next time I will bake for 45 minutes.
Awesome, glad you guys liked it 🙂
I have apples and want to make this now, but I’m in the midst of a Whole30, so I want to freeze it for later. Would you freeze this before or after baking?
By the way, you are my Whole30 HERO! I don’t feel like I’m missing out on a thing because of several of your recipes. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
So glad you enjoyed the Whole30 recipes! I’m not sure about freezing, I don’t think I’ve ever frozen anything with already cooked apples so I’m not sure how they would reheat. I’m thinking raw apples wouldn’t freeze so well, so if you do try it baking first would be my guess.
Hey Ashley!
I know this is an old comment but did you ever freeze this and if you did, how did it turn out?
Easy to make, little added sugar and a big hit. This is a keeper. Thank you ?
Awesome, glad you liked it!
Hi. This recipe looks awesome but I can’t do the almond flour. Do you have any substitutions that would work instead?
Any other nut flour/meal would work, if you can’t do nuts you can try ground flaxseed.
Hey there! I’m in the same boat with the almond allergy… I have some coconut flour in the pantry. Do you think that could work??
Hey there! I thInk I posted this comment in the wrong place last time ? so here it is again! Lol!… I’m in the same boat with the almond allergy… I have some coconut flour in the pantry. Do you think that could work??
Unfortunately it would be too dry and crumbly in this recipe if the same amount is used. I think cassava flour could work a bit better but I’m not sure of the amount, go a bit under in measurement if you try it!
Did you ever try it with the Casava flour?
I have the same nut allergy
Made this last night for breakfast this morning. I baked it in my countertop oven and the crisp topping started to burn after 20 minutes so I shut off the convection setting and lowered the oven temp to 350°F. I should have thought about covering it. I used Gala apples and left the peel on. It still tastes great with the burnt crisp topping!