September always makes me want to put apples and cinnamon in something. This apple crisp gives you all those early-fall flavors without forcing you to use a pie crust, a rolling pin or a degree from pastry school! Apples contain soluble fiber, including pectin, while oats provide beta-glucan, another type of soluble fiber.
Oats have particularly good evidence for helping lower LDL cholesterol when consumed regularly as part of an overall heart-healthy diet. Walnuts contribute unsaturated fats, fiber and plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
Does that turn apple crisp into medicine? Maybe so!
I intentionally kept the filling only moderately sweet because apples bring plenty of their own sugar, plus I don’t like things too sweet. Serve it warm on its own, with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, or with vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Apple Filling
6 medium apples ~2 pounds (900 g) before peeling (Use Granny Smith and Honeycrisp)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
A pinch of salt
Ingredients for the Maple-Walnut Oat Topping
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup all-purpose flour (or use 1:1 gluten-free blend if you prefer)
½ cup chopped walnuts
⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
1 TEA ground cinnamon
¼ TEA sea salt
6 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
2 TBSP maple syrup
½ TEA vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter or spray some oil onto an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch baking dish.
Peel the apples, and slice them about ¼-inch thick. Not paper-thin or they’ll turn to applesauce.
Place the apples in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, maple syrup, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Toss thoroughly until you no longer see pockets of dry cornstarch.
Transfer the apples (along with any juice in the bowl) to the baking dish and spread them into an even layer.
In the same bowl, combine the oats, flour, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Pour in the melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir with a fork until everything is evenly moistened and you have lots of little crumbles. Sprinkle the topping evenly over your apples. Don’t pack it down. Those loose crumbles are what become the crispy topping.
Bake uncovered for 40 to 50 minutes. It’s ready when the topping is golden, and you can see the apple filling bubbling around several edges of the pan. Insert a small knife into the center –> you’re checking to see if the apples are tender (but not completely mushy).
This shouldn’t happen but just so you know: If the topping becomes nicely browned before the apples are soft/tender, loosely cover the top of the dish with foil and keep baking.
Once cooked, let it cool Let about 20 minutes before serving. This isn’t culinary torture (because it will smell amazing) the resting time allows the hot apple juices to thicken so you get a beautiful filling rather than apple soup!
If you like recipes with apples, try this one next: Baked Apples with Cinnamon & Walnuts
Storage: Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions briefly in the microwave, or air fryer.
Suzy Cohen, RPh, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years, blending conventional medicine with natural approaches to help people feel better and live healthier. She is the founder of Script Essentials, a supplement company known for targeted, custom-formulated products, some with patented innovations.
With a special focus on thyroid health, functional medicine, and drug-induced nutrient depletion (what she calls “drug muggers”), Suzy is the author of several books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, and Diabetes Without Drugs. She also writes a nationally syndicated health column and shares practical, easy-to-understand guidance with readers around the world.
