Recipe for Low-Sugar Flourless Apple Crisp made with Olive Oil

Yesterday I started my annual count-down to Thanksgiving by posting the 2009 edition of Low-Glycemic Thanksgiving recipes. That post has some recipes from this year that I think would make good options to add to the master list of Thanksgiving Recipes, and I promised I'd be adding even more ideas during November, starting with this delicious low sugar and healthful version of apple crisp. This is a recipe with something for everyone! Not only is this a perfect dessert option for anyone who's following the South Beach Diet or another type of low-glycemic eating plan, but it's also vegan, and with the right ingredient choices it could be gluten-free. (Of course, if you don't care about the whole low sugar thing, you can go ahead and make it with sugar too.)

I'd been thinking about making low-sugar apple crisp, but the idea of making apple crisp with olive oil came from Olive Oil Baking, a book that intrigued me so much I just had to buy it. This recipe is adapted from their version, but I got the idea of using almond flour in the crisp topping from The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana from Elana's Pantry. I've always liked apple crisp, but hadn't made it for years, and I was thrilled with how this turned out. (Actually, thrilled enough to eat a big bowl of it for breakfast one day, which is one reason it's good that it's low-sugar and flourless!)

I started by blending the oats in the food processor for a finer crumb for the topping. (Next time I might blend them even more.) Then I let the food processor blend the Splenda and Almond Flour with the oats.

Put the crumb mixture in a bowl, then make a well in the center and add the olive oil and vanilla.

Wash hands, then use your fingers to mix the olive oil/vanilla mixture through the topping until it all seems moistened and looks crumbly.

If you want chopped walnuts or pecans in the topping, this is the time to add them. (Next time I'd probably skip the nuts.)

I made the topping first so the apples wouldn't get brown, and using the apple corer helped to make peeling and slicing the apples a bit quicker.

Combine peeled apples with Splenda and cinnamon, then stir so all the apple slices are coated.

Put apples into a baking dish that's been sprayed with non-stick spray or olive oil. I used this baking dish, which was just right for the small size I made, but you could double the recipe and use a larger dish.

Top the sweetened apples with the crumb topping, spreading it out so the surface of the apples is completely covered.

When it's done, the surface of the crumb topping will be nicely browned, and the apple mixture will be slightly bubbling.

Low-Sugar, Flourless Apple Crisp made with Olive Oil
(Makes 4-5 servings, adapted from recipes in Olive Oil Baking and The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.)

Apple mixture:
6 medium-sized apples (about 5 cups sliced apples, I used a mixture of Granny Smith and Jonathan apples)
1/4 cup Splenda
1 tsp. Cinnamon (I used Saigon Cassia cinnamon from The Spice House)

Crumb topping:
1/2 cup + 2 T rolled oats
6 T almond flour or almond meal
6 T Splenda
2 T olive oil
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, next time I'm not sure I would add the nuts)

Preheat oven to 400F/200C. Spray a glass or crockery baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray. (I used a 9x9 inch baking dish.)

If desired, use a food processor to process the rolled oats about 2-3 minutes, until they're a finer grind. (This is optional.) Use food processor to mix almond flour and Splenda into the oats mixture, or put oats in bowl and mix with a spoon. (If you're adding nuts, measure 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans, then chop coarsely with chef's knife and add to the mixture.) Make a well in the center, then pour olive oil and vanilla into the well. Wash hands if needed, then use your fingers to blend the oil and vanilla into the oat mixture.

Peel apples, cut out cores, and thinly slice. (I used an apple corer, then peeled the slices and cut each one in half.) Put apple slices in a bowl, sprinkle Splenda and cinnamon over apples, then stir until all the apples are well coated with the Splenda and cinnamon.

Put apples in baking dish and top with the crumb topping, spreading it out so the surface of apples is completely covered with the crumb mixture. Bake 45-50 minutes, until the topping is slightly browned and apples are cooked through and slightly bubbling. Serve hot or cold. This will keep in the fridge for a few days, but it probably won't last that long.

Printer Friendly Recipe South Beach Suggestions:

The use of Splenda and olive oil would make this version of apple crisp especially suitable for the South Beach Diet, but this is phase 2 or 3 due to the oatmeal in the crisp topping. Even though Splenda is low in calories, the almond flour is a calorie-dense food, so use portion control if you're actively trying to lose weight.

More Low-Sugar Desserts You Might Like:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Low Sugar and Whole Wheat Apple-Pear Cake with Cinnamon and Pecans from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low Sugar and Whole Wheat Garden Harvest Cake with Zucchini, Apples, and Carrots from
Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Sugar Pumpkin and Apple Crumble from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low-Sugar and Flourless Apple Cranberry Crumble from Kalyn's Kitchen
Reduced Sugar Pumpkin Cheesecake from Kalyn's Kitchen
Low Sugar or Sugar-Free Chocolate Cherry Almond Biscotti from Health Nut
Sugar-Free Flourless Chocolate Torte from Gluten-Free Goodness
Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Agave Sweetened Pumpkin Pudding from The W.H.O.L.E. Gang
Gluten-Free Agave-Sweetened Chocolate Cupcakes from Elana's Pantry
Sugar Free Snickerdoodle Cake from Ginger Lemon Girl
(Want even more recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)

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