This dish will make your entire house smell like a warm hug. This comforting dessert is everything you love about an apple pie, but filled with wholesome ingredients like almond flour, coconut sugar, nuts, and vanilla, that turn this meal into a nourishing treat. I love taking the festiveness of holiday dishes and recreating them into delicious, healthier recipes. These apples can be served warmed, topped with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream (if you're dairy-free, try my coconut whipped cream on the blog!) or served for breakfast with a dollop of fresh yogurt. Personally, I just eat these babies plain, they're THAT good!
Ingredients:
3 medium apples, pink lady or fuji is best
1/4 cup water
1 cup blanched almond flour
4 tablespoons coconut sugar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup softened coconut oil
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup chopped cashews (walnuts would work great as well!)
pinch of salt
STEP 1:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
STEP 2:
Cut your apples in half down the middle, and cut out the core.
Place in an oven safe baking dish.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon coconut sugar.
Then, pour about 1 inch of water in the dish, this will help your apples steam and soften.
Bake for 15 minutes.
STEP 3:
While the apples are parbaking, make the crumb topping.
In a food processor (or you can do this by using two forks) combine:
1 cup almond flour, 3 tablespoons coconut sugar, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup softened (not liquid) coconut oil, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pinch of salt.
Work your forks back and forth, just like you'd shred a chicken breast. Once little lumps are formed, add in your slivered almonds and chopped cashews, this will give great texture and crunch.
STEP 4:
After your apples have cooked for 15 minutes in the oven, pull them out, and stuff each one with the crumb topping. Sprinkle with some more slivered almonds and place back in the oven for another 30 - 40 minutes. Be sure to watch the crumb topping, if you let the apples cook too long, it will burn!
STEP 5:
A bit of syrup should have formed in the bottom of the pan, you can spoon that over the top of the apples and sprinkle them with another dash of cinnamon. Then, they're ready to be topped with vanilla bean ice cream, or eaten fresh out of the oven plain! Yum, my mouth is watering! This is everything you love about an apple pie, but there's no crust and no guilt! Enjoy!
Health benefits:
This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, paleo and Whole30 approved - so we're firing on all cylinders here! Apples are filled with fiber, they're detoxifying, and even help fight allergies. They're linked to a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, and promote good gut bacteria, aiding in digestion. Plus, this recipe leaves the apple skin on, which is chock full of vitamins your body needs. Almonds and cashews complete this dish with a dose of protein and satiating fats, keeping you full longer. Cinnamon is a metabolism booster, helping your digestive system thrive. So, when you're diving into this warm dessert, know you're doing your body good this holiday season. Because at the end of the day, health is the greatest gift of all!
