Make ahead apple crisp is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving...make it the day before, store in the fridge, and reheat in the oven while your guests enjoy turkey dinner!
This is the first real dessert I've shared on the blog in a loooong time, and it's in the name of a good cause: Thanksgiving! This apple crisp is going on our make ahead Thanksgiving menu. It's so simple to prepare ahead and reheat while your guests are eating dinner!
Reasons you'll love this apple crisp
- you can make it the day before and reheat in the oven
- it's made from 'clean' ingredients and has no refined sugar
- you can make it gluten free and vegan/paleo with a few simple swaps
How to make apple crisp
This apple crisp recipe makes a big batch, but you can scale it back and cook in a square 9 x 9 inch pan.
Here's how to make it:
- Peel and slice 8 cups of apples (toss in a little lemon juice to prevent browning).
- Combine the apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, maple syrup, water, and a bit of flour or arrowroot powder.
- Prepare the crumble topping mixture with melted butter, coconut sugar, rolled oats, and either flour or almond flour.
- Bake for 45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender.
- Serve warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream!
That's it! The bulk of your time with this healthy apple crisp recipe will be spent in peeling and slicing the apples!
What kind of apples should I use?
I used ambrosia apples, but according to Bon Appetit, it's best to use a mix of sweet & tart apples. Granny Smith apples are a nice choice, as well as honeycrisp.
Can I swap an ingredient in this recipe?
This is a pretty loosey goosey recipe. Let's discuss ingredient swaps!
- coconut sugar- swap for brown sugar. Do not use maple syrup, as it makes the crisp topping dense. It will not provide the oat topping with the texture you expect.
- all purpose flour- swap for white whole wheat flour, almond flour (crumble topping only), cornstarch or arrowroot powder (filling)
- maple syrup- swap for an equal amount of coconut or brown sugar. I have not tested honey, but I suspect it would work well.
- butter- swap for coconut oil, although butter does provide additional depth and flavor.
How to make it ahead and re-heat
This recipe can be baked 1-2 days ahead and stored in the fridge. When you are ready to reheat, simply pop it in the oven at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until warmed through. You may want to loosly cover with aluminum foil the first 10 minutes to prevent the top from over browning. However, be sure you remove it the last bit of cooking so it crisps up nicely.
It's perfect for Thanksgiving dessert because you can pop it in the oven while you serve dinner and have delicious apple crisp fresh out of the oven for dessert!
Apparently, you can make apple crisp ahead and freeze as well! Happy Money Saver freezes her apple crisp before baking, then thaws completely and reheats in the oven. I bet her freezing technique would work great for this apple crisp with streusel topping as well!
Recipe tips
- I used this deep casserole dish from Crate & Barrel, but the recipe should fit fine in a 9x13 inch baking dish as well
- you can half the recipe and bake in a square 9 x 9 inch dish
- Looking for more Thanksgiving recipes? Try this Dry Brined Turkey with Garlic Sage Butter, this Make Ahead Sage Apple Stuffing, or this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad
Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!
Make Ahead Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 8 cups apples (peeled & sliced)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (cornstarch or arrowroot flour are good alternatives)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup water
crumble topping
- ¼ cup butter melted
- ½ cup coconut sugar (brown sugar may be swapped)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup all purpose flour (almond flour works great too)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- In a large baking dish, mix together the apples and lemon juice, then toss in the flour, cinnamon & nutmeg to coat. Pour the maple syrup and water evenly over everything.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the coconut sugar and cinnamon. Add the all purpose flour, rolled oats and pinch of salt and mix with a fork until crumbly. Scatter over the apples.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until apples are soft and the crumb topping is golden.
To make this ahead
- Cool completely after baking, then cover and store in the fridge for 1-2 days. Reheat at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until warmed through.
Nutrition Information
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P Lincoln says
I made this and while the flavor is good, the top is not crumbly enough, too dry. I made exactly as recipe calls for. Also I would use a few more apples to make it mounded as it shrinks down a bit. When I reheat tomorrow I will use dotted butter on top to help or make another topping using cold butter cut into the crusty mixture to make it more crunchy.
Ben says
Hi there,
Sorry, it didn't work out as you expected, and thanks for your tips for improvement.
Colleen says
I just made this and the topping is dry and looks uncooked. What did I do wrong?
Jasmine @ Sweet Peas & Saffron says
Hi Colleen, did you make any substitutions? Perhaps it needs longer in the oven - all stoves are different, and sometimes it's best to cook until the topping is golden (leaving it in for longer than 45 minutes if necessary). I hope this helps, and thank you for your feedback!
Nelly says
Hello i was wondering if i make it ahead of time, will the top still have a crunch to it? Or will it be alright if I bake it half way and then finish baking it on the day needed?
Denise Bustard says
Hi Nelly! If you make it ahead, the topping will be softer, but still so delicious! If you'd like a crispier topping, one alternative is to leave it off for the first bake, and add it on fresh for the reheat. Hope that makes sense!
Jillian says
Hi, I was wondering if you reheat uncovered?
Thanks!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Jillian! I would reheat uncovered.
Nancy says
Made this for my sister in law’s birthday! It was a great hit! Everyone loved it!
Denise Bustard says
Hi Nancy! I'm so happy to hear this! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know how it went 🙂