Citric Acid Free Apple Crisp with Cinnamon Walnut Topping
Warm, bubbling apple filling crowned with a golden, crunchy walnut and oat topping — this dessert is the kind of thing that makes a whole kitchen smell incredible. Avoiding citric acid can be surprisingly tricky with packaged sweets, where it hides as a preservative or flavor enhancer in everything from pie fillings to store-bought crumbles. Here, the sweetness comes entirely from pure maple syrup and the natural sugars in the apples, with fresh lemon juice doing the brightening work instead of any processed acid additives. The topping leans on gluten-free rolled oats, chopped raw walnuts, and almond flour bound together with coconut oil and maple syrup — simple, whole ingredients with nothing hidden in the mix. Ground cinnamon and ginger give the filling a warmly spiced depth that makes this feel far more indulgent than the ingredient list suggests. Letting it rest for a few minutes after baking is the move — the filling thickens beautifully and every scoop holds together perfectly. Serve it as-is or alongside your favorite dairy-free topping for a dessert that genuinely delivers.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the filling
- 5 medium apples (about 2 lbs), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
For the topping
- 1 cup gluten free rolled oats
- ¾ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish with a small amount of coconut oil.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon, ground ginger, and 2 tbsp maple syrup until the apples are evenly coated. Transfer the filling to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer.
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