Barley Free Dark Chocolate Almond Apple Crisp
Warm, bubbling apple filling topped with a golden, nutty crunch and pockets of melted dark chocolate — this dessert hits every note you want from a fruit crisp without a trace of barley or any grain-based thickener. The filling gets its silky body from arrowroot starch rather than flour, which means it sets up beautifully without any of the usual suspects that can sneak gluten or barley derivatives into a classic recipe. Almond flour and rolled oats form the backbone of the topping, giving it that irresistible crumble texture alongside roughly chopped raw almonds for extra bite. Maple syrup sweetens both layers naturally, and the coconut oil binds the topping into satisfying, crispy clusters that shatter when you dig in. The chopped dark chocolate — at least 70% cacao — melts into the oat-almond mixture during baking, creating little pools of bittersweet richness that make this feel genuinely indulgent. A short rest after it comes out of the oven lets the filling thicken just enough so every scoop holds together on the spoon. Serve it warm as-is or with a scoop of your favorite ice cream for a dessert that nobody at the table will believe took so little effort.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the apple filling
- 5 medium apples (about 2 ½ lb), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
For the oat-almond topping
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup almond flour
- ½ cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with a small amount of coconut oil.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples, 3 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp cinnamon, ground ginger, arrowroot starch, and lemon juice. Toss until the apples are evenly coated, then spread them in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.
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