Xanthan Gum Free Ginger-Cardamom Apple Oat Crisp
Warm spiced apples bubbling beneath a golden, crunchy oat topping — this is the kind of dessert that makes your whole kitchen smell incredible. Fresh ginger and double-hit cardamom give the filling a fragrant, slightly exotic depth that goes way beyond a standard apple crisp, while cinnamon and lemon juice keep everything bright and balanced. Arrowroot starch does the quiet work of thickening the filling as it bakes, so you get that gorgeous, jammy texture without reaching for any gum-based additives or synthetic thickeners. The topping comes together with rolled oats, almond flour, and chopped walnuts bound by coconut oil and maple syrup — nothing processed, nothing hidden, just ingredients that clump and toast into something genuinely irresistible. Many packaged crisp mixes and baking blends sneak in xanthan gum as a binder, so making this from scratch puts you fully in control of what goes into the dish. Let it rest for a few minutes after it comes out of the oven and the filling will settle into a thick, spoonable consistency that's perfect on its own or with a scoop of your favorite ice cream alongside.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
For the apple filling
- 5 medium apples (about 2 lbs), peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the oat topping
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
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, combine the sliced apples, 2 tbsp maple syrup, fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp cardamom, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 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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