Allergy-Friendly Apple Crisp

SERVES 12

Autumn is the season for baking with fresh apples. This gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free apple crisp is not only tasty - it’s cozy comfort food, the ideal dessert for chilly weather. The sweet, crunchy crust complements the slightly tart flavor of the apples. Pre-cooking the apples before baking insures a perfect dessert every time.

Filling

3 pounds (about 6-7) Golden Delicious apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
2 tablespoons coconut oil or oil of choice
½ cup reduced apple cider* or unsweetened applesauce

Topping

8 tablespoons butter or dairy-free substitute of choice
1 cup gluten-free flour blend of choice (or ½ cup brown rice flour + ¼ cup tapioca
    starch/flour + ¼ cup potato starch)
1 cup certified gluten-free rolled oats or uncooked quinoa flakes
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted toasted sunflower seeds**

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease an 11x13-inch baking dish. Set aside. 

2. Peel and core the apples. Slice them into ¼ to ½-inch wedges and place them in a bowl. Add lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon and toss well to coat.

3. Place oil in a skillet. Set burner to medium heat and toss in apple mixture. Stir gently until apples and sugar start to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Add reduced apple cider and cook for 10 minutes until tender. Pour cooked apples into prepared baking dish. 

4. To prepare topping, melt butter and pour into a bowl. Add remaining topping ingredients and mix well to combine. Sprinkle topping over cooked apple mixture.

5. Place baking dish in preheated oven and bake on middle rack for 20 to 25 minutes or until top turns golden brown.  

6. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Serve warm by spooning apple crisp onto individual dessert plates or refrigerate for several hours and cut into squares.

Each serving contains 295 calories, 14g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 178mg sodium, 44g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 2g protein. 

*TIP To reduce apple cider, pour ¾ cup cider into a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Then lower heat and simmer until cider reduces to ½ cup.

**TIP To toast raw sunflower seeds, place in a skillet over medium heat and stir until golden brown. 

Recipe by Madalene Rhyand, director of Living Without’s test kitchen.