COCONUT OIL APPLE CRISP

This post is sponsored by my favorite beautiful, golden, always crunchy and always sweet Opal Apples.

Pop Quiz: what’s super cinnamony-cozy, made with wholesome ingredients (think oats, pecans, honey, coconut oil, and apples), and ultra joy-giving right here in the smack dab middle of winter?

(Pop Quiz Part Two: what have I secretly eaten for breakfast every day this week?)

Answers: THIS COCONUT OIL APPLE CRISP.

February is ticking slowly along, and you guys, I hate to be so cold weather depressed, but I am having none of it. I am, instead, having large, warm bowls of coconut oil apple crisp that is made without wheat (♡ held together by that textured, nutty almond meal! ♡) and sweetened without refined sugar (♡ kissed by the golden beauty of honey! ♡) and decorated with a little bit of that honey goat cheese drizzle-sauce that I whipped up because I can’t not drizzle stuff on my food.

I will survive.

Do you guys remember when we went to Washington last fall and toured the orchards where they grow Opal apples? And do you remember how I hoarded the apples in my tiny purse while walking through the rows and rows of apples? Moral of the story: I need a bigger purse.

I will be the first to admit that I am a die-hard Honeycrisp apple fan, and yet. AND YET.

I am absolutely certain that Opal apples rival the taste and texture of even the sweetest, crispiest, most juicy Honeycrisps, which makes them my snack-apple bread and butter (except, uhh, the healthier opposite of that) during my current 60 day experiment of ditching refined sugar. Seriously: these are a must-try.

I currently buy a big bag of them every week to keep myself snacking happy. If you are my neighbor in the Midwest, you can find these babies at Cub Foods and Lunds & Byerly’s. And guess what? They’re in season right now! through March. You’ve still got apple time.

Also, I don’t want to blow your mind or anything, but they naturally don’t brown after you cut them like apples usually do. Naturally as in non-GMO. I KNOW IT. It’s the little things.

With my 60 days of refined sugar free-ness, and the need for something absolutely warming and cozy in this negative nine hundred degree weather, THIS is what I’m eating these days.

Made with ingredients we can feel really good about, naturally sweet without loads of refined sugar, warm and cozy down to my tippiest toes, and perfect for bringing to our friends’ tonight when we go over to binge on Parks and Rec.

Love Love Love Love Love.

4.9 from 8 reviews

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COCONUT OIL APPLE CRISP

Author: Pinch of Yum

Serves: 8-10

 

INGREDIENTS

For the apples

• 4 Opal apples, chopped
• 2 tablespoons almond meal
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the topping

• ¾ cups + 2 tablespoons coconut oil (in liquid form)
• ½ cup honey
• 1¼ cup rolled oats
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Toss the apples with the almond meal and cinnamon and spread in a single layer in the baking dish.
2. Whisk the coconut oil and honey together until smooth. Place the rolled oats, pecans, almond meal, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add the coconut oil and honey mixture; stir until combined.
3. Pour the oat mixture over the apples to cover them evenly. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the topping is browning slightly. Let stand for 15-20 minutes.

NOTES

I made a quick little Honey Goat Cheese Drizzle (pictured with the apple crisp in these photos) made from 2 ounces softened goat cheese, 2 tablespoons half and half, and 1 tablespoon honey. I whisked that until smooth and then drizzled it over the whole thing. Yummy!