Sweet apples are tossed with tart cranberries and flavored with cinnamon and coconut sugar. Top it all off with an almond-coconut crumble for the perfect holiday dessert. This paleo apple cranberry crisp is sure to be a crowd pleaser! Not only is this dessert paleo-friendly, but it’s vegan too!
Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete without a delicious sweet treat to finish off the big meal. Am I right?
You may remember my obsession with this summer fruit crisp. I mentioned in that post that an apple version would be perfect for fall. Well, it definitely is perfect for fall… and it’s even more perfect with cranberries tossed in for Thanksgiving!
Before we get into this fabulous dessert, how is your week going? Can you believe we are one week away from Thanksgiving?! Time is just flying by!
I’m extremely excited for Thanksgiving week… I mean, who wouldn’t be excited for tons of delicious food?! I’m also anxiously awaiting the day after (AKA Black Friday). Not because I’ll be shopping, but because we will be getting our Christmas tree! This will be our first Christmas in our new house, so I can’t wait to decorate.
By the way, I don’t shop on Black Friday. I used to work in retail and have been scarred for life. No amount of savings is worth it for me to venture out at ridiculous hours with big crowds and shop. In fact, I did the majority of my shopping already. There are actually fantastic deals before the official start of holiday shopping. Plus, you get the best selection… because once Black Friday hits, forget it! All of the nice wrapping paper is picked through, the stores are a mess, and the “hot” items are no where to be found.
Ok, now let’s talk about this paleo apple cranberry crisp!
Are you a pumpkin or apple pie fan on Thanksgiving? I’m more of an apple pie fan – pumpkin pie just doesn’t do it for me. I love pumpkin desserts, but pumpkin pie is on the bottom of my list. Like everything else at my holiday table, I like to mix things up every year. I never make the same dishes… and that goes for dessert, too.
I love experimenting with paleo recipes, and since my blueberry peach crisp is one of my favorite paleo desserts, adapting it for Thanksgiving was a no brainer. What really sets this apple crisp apart, aside from it being paleo, is the addition of fresh cranberries. I really LOVE adding fresh cranberries to desserts. Not only are they festive, but they add such great color and a wonderful tart bite.
A few notes about the recipe:
- Although I wrote this recipe to be paleo, you can still enjoy it even if you don’t follow a paleo diet! It’s SO good and since the crumb topping uses almond flour and shredded coconut, it adds such a great flavor. If you don’t care about keeping this paleo, you can easily use brown sugar instead of the coconut sugar.
- You can use whatever your favorite baking apples are. I do recommend something on the semi-sweet side as opposed to a tart apple (like a granny smith). Since we’re adding cranberries in, you don’t want things to be too tart. I used cortland apples.
- I love this topped with some ice cream or whipped cream. Since I don’t follow a paleo diet, I top mine with my favorite ice cream. However, you can obviously use a dairy-free ice cream, or you favorite paleo ice cream. Coconut whipped cream makes a great paleo/dairy-free topper, too!
Another great attribute about this recipe is that you can make it ahead. When it comes to holidays, make ahead items are an absolute must! Just keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days before you plan on serving. I like this crisp best when it’s cold, but you can always set it out to come to room temperature if you prefer.
With this dessert on the table you’ll be sure to save room for dessert!
Have a great weekend!
- 6 Apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 ½ Cups Fresh Cranberries, optional
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- ¼ Cup Coconut Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 Cup Almond Flour
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
- ¼ Cup Coconut Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ¼ Cup Melted Coconut Oil
- ½ Lemon, juiced
- Preheat the oven to 350º.
- Combine the apples in a large bowl with the cranberries, lemon juice, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of salt. Toss well and the pour the fruit mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish, or a deep dish baker.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut, coconut sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil, and lemon juice. Using a fork or your hands, mix the crumble until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit mixture. Bake the apple crisp until golden brown on top and the fruit is tender – about 30-40 minutes.
I can’t believe we’re just a week away from Thanksgiving, either! I’m so excited! And I’m right there with you…you will NEVER find me in a mall on Black Friday, or even on the weekends during the holiday season, as I hate the crowds! I would much rather shop during the week, or even better, online! And yay for this crisp! Thanksgiving definitely isn’t complete without a sweet treat, and crisps just happen to be my favorite. Love the apple and cranberry combo!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Pumpkin French Toast Cups with Cinnamon Streusel
I hate the crowds, too! Last year the mall here ran out of parking and there was a 2 hour wait just to get into the parking lot! I pretty much avoid shopping at all during the holiday season.. but when I do go, it’s during the week and first thing in the morning! Thanks for the kinds words on the crisp, Gayle! 🙂
I can’t believe Thanksgiving is next week either, craziness right? And I worked retail too!! AND I don’t do shopping on Black Friday either. OMG, crazy lines, people and jam packed stores give me anxiety… and claustrophobia! 😉 Anyways, love this crisp!! It’s so pretty Keri!! And the apple n’ cranberry combo is just perfect for Thanksgiving! I’m thinking staying in on Black Friday with some Netflix and this crisp sounds like the perfect plan! Cheers!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Bourbon Apple Pie Bites
Ugh, I totally agree on all of those reasons to avoid shopping on Black Friday! Curling up with some crisp and Netflix sounds like the BEST plan, Cheyanne! 🙂
I just realized I don’t have vanilla extract or lemon juice! Ahh! Any possible substitutions? I have lemon extract…?
You can just leave them out! The lemon juice adds a bit of acidity to balance the sweetness, but it will be just fine without. The vanilla extract adds a little something extra, but again it will be fine without. Enjoy 🙂
Just tried this recipe and did double the amount to make 2 pans. The top didnt come out crispy as described and the layer underneeth was very powdery, i feel like there is eggs missing or oil to make it more sticky.
I added 1tbsp of arrowroot powder and it came out nice and gooey like apple pie filling.
Made this yesterday, but only had three apples so I used a full bag of cranberries to get the volume somewhat close. The apples were honey crisp variety, so I didn’t add more sugar to offset tartness of extra cranberries. May be the best crumble I’ve ever eaten. Will make this part of my cold weather dessert team for sure. Thank you for sharing your recipe.