Healthy Baked Cinnamon Apples With Crumb Topping

Warming, sweet, tart, filling, and often served with generous helpings of ice cream, eggnog, and cherished moments with family and friends. Indeed, nothing says the holidays, dessert, and grandma’s cooking quite like a perfectly baked apple pie. But, then again, does anything say, “Oh, fuji! I need to start my diet ASAP!” quite like it either? Luckily, there are ways to make America’s favorite pie á la mode healthy, delicious, and a hit with everyone at the dinner table. This baked cinnamon apples recipe unveils a low-carb apple pie re-do that keeps you satisfied all season long, while leaving less calories to burn off in the new year!

How To Make Low-Carb Apple Pie

Quality and taste preferences aside, pie is pie. Now, before you throw your phone across the room, slam your laptop shut in disbelief, or harangue me with the implications of baking blasphemy, just hear me out… 

Store-bought or homemade, sweet or citrusy, low-carb apple pie or high-fructose key lime, dessert pies are almost always generously sugared one-fruit salads baked in a breaded crust, and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to either complement or conceal the flavors within. And, they all look pretty similar, especially on the dinner party dessert table.

When it comes to making your pie stand out, you gotta think outside the crust.

This recipe is a low-carb apple pie that looks nothing like the freezer aisle options—or what Aunt Ann brings to Every. Single. Family. Dinner. Ever… 

Instead, you’ll be cooking up baked cinnamon apples with a delicious oat-crumble topping that’s not just eye catching and delicious, but waist-slimming and age-defying.

Here’s why:

1. Swapping that nutrient-bereft crust for healthy baked apples provides your body with ample vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients. 
2. Fiber-rich and filling, these baked cinnamon apples help combat seasonal over-eating.
3. No preservatives, no added sugars, no unpronounceable ingredients… Check out the nutritional label of store-bought crusts and crumbles, even store-bought low-carb apple pie: all full of fake food! Every bite of these baked cinnamon apples is real and really delicious. 
4. While typical apple pies can cause inflammation and oxidative stress, thanks to unhealthy ingredients, these healthy baked apples are full of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients that can help slow the visible and physical signs of aging and keep your body optimally tuned. 
5. They stand out amongst the standard pies at any family gathering. Just don’t get caught drooling. 🤤

On top of everything above, these healthy baked apples are both easy and fun to make. They’re a great dessert (or breakfast 😅) from autumn through spring.

Best Apples For Pie

All apples may be delicious, but not all apples are made for baking. Stick to these to ensure your baked cinnamon apples come out fresh, tart, and with a satisfying crunch. 

• Honeycrisp apples are my favorite for snacking and baking alike. And I’m not alone. They hold their texture and sweetness perfectly and complement almost any ingredient they’re paired with. 
• Braeburns hold intense sweetness with a relatively firm texture that maintains crunch when eaten raw or baked. They’re one of the most popular apples in the store. [1]
• Empire apples offer a slight melon or pineapple taste that’s delightful in baked recipes, baked cinnamon apples included. A pro tip: pick the freshest empire apples in the bunch, as their characteristics tend to fade the longer they’ve been off the tree.

Benefits Of Baked Cinnamon Apples

As I mentioned, there are plenty of benefits to these healthy baked apples—especially compared to traditional apple pie.

• Supports weight loss—Apples have been shown to help support weight loss by making you feel fuller before meals, so that you eat less. [2] Try using this recipe as a sweet appetizer!
• Excellent source of protein—Oats offer the most nutritionally valuable protein of all the cereals. Their storage proteins are primarily saline-soluble globulin, whereas other cereals are primarily alcohol-soluble prolamins, which are much less nutritious. [3]
• Rich in antioxidants & antiinflammatories—Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger are each loaded with antioxidants and antiinflammatories, which can help reduce cellular stress, prevent cancer, and balance your physiology. [4, 5, 6]
• Slows aging signs—Unlike any baked apple recipe out there, this one uses SkinnyFit Super Youth collagen peptides. Collagen is the most abundant protein in our bodies, but we stop producing it around our mid-20s/early 30s, leading to skin that looks aged, damages easier, and has lower elasticity, which causes wrinkles. [7] Super Youth also helps thicken hair, particularly in women. [8]
• Strengthens Bones & Joints—Super Youth isn’t just about younger looks! These high-grade collagen peptides also strengthen bones, joints, and ligaments. Replenishing your body’s collagen can help increase athletic mobility and joint performance, as well as decrease common joint pain, even that associated with osteoporosis. [9, 10]

Whether you’re making this recipe for health, pleasure, or both, these baked cinnamon apples will brighten your holidays and help keep you on-diet without having to go full salad mode for the rest of the season.