Cranberry Apple Crumble

This delicious Cranberry Apple Crumble is low in sugar and gluten-free, and it’s perfect for a festive dessert without added sugar. If you can find reduced-sugar dried cranberries, they’re perfect for this recipe.

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We’re approaching the time of year when sweet treats are everywhere you look, and trying to avoid them sometimes feels like a hopeless cause. The holidays can really be a challenge for people who are trying to limit carbs.

But what can make the cravings for holiday sweets easier to satisfy is making sweet treats that are lower in sugar and full of healthy ingredients, and this Cranberry Apple Crumble has no added sugar, and it’s gluten-free and less sweet and more nutritious than most of the things you see this time of year.

I first made this as a spin-off from the Low Sugar Pumpkin Apple Crumble I like so much, and this version with apples and cranberries was just as good. And this might be a fun dessert to serve during the holidays.

What ingredients do you need?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

• apples (I like a mix of red and green apples)
• Coconut Oil (affiliate link)
• Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), or other sweetener of your choice
• ground cinnamon (affiliate link)
• apple pie spice (affiliate link), optional
• dried cranberries or Reduced-Sugar Dried Cranberries (affiliate link)
• Gluten-Free Rolled Oats (affiliate link)
• Almond Flour (affiliate link)

What makes this Cranberry Apple Crumble a healthier dessert?

Of course apples have some natural sugar, but this recipe uses Monkfruit Sweetener, which is a natural no-calorie sweetener. I use coconut oil instead of butter, and although there are not a huge amount of dried cranberries, I prefer reduced-sugar dried cranberries. And instead of the flour that’s traditional in this type of dessert, my recipe uses almond flour.

Will Golden Monkfruit Sweetener work for Cranberry Apple Crumble?

I’m a fan of both Classic Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link and Golden Monkfruit Sweetener (affiliate link), and either can be used for this recipe.

Would you prefer fresh cranberries?

There’s also a low-sugar recipe on the blog for Cranberry Apple Crisp, which is similar to this one but that recipe uses fresh cranberries.

How to make Cranberry Apple Crumble:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

1. I used a mix of red and green apples for best flavor.
2. Heat butter or coconut oil over low heat and add the apples as you peel and slice them.
3. When all apples are added to the pan add the Monkfruit sweetener (or sweetener of your choice), cinnamon, and apple pie spice (if using) and cook a few minutes
4. Then add dried cranberries and cook a few minutes more.
5. I originally used butter in this recipe, but this time we melted coconut oil to use for the crumble topping.
6. Grind the oatmeal in a food processor (affiliate link), then add the almond flour and sweetener and pulse again.
7. Add the melted coconut oil and pulse a few more times.
8. Put the slightly-cooked apples and cranberries into a baking dish and spread the crumble topping over.
9. Bake about 30 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly bubbling and starting to brown on top.
10. Serve hot, topped with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

More Low-Sugar or Sugar-Free Desserts:

• Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies
• Sugar-Free Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Almond Flour Brownies
• Low-Carb No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake Dessert
• Sugar-Free Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

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Yield: 8 servings

Cranberry Apple Crumble

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

This low-sugar and gluten-free Cranberry Apple Crumble is a festive dessert that’s healthier than traditional sweet treats.

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 8 large apples (any type of cooking apple will work; I like a mix of red and green apples)
• 2 tsp. coconut oil (see notes)
• 1/3 cup Monkfruit Sweetener (see notes)
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. apple pie spice (optional)
• 1/4 C dried cranberries or reduced-sugar dried cranberries

Crumble Topping Ingredients:

• 1 C Gluten-Free Rolled Oats (see notes)
• 1/3 C almond flour
• 1/3 C Monkfruit Sweetener or sweetener of your choice
• 3 T melted coconut oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C).
2. Spray a glass or crockery baking dish (about 9″ x 13″ size) lightly with coconut oil or non-stick spray.
3. Melt 2 tsp. coconut oil, butter, or trans-fat free margarine in large non-stick frying pan turned to very low heat.
4. Peel apples one at a time, cut into slices and place in frying pan.
5. When all apples are in pan, add sweetener, cinnamon, and apple pie spice (if using).
6. Cook a few minutes, and when apples are starting to soften add dried cranberries and cook a few minutes more.
7. While apple mixture cooks, put oatmeal into food processor or the bowl of an immersion blender and process about 30 seconds, just until oatmeal is starting to be finely ground.
8. Add almond meal and other 1/3 cup sweetener and pulse to combine.
9. Melt the coconut oil, butter, or margarine, add to the food processor, and pulse a few seconds to combine.
10. Pour cooked apple mixture into the bottom of a 9 X 13 inch crockery or glass casserole dish. (If you only have a metal pan, I would spray it very well with non-stick spray.)
11. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of apples in an even layer.
12. Bake 30 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly bubbling and lightly browned on top.
13. Serve hot.
14. This would be great with whipped cream or ice cream on top.

Notes

I'd make this with Monkfruit Sweetener or Golden Monkfruit Sweetener, but use any no-calorie sweetener of your choice.

Use butter instead of coconut oil if you prefer.

Grind the oatmeal in a food processor or bowl attachment of immersion blender;  be sure to use Gluten-Free rolled oats if needed. Most stores sell Almond Flour (affiliate link), and I buy it at Costco!

Nutritional information is calculated using Monkfruit sweetener and reduced-sugar dried cranberries.

Recipe adapted from Low Sugar Pumpkin Apple Crumble.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 235Total Fat: 9.4gSaturated Fat: 5.5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3.1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 8gSugar: 22.5gProtein: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Cranberry Apple Crumble does have natural sugar from the apples and dried cranberries, so it can never be completely sugar-free. You could make this lower in carbs by omitting the dried cranberries if you prefer. For the original South Beach Diet, even with an approved sweetener (and using the coconut oil or trans-fat free margarine South Beach would recommend) it’s probably best for phase 3, or an occasional treat for phase two.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Desserts and Baking Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Danica's Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Cranberry Apple Crumble was first posted in 2008. It was updated with better photos and instructions in December 2015, and last updated with more information in 2023.

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