Order my new cookbook today! 
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our privacy policy.
My sugar free apple crisp recipe with oats and Swerve (a 1:1 sugar substitute) is a healthier version of this classic fruit dessert. If you need a lower calorie and lower carb apple crisp that’s a better fit for diabetics, look no further. My family all loves this lighter version of apple crisp and I just know yours will too!
Mmm 
– Falcon
Dietitian’s Note: If you’re looking for a sugar free apple crisp for diabetics, please note that this apple crisp is not very low carb, even though it is added sugar free. In general, apples are too high in carbohydrates to be a regular part of most keto diets. Though they contain no added sugars, apples are rather high in natural fruit sugars.
In addition, the oats and flour used in the crumb topping are high carbohydrate foods. Though you may fit this low carb apple crisp on a carbohydrate exchange diet for diabetes, it is not a good fit for very low carb diets (including ketogenic diets).
If you wanted a keto apple crisp, I have seen recipes that use peeled and seeded zucchini in the apples’ place. Low carb flours, such as almond flour, can be used for the crumb topping. That Low Carb Life has a sugar free keto apple crisp recipe (using zucchini instead of apples), if that’s what you are looking for.
For the rest of us that expect real apples in our apple crisp, let’s whip up this tasty recipe!
🍎 Sugar Free Apple Crisp Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make the best sugar free apple crisp I’ve tried:
- 5 cups peeled, cored, and sliced apples
- 1/3 cup Swerve granular
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Cooking oil spray
- ½ cup each: all-purpose flour, dry rolled oatmeal, packed Swerve brown
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
- Sugar free ice cream and/or sugar free caramel syrup (optional)
Get a printable recipe card at the end of the post!
The downside of Swerve is that it is far more expensive than regular brown or white sugar. However, unlike table sugar, Swerve has zero net carbs and zero calories, allowing us to make no added sugar recipes. An additional benefit is that brown Swerve does not clump up and harden as brown sugar does.
You can easily make this recipe vegan with plant-based stick butter. To make it gluten free, use certified gluten free oats and substitute the white flour for Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 baking flour.
The main pieces of equipment needed for this apple crisp recipe are an 8-inch by 8-inch glass baking dish (20x20cm), knife, and apple peeler.
What are the best apples for apple crisp?
Cortland apples and honey crisp apples are my favorite apples for baking pies and crisps. I highly recommend them! They are fabulous for snacking on as well.
Some other apple varieties that are excellent for apple crisps include the following:
- Jonamac
- Ginger Gold
- Gold Delicious (NOT Red Delicious apples!)
- Ida Red
- Mutsu
- Granny Smith
I have a chart showing which apple varieties are best for eating, pies, sauce, and baking in my Slow Cooker Applesauce Recipe article. Use the chart to pick a good apple to make sugar free apple desserts.
➕ How To Make Sugar Free Apple Crisp with Oats
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177C). Lightly mist a square glass baking dish with cooking spray.
Peel, core, and slice your apples. I aim to make the slices ¼-½-inch thick (0.6-1.3cm), and I cut the slices in half widthwise. Mix the apples with Swerve granular, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Pour your apple mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread the apples out into an even layer. Set the dish aside.
Next, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, Swerve brown, and butter. The recipe for the crumble is easy to remember because you need ½-cup of each dry ingredient. I like to stir the dry ingredients together and then incorporate the butter chunks with my fingers.
Your apple crumble mixture is ready when it has taken on a clumpy, coarse texture with no visible butter chunks. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top of the apples in the baking dish.
Bake your crisp in the middle of the heated oven for 35-40 minutes. I don’t recommend covering your apple crisp when baking. Covering the dessert will trap the moisture and will result in a crisp that is too watery.
It’s important to let the crisp cool before cutting into it. Your crisp will be less watery if you let it cool after baking.
If desired, you can serve your sugar free apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and caramel syrup. Use sugar-free and no added sugar products if you are looking to keep the entire dessert sugar free. It’s SO GOOD!
Should apple crisp be watery?
Apple crisp does tend to be a little watery coming out of the oven, but the apple filling will thicken as it cools. I tend to prefer apple crisp that is cooled and then reheated because it is less watery this way.
If you often have extremely watery apple pies and crisps, consider changing up the apple variety you are using. I gave suggestions for the best apples to use for apple crisp recipes in the ingredients section above.
Should apple crisp be served warm?
The answer to whether apple crisp should be served chilled or warm is really a matter of personal opinion. I prefer the juxtaposition of a warm fruit crisp with cold vanilla or berry ice cream. Something about the combination of a warm fruit dessert with some soft and slightly melty ice cream is pure bliss to me.
Should apple crisp be refrigerated after baking?
Store this sugar free apple crisp in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you are not going to finish this apple dessert within that time frame, freeze it! Apple crisps freeze well and can last for months in the freezer.
Some fruit pies and fruit crisps contain enough sugar to hinder the growth of bacteria and safely be kept at room temperature. For fruit crisp recipes without added sugar, I would not risk it. Just pop your sugar free crisp in the fridge after baking and cooling.
Watch How to Make It!
Sugar Free Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats
Ingredients
- 5 cups peeled, cored, sliced apples
- ⅓ cup Swerve, granular
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- cooking oil spray of choice
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup rolled oats, dry
- ½ cup Swerve, brown (packed)
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small chunks
- sugar free ice cream and/or sugar-free caramel syrup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Mist an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
- Peel, core, and slice your apples. Cut the slices ¼-½ inch (0.64-1.27 cm) thick, and then slice them in half widthwise. Mix the apples with granular Swerve, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Pour your apple mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread the apples out into an even layer. Set the dish aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, and brown Swerve. I used a combination of a spoon and my fingers. Then thoroughly incorporate the chunks of butter with clean hands.
- Your apple crumble mixture is ready when it has a clumpy, coarse texture with no visible butter chunks. Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the top of the apples in the baking dish.
- Bake the crisp in the middle of the heated 350°F (175°C) oven for 35-40 minutes. Let the crisp cool before cutting into it (it will be less watery if you let it cool a bit).
- If desired, serve the crisp with some creamy vanilla ice cream and caramel syrup. Use sugar-free and no added sugar products if you are looking to keep the entire dessert sugar free. Enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
When you substitute Swerve for sugar, you’re cutting 108 calories and 29g net carbs per serving. Though the change may seem minor, it has a big nutritional impact that may help if you follow a lower carb diet for weight loss or better blood sugar control in diabetes. The simple swap to a sugar substitute results in a net carb decrease of over 50%! Nutrition information is for one serving of the apple crisp only (not the optional ice cream or caramel). Carbohydrates listed in this recipe are for net carbs, not total carbs.
nutrition info disclaimer
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The nutrition information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
“To taste” means to your preferences, which may have to be visual to follow food safety rules. Please don’t eat undercooked food x
Nutrition
🍏 More Apple Recipes
Did you go apple picking this autumn and now have bushels of apples? Try these recipes using apples next:
- Dehydrated Cinnamon Apples
- Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce Recipe
- Overnight Oats with Applesauce
- Air Fryer Granola (No Oil)
- Apple Strawberry Smoothie
- Canned Whole Chicken Salad with Apples
Apples are a great fruit to have on hand because they can last for many weeks in the fridge without spoiling. In addition, many recipes made with apples freeze well. Try freezing homemade applesauce and homemade apple crisp when you have too many apples.
👩🍳 More Sugar Free Desserts
If you’re looking for more snacks with no sugar added, you might like these:
- Sugar Free Strawberry Shortcake
- Dalgona Coffee without Sugar
- Keto Blueberry Smoothie Recipe
- Roasted Black Beans (Cheesy and Crispy Snack!)
- Nut-Free Trail Mix
- Peanut Butter Avocado Smoothie with Chocolate
Join our community! Subscribe for all of the latest and greatest recipes, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
Hello! I’m Summer, a registered dietitian and home chef who loves to cook, eat, and create recipes for you! Every recipe on this site has been tested by me to help ensure your success in the kitchen. All eaters are welcome here 🙂
I am wondering why, if you’re interested in keeping this recipe low carb and diabetic friendly, why you’re using all-purpose flour instead of a lesser carb flour such as almond, coconut, or even oat flour.
Hi Karen, great question! I prefer the regular flour for taste and I was originally looking to lower the calories in this recipe for weight loss. Using a low cal sweetener has a much bigger impact towards that goal vs replacing AP flour with one of the flours you mentioned. Feel free to experiment with a low carb flour if that’s what you’d prefer. Thank you for visiting! Summer
Mmm
Indeed!