“Sullivan’s Apple Pie” was a family tradition at Christmas, Thanksgiving, and pretty much any other holiday. People always asked me the secret to the recipe, as it was not an overly sweet pie; rather, it was tart and tangy from the use of the Granny Smith apples (Granny Smiths were the secret). I’ve been making this pie since high school, and it always reminds me of home (and wondering which family member ate all the crisp topping, leaving the apples behind).
I was never really big on pie crust. Just wasn’t my thing. For me, it was always about the warm, gooey apples, and the crumb topping. This recipe pays homage to that. Baking this dessert will fill your house with some of the most amazing aromas.
1 cup (150 g) almond flour
1 cup (150 g) Steve’s Paleo Krunch, ground into rough meal
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup (80 mL) coconut oil or butter, softened
2 tablespoons honey (optional)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5–7 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and Sliced
~ juice of 1 lemon
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Combine flour, Paleo Krunch, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, use a fork to combine coconut oil (or butter), honey (if desired) and vanilla. Mix into the flour/Krunch mixture.
- Scatter apple slices in a 9 inch x 9 inch (23cm x 23cm) baking dish or similar-sized dish, and combine with lemon juice. Stir in remaining cinnamon, and combine well.
- Sprinkle the almond/Krunch mixture over the apples, cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes or until apples are soft and bubbly.
- Remove foil, and bake 10–15 more minutes or until topping is browned.
Variation—If you are allowing dairy into your life, this crisp is absolutely sinful still warm from the oven with some fresh whipped cream on top. Pears combined with apples makes for a tasty crisp too.
Ingredient Notes—A great substitution for this recipe, if you don’t have Steve’s Paleo Krunch handy, is 1 cup (120 g) of finely chopped pecans.
