This easy and delicious low-carb keto apple crisp doesn’t use any apples! To keep it keto friendly, the recipe is made with zucchini, but your taste buds will never know the difference!
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Sweet and tender pieces of sliced zucchini can have the flavor of apples by adding a sweetened spice blend. You’ll get all the taste you love without the unwanted carbs.
The delicious keto apple dessert is a simple and easy way to enjoy the crunchy, sweet flavor of apples on a low-carb diet. It's also a tasty way to get in your daily does of vegetables.
If you are trying to get your family to eat more veggies, this treat is a great way to do it. They may not even be able to tell you didn't use real granny smith apples or fuji apples in the mock apple filling.
Ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients and a little time to make this low carb apple crisp recipe. In fact, you may already have everything you need right in the kitchen!
Mock Apple Mixture
For the low-carb apple pie crisp filling, you'll need the following:
- zucchini
- lemon juice
- keto sugar substitute
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
You can also add a keto-friendly thickener like xanthan gum to make a thicker filling and apple extract for a stronger apple flavor.
Apple Crisp Topping
I use a nutty topping for the zucchini apple crisp. It’s just a blend of these ingredients:
- Chopped pecans
- Almond flour
- Oat fiber or coconut flour
- Granulated keto sweetener
- Cinnamon
- Melted butter
Quick Tips
- Keep the zucchini slices at least a quarter inch thick. If you cut them too thin, the squash will get soft and mushy when cooked.
- Use a coarse almond flour. Low carb baked goods are generally better with fine almond flour, but for an apple crisp, a coarser grind works best. You can even use almond meal with the skin still on.
- Add apple extract. The lemon juice provides a fruity taste to the zucchini but you'll get a more believable taste if you add in a little apple flavoring.
- Use a ball shaped squash. There are round ball varieties of zucchini that you can grow yourself. The shape and size is more like an apple.
Instructions
To make the recipe, simply prepare the zucchini mixture then add the crumb topping. Then simply bake it in the oven. That's it!
Before using the zucchini, it needs to be peeled and sliced in half lengthwise. Then the seeds need to be removed using a spoon to scrape them out.
Cut the zucchini into half moon slices to look like apple slices. The summer squash pie filling will look just like apples!
Once the zucchini is sliced, it’s mixed with lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, sweetener and optional apple extract. Then it’s poured into a baking dish.
Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Then cut in the butter using a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly.
Sprinkle the topping over the filling and baked until the zucchini is tender. It takes about 45 to 50 minutes to cook completely.
Serving Suggestions
This keto zucchini apple crisp is perfect served warm or cold. When warm, it tastes great with a scoop of keto vanilla ice cream on top. Topping off with some whipped cream is also a great option.
Variations
It’s easy to modify this recipe into a keto mock apple pie. Just add my almond flour crust or coconut flour crust and bake in a pie pan. You’ll end up with a low carb Dutch apple pie!
If you’d rather have a traditional apple pie, add a top crust too.
FAQs
Before getting to the printable recipe card, here are some answered questions people have asked about the keto apple crisp dessert.
Apples are generally avoided on a keto diet because even a small apple can have over 20 grams of carbs. That’s twice the limit for what’s recommended for each low carb meal, and it’s likely to knock you out of ketosis!
I’ve made various keto apple recipes using chayote squash, jicama, and yellow squash in addition to zucchini. I use chayote in my keto apple pie uses chayote and I use jicama in my keto apple pie filling.
Related Recipes
This keto apple crisp is a must try low carb dessert for late summer or early fall! It’s definitely something you'll want to make over and over again. For more delicious treats, try one of these:
- Keto apple bread has all the flavor of apple fritters in an easy loaf recipe.
- Starbucks caramel apple spice recipe is a delicious coffee house drink without all the sugar.
- Keto peach cobbler is made with real peach slices, but carbs are kept low.
- Low carb blueberry cobbler is incredibly easy to make with just a few simple ingredients.
- Keto spice cake zucchini muffins are a perfect sized treat when topped with cream cheese frosting.
Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!
Recipe
Keto Apple Crisp
Video
Ingredients
FILLING:
- 6 cups zucchini peeled and sliced about ½ inch thick
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice can sub half with apple cider vinegar to add apple flavor
- ⅔ cup low carb sugar substitute or 4 tablespoon 2 teaspoon Truvia
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum optional thickener
- 1 teaspoon apple extract optional
TOPPING:
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour or oat fiber
- ¼ cup low carb sugar substitute or brown sugar substitute
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup butter
Instructions
- In medium bowl, combine zucchini, lemon juice, sweetener, cinnamon and nutmeg until well blended. For a stronger apple taste, stir in apple extract too. Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 9-in. baking dish.
- For topping, combine pecans, almond flour, oat fiber, sweetener and cinnamon in a bowl then cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the zucchini mixture.
- Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes or until zucchini is tender.
Notes
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
© LowCarbYum.com - Unauthorized use of this material without written permission is strictly prohibited unless for personal offline purposes. Single photos may be used, provided that full credit is given to LowCarbYum.com along with a link back to the original content.
First published August 26, 2011. Last updated July 15, 2022, with new images and additional recipe information.
Tammera Lowe
I made this as written, then again with some changes. We prefer the zucchini to be in bite-sized pieces. I used brown sugar swerve in the topping. I used loran apple flavoring, and needed 1/2 tsp to get the right amount of apple flavor. I also used 1/2 tsp guar gum in the filling. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks so much!
Cindy O'Sullivan
This is delicious. The consistency of the zucchini is so much like apples, especially after cooking that you hardly notice you're not actually eating applies. I tweaked this recipe a bit by adding some Crystal Lite lemonade mix (about a tablespoon) in addition to the lemon juice. I also cooked the zucchini mixture before putting in the baking dish and added a bit of xanthan gum to the liquid as it was cooking. This reduced the filling to about 1/2 but it was thick, not runny. Put the filling in the baking dish and sprinkled topping and baked about 15 minutes til the topping browned. Turned out perfect. Will make many more times in the future I'm certain.
Serena
I'd love to make this, but is there any way I could use buckwheat and oat flour instead of the two suggested ones? Thanks!
Lisa MarcAurele
It should work, but it wouldn't be low carb.
Shelly Presson
I made this today but it's so liquidy. Is that normal?
Lisa MarcAurele
You can offset any thin liquid by adding in some xanthan gum to the filling which will help it gel up and not be an issue if the zucchini releases too much moisture during baking.
Hope Bina
I have a bunch of summer squash (yellow squash) from my garden and wondered if i could use that?
Lisa MarcAurele
Yellow summer squash works well as a mock apple too so feel free to use it in place of zucchini.
Jenn
Sad- I made it and after baking mine is swimming in liquid. Hoping leaving it out to cool will help.
Lisa MarcAurele
The zucchini may have had too much liquid. You can add a thickener like xanthan gum or salt the zucchini for about 10 minutes to get the moisture to come out and then use a towel to soak up the liquid before using.
Sharon Strickland
This recipe sounds interesting. What is the best sweetner that doesn't leave an after taste?
Lisa MarcAurele
I find a blend of sweeteners is best and I prefer blending stevia extract with monk fruit extract. However, preference varies for each individual. Many people like BochaSweet which acts a lot like sugar and doesn't have any aftertaste.
Amy
Recipe looks yummy! I was wondering how many servings this would yield/approximately how much is a serving? Thank you for sharing!
Lisa MarcAurele
I got about 9 half cup or so servings.
Vicki Couvee
Looks delicious!
Stacy
Made this last night, its real good! I too used part ACV for half the lemon juice .I was out of nutmeg, so just used cinnamon, alittle extra. My whole family liked it, an will make again. A nice treat!
Annette Aeberhard
I froze zucchini this summer. Can I use the frozen zucchini for this or does it have to be fresh?
Lisa
I think frozen zucchini would be too mushy but if that doesn't bother you it's worth a try.
Wendy
Can you substitute psyllium husk fiber for the oat fiber? I have a big bag of it to use up.
Lisa
It isn't a one-for-one sub but you might be able to get it to work with other changes.
Heather Nohr
Do you think I could I make this in a crock pot? If so, how long would you think I should cook it for? Low, or high?
Thanks!
Heather
Lisa
You should be able to do either. But, you may want to cover so the condensation doesn't drip onto the topping. Standard times of 3 hrs high or 6 hrs low should work.
Linda
Made this last night and was pleasantly surprised! Tastes exactly like apple crisp. Only difference is that the topping is not hard like crisp. I will def be making this again. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Lisa MarcAurele
You can place it under the broiler to crisp it up a bit if desired.
Jennifer Schewe
Could you do this in an Instant Pot? How long would you cook it for at what setting?
Lisa
I'm thinking only like 6-8 minutes on the high pressure setting.
EA Phelps
I made this today - excited at the prospect of an “apple crisp” but a bit skeptical too. Picked the zucchini fresh from the garden. Did the 1.5 tbsp Lemon Juice, 1.5 tbsp ACV . . . Used Golden Lakanto for the sweetener . . . This turned out SO WELL even my finicky 11 year old Granddaughter exclaimed “this is SO Delicious!”. I’m expecting it to taste even better after it’s been in the fridge overnight. YUM!
Lisa
The recipe is perfect for those fresh picked zucchini!
Irma
How thick did you slice the zucchini? Like you would apples?
Lisa MarcAurele
I sliced the zucchini as thick as I would for apples.
Nancy
What is ACV?
Lisa MarcAurele
Apple Cider Vinegar.
Lisa
I left out the sweetener and added berries (black, blue, and razz). Still Low-carb is those berries do not turn to sugar. Amazing.
Lisa
Great tip!
Heather
I just made this and while it is not bad, I don’t know that I would make it again. Not very sweet or juicy. Very dry and sort of boring in flavor. Didn’t taste like zucchini or apples. Oh well. I’m glad o have it a try. Thank you for sharing!
Lisa
The results do depend on the zucchini used. We always use ones fresh from the garden.
Jeana
I was making this for my husband, and subbed oats for the pecans, and used Truvia brown sugar for the sweetener. It is SO SO good! Thank you!
Lisa
You're welcome Jeana! Glad it worked out for you.
Beth H
Hi, I was wondering how many servings does it serve? I would assume 6 or is the nutritional info you gave for the whole pan?
Lisa
The number of servings is at the top of the recipe card which says "9 servings"
Angela
I was pleasantly surprised.. this is amazing! Tastes almost exactly like apple pie! Mind blown!
Claire Bridges
I made it with 3 courgettes and its great. I'm type1 diabetic following a low carb way of eating so this is a treat as I do miss apple crumble. I will take some along to our low carb diabetes group this evening and see what everyone else thinks!?
I cooked it at 180 fan for 35mins then covered it up with foil for a further 10mins.