This Apple Cobbler with Oat Topping is refined sugar free and has a salty secret ingredient! It’s a great, simple dessert for non-bakers.
Apple Cobbler is one of my go-to desserts because it’s really easy to make. If you’re a non-baker (aka hate exact measuring) like me, cobbler is the perfect vessel for just throwing ingredients together. The oven does all the work and you wind up with an indulgent, crispy, gooey, love-fest!
This Apple Cobbler with Oat Topping has a unique secret ingredient that sets it apart from your standard apple cobbler. Can you guess what it is? It’s cheddar cheese! I was inspired by the apple pies that have cheddar in the pie crust. I love a good sweet and salty combo and this easy apple dessert really hits the spot. As you know though, I always strive for healthy swaps in my recipes. Since the best part of any apple pie is the flaky, buttery crust, I mimicked that in this recipe…minus all the calories.
The crust is a mix of oats, white wheat flour, coconut oil, cheddar cheese and maple syrup. It’s crispy and buttery-esque (no actual butter) all the same. Tip: If want to eat more whole grains, try white wheat flour in your baking. The wheat flavor isn’t as overpowering as whole wheat flour.
The other healthy twist in this recipe is no refined sugar. I know a sugar-less cobbler sounds weird but there is still plenty of sweetness. I used a puree of dried apricots, apples and maple syrup (optional) to replace sugar in this recipe.
You definitely don’t miss the sugar. I gravitate towards less sweet desserts but even people with big sweet tooths will find this dessert plenty sweet. You can play around with the sweetness in here because, as I mentioned, cobbler is a real “go with the flow” dessert.
If you’ve never baked without white sugar, there are plenty of helpful conversion charts with tips on swapping the sugar in your favorite recipes:
- Here is a helpful guide for using maple syrup instead of sugar: https://www.puremaplefromcanada.com/benefits-of-maple-syrup/sugar-alternative/
- Here’s one for swapping honey for sugar: https://www.thekitchn.com/4-rules-for-successfully-swapping-honey-for-sugar-in-any-baked-goods-230156
Another swap I make in this recipe is the whipped topping. Nothing says decadent dessert like “a la mode”. Melt-y ice cream or whipped cream really add something special to a dessert. Dairy however isn’t always my friend. It’s a real “it’s me, not you situation”, so if you struggle with dairy I have a great substitute for you. Whipped coconut milk sweetened with maple syrup is the perfect, creamy, dreamy replacement. It holds up the same consistency as whipped cream (see the pics!) and tastes refreshing yet tropical.
Best Apple Cobbler with Oat Topping
Rate this Recipe:Ingredients
Cobbler Filling
- 3 apples I used a 1 fuji apple for the puree and pink lady apples for the chunks
- 1/4 cup dried apricots
- 2 tbs maple syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cobbler Crust
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup white wheat flour
- 1/4 cup white cheddar cheese I like Cabot brand
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch salt
Whipped Coconut Cream
- 1 can coconut milk, frozen freeze the can for 2 hours or overnight
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cobbler Filling: Peel and core apples. Chop 1 apple (softer baking apple, I used fuji) into large chunks and add add it to a food processor along with apricots, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger. Puree until it's the consistency of chunky apple sauce. Stir in cornstarch and salt with a spoon. Chop 2 remaining apples into medium size chunks or slices (your preference, just make sure the pieces are roughly the same size so they bake evenly. Stir apple chunks/slices into puree. Pour mixture into 4 small ramekins or 1 large ceramic dish.
- Crumble Topping: In a bowl combine oats, white wheat flour, cheddar cheese, coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Use your hands to press mixture together into moist crumbly bits. Make sure all of the flour is mixed in and there are no dusty bits.
- Top cobbler filling with crumble topping. Bake cobblers for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Use a knife to test the apple's firmness. The crust should be golden brown with bubbly apple filling coming out of the corners.
- Coconut Whipped Cream: Place a can of coconut milk in the freezer for at least 2 hours. When you open the can, the liquid will be separated from the cream. Scoop out the white cream into a bowl and leave the liquid behind. Add maple syrup and salt. Use a hand mixer or standing mixer to whip the cream into a fluffy consistency.
- Top baked cobblers with coconut cream. Enjoy!
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