Recipe: Slow-Cooker Apple Crisp

Take apple crisp to a new level of deliciousness — all in your slow-cooker. While this recipe calls for some butter, it includes pie spice and apple butter to help amp up the apple flavor without adding more fat.

Ingredients

6 cups chopped tart apples
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons apple pie spice
1 tablespoon apple butter
4 tablespoons regular butter
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Dash of salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Place chopped apples in the bottom of a slow cooker. Add apple butter and lemon juice and stir to coat the apples. Mix together 1 tablespoon of apple pie spice and the 1/4 cup regular white sugar. Mix well. Pour mixture over the apples and stir to coat.
2. Sprinkle walnuts over the apples and mix well.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, the second tablespoon of apple pie spice and salt. Cut in butter using a pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly like sand. Sprinkle the topping over the apple mixture until they are all covered.
4. Set slow-cooker to low and cook for about 4 hours, or until apples are tender and soft. If you make this over night, be sure your slow-cooker turns off after it’s done cooking so the crisp doesn’t burn.

Chef’s note: Apples are low in calories and fat and high in fiber and antioxidants. Their natural sweetness makes them great for desserts. Some of the best apple varieties for baking include Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Empire, Jonathan, Cortland and Braeburn. If you want to make your own apple pie spice, just mix together 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon allspice and 1/8 teaspoon cardamom.

Nutrition information (per serving)

Makes 10 servings

Calories: 180
Total fat: 7 g
Saturated fat: 3 g
Trans fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 95 mg
Carbohydrate: 29 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 19 g
Protein: 2 g
Vitamin A: 4%
Vitamin C: 8%
Calcium: 2%
Iron: 4%

— Recipe courtesy of Digestive Disease Health Team Dietitians.