Mock Apple Crisp
Tender, cinnamon-glazed "apple" slices under a buttery pecan crumble. The apples are really chayote, a crisp, mild squash that soaks up butter, lemon and spice so convincingly that most people never guess.
Nutrition per serving
⅔ cup- Net carbs
- 4.6g
- Calories
- 215kcal
- Protein
- 3.8g
- Fat
- 19g
- Total carbs
- 23 g
- Fiber
- 4.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Zucchini "apples": Peeled zucchini stands in for the chayote. It is easier to find and slightly lower in carbs, with a softer, more stewed-apple texture.
- Skip the simmering — zucchini softens quickly. Cook the slices in the melted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes, until just tender, then tip into a sieve and drain off the liquid before tossing with the rest of the filling ingredients.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling bubbles.
Nut-free topping: Sunflower seed flour and unsweetened coconut flakes replace the almond flour and pecans for a crunchy, nut-free crumble.
- Make the topping with the sunflower seed flour and coconut flakes in place of the almond flour and pecans. Coconut browns quickly, so check at 20 minutes and lay foil over the dish if needed.
Salted caramel drizzle: A quick allulose caramel poured over the warm crisp turns it into a caramel-apple dessert.
- While the crisp bakes, stir the extra allulose with 1 tablespoon of water in a small, light-colored saucepan over medium heat and cook, swirling, for 3–4 minutes until amber. Off the heat, whisk in the warm cream (it will bubble up), add a pinch of salt and simmer 1–2 minutes until it coats a spoon.
- Drizzle the caramel over the crisp as it comes out of the oven.
- "Apple" filling
- Crisp topping
- "Apple" filling
- Crisp topping
- "Apple" filling
- Crisp topping
- "Apple" filling
- Crisp topping
- Also add
Estimated cost $8.78 for 6 servings ($1.46 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Peel the chayote under running water (the sap can leave a sticky film on your hands). Halve each one lengthwise, scoop out the soft, flat seed and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices, like apple slices.
-
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the chayote and simmer 10–15 minutes, until a knife slides in with only slight resistance, like a baked apple slice. Drain well and pat dry.
-
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking dish.
-
Toss the warm chayote with the lemon juice, allulose, melted butter, 1½ teaspoons cinnamon, nutmeg, cream of tartar and vanilla. Sprinkle the xanthan gum evenly over the top and toss again so it does not clump, then spread the slices in the dish.
-
For the topping, stir together the almond flour, pecans, erythritol, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture forms pea-size clumps.
-
Scatter the topping over the filling and bake 30–35 minutes, until the juices are bubbling thickly at the edges and the topping is deep golden. Lay foil loosely over the dish if the topping browns before the filling bubbles.
-
Let it rest 15 minutes so the juices thicken, then serve warm.
Tips for success
-
Chayote (also sold as mirliton or christophene) keeps a tender bite after baking, and the cream of tartar adds the faint tartness of a baking apple — do not skip it. - Pre-cooking matters: raw chayote stays crunchy even after 35 minutes in the oven. Stop simmering while the slices still hold their shape, as they keep softening in the oven.
- Serve with a scoop of no-churn vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce.
Nice to have, not needed
- Disposable gloves make peeling chayote easier — its sap can leave a tight, sticky film on bare hands.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 2 months
Reheat: Rewarm in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10 minutes to re-crisp the topping; the microwave works but softens it.
Prep tip: Freeze the cooked filling and the raw topping separately, then assemble and bake from thawed for a just-made crisp.
Refrigerate, covered, up to 4 days, or freeze up to 2 months.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosZucchini "apples"
SwapPeeled zucchini stands in for the chayote. It is easier to find and slightly lower in carbs, with a softer, more stewed-apple texture.
- chayote squash → zucchini
3.9 g net · 213 kcal · 4.2 g protein · 20 g fat · ≈$1.52 per serving (−0.7 g net carbs vs the original)
Nut-free topping
DietSunflower seed flour and unsweetened coconut flakes replace the almond flour and pecans for a crunchy, nut-free crumble.
- blanched almond flour → sunflower seed flour
- pecans → unsweetened coconut flakes
4.6 g net · 193 kcal · 3.4 g protein · 17 g fat · ≈$1.31 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Salted caramel drizzle
FlavorA quick allulose caramel poured over the warm crisp turns it into a caramel-apple dessert.
- + 3 tbsp extra granulated allulose
- + ¼ cup heavy cream
4.9 g net · 251 kcal · 4.1 g protein · 23 g fat · ≈$1.72 per serving (+0.3 g net carbs vs the original)
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