Apple Crisp Yogurt Parfaits
 
 
These yogurt parfaits with cinnamon apples and granola taste like an indulgent dessert, but they’re really a healthful, protein-packed snack that can even be served for breakfast, and they couldn’t be simpler to make!

Makes enough cinnamon apple “filling” for 4 to 5 small parfaits.
Author:
Ingredients
For the cinnamon apples:
  • -- 4 large apples, peeled*, cored, and diced into roughly ½-inch cubes (to yield about 3 cups)
  • -- 2 tablespoons water
  • -- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, or more (or less) to taste
  • -- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • -- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the parfaits:
  • -- plain Greek yogurt (about ½ cup per serving) **
  • -- pure maple syrup or honey (optional, for sweetening the yogurt)
  • -- your favorite granola, or my favorite Maple Walnut Granola (about ¼ cup per serving)
Instructions
To make the cinnamon apples:
  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the apples, water, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon. Set the pan on the stove over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low, and cook, stirring often, about 8 to 10 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated and the apples are crisp-tender (softened a little but still have a bit of a bite). If you like your apples softer, or you’d like to cook them down into an applesauce of sorts, continue cooking a few minutes longer until the apples start to break down and reach your desired consistency, adding more water as needed. At this point, the sweetness of the apple filling will depend on how sweet or tart your apples are; taste, and add more maple syrup if desired.
  2. Remove the pan from the heat and let the apples cool completely. If desired, mash the apples into a chunky applesauce, or purée them into a smooth applesauce. Proceed to making the parfaits, or store the apple filling in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container until ready to use.
To assemble the parfaits:
  1. You can layer the parfait ingredients in any order you choose (or you can simply add the ingredients to a bowl if you’re feeling less fancy), but if you’d like some guidance, here’s what I do: For each serving, in a clear drinking glass or other clear glass vessel or jar, spoon a couple of tablespoons of the cinnamon apples into the bottom of the glass, then top with about ½ cup of yogurt. Layer another tablespoon or 2 of apples on top of the yogurt, then top it all off with about a ¼ cup of granola. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
* You don’t have to peel the apples, but my kids prefer the apples in these parfaits without the peels, so that’s how I make them. It’s totally your call though.

** I use plain whole-milk Greek yogurt in these parfaits (Stonyfield Organic is my favorite brand); the parfaits taste creamier and more indulgent to me that way, and the Greek yogurt is packed with protein. You could certainly use a 2%-milkfat or nonfat Greek yogurt if you prefer, or even an all-natural vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt, which really makes this dish taste like a dessert! The vanilla-flavored yogurts tend to have more added sugar though, so I like to make a 50/50 mix of plain Greek yogurt and vanilla Greek yogurt to “cut” some of the sugar and make it a little more healthful while still enjoying that sweet vanilla flavor.

MAKE AHEAD:
You can make the cinnamon apples a couple of days in advance and store them in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can also assemble the parfaits a day or two in advance and store them, covered, in the refrigerator as well, although the granola might lose some of its crispness; if this is a concern, assemble the parfaits without the granola, cover and store them in the fridge, then top them with the granola just before serving. You could even assemble the parfaits in Mason jars with lids to make them a more portable breakfast or snack option.


Recipe inspired by Jessica Gavin.
Recipe by Wholesome Family Kitchen at https://www.wholesomefamilykitchen.com/recipe-3-healthful-kid-friendly-snacks-featuring-apples/