A haven for anyone who loves fall flavors, this Gluten Free Apple Crisp features a nutty pecan crunch, warm spike of cinnamon, and cozy apple filling. The crumb topping is made with oats and almond flour (nutty and delicious!) for a gluten free version that’s every bit as delicious as traditional apple crisp. It’s easier to make than Apple Pie Filling and the perfect apple recipe for that orchard haul!
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Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Apple Dessert
- You’d Never Guess it’s Gluten Free. Like my Blackberry Crisp, this gluten free apple crisp uses no flour, instead opting for rolled oats and ground almond flour to create a perfect, rich streusel topping with a pleasing crunch. It’s just as satisfying and scrumptious as any classic recipe.
- It’s a Major Crowd-Pleaser. Destined to be topped with ice cream, I have no doubt EVERYONE (no matter their diet) will fancy this gluten free apple dessert! Like my Peach Crisp and Strawberry Crisp recipes, no one can resist how the sweet fruit filling and crisp topping taste together. The dreamy combination of apples, oats, and cinnamon elicits feelings of nostalgia, coziness, and warmth.
- Super Simple to Make. While I love my Fresh Apple Cake and apple pie made with Whole Wheat Pie Crust, they takes quite a while to cook. Similarly, this Apple Turnover is fantastic, but it requires a bit more prep work. This gluten free apple crisp is comparably fast, easy, and I bet you have the ingredients in your kitchen right now!
5 Star Review
“Awesome!! Tried this for a dinner party and everyone raved about it! Will definitely use it again.”
— Nancy —
How to Make Gluten Free Apple Crisp
The Ingredients
- Gluten Free Rolled Oats. A star in texture, nutrition, AND the key to keeping this crisp truly GF. Make sure your oats are processed in a certified gluten free facility if you are preparing this for someone with celiac, as there can be cross contamination.
- Almond Flour. I ADORE this ingredient! It’s made of finely ground almonds only and gives the crisp (and really anything you make with it) an unbelievably rich flavor. (This Gluten Free Carrot Cake is another one of my favorite desserts that takes advantage of it. You can also use it for any of these almond flour recipes.)
- Pecans. In addition to the oats, pecans add scrumptious crunch and nuttiness to the topping. (Pecan lovers, don’t miss my Pumpkin Pecan Cobbler.)
- Apples. I recommend using Granny Smith, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or a combination of these varieties for apple crisp.
- Maple Syrup. Naturally sweetens the filling and adds a scrumptious, cozy flavor. Honey would also work fabulously here.
- Bourbon. Because I couldn’t resist, and because the subtle warm vanilla notes in bourbon make it an excellent addition. You could use rum instead. If you prefer to make your apple crisp without alcohol, you can swap it for water instead.
- Lemon Juice. For a touch of brightness.
- Cinnamon. It’s made to go with apple crisp!
- Toppings. Ice cream, frozen yogurt, or Greek yogurt. You can’t go wrong!
The Directions
- Stir the Dry Ingredients Together. This is the start of our topping.
- Stir in the Butter. Make sure the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Prepare the Filling. Stir together the apple slices with the other filling ingredients.
- Fill the Baking Dish. Transfer the apple filling mixture to a baking dish. Scatter the oat mixture over the top.
- Bake the Crisp. Bake gluten free apple crisp at 350 degrees F for 45 to 55 minutes. DIG IN!
Recipe Variations
- Vegan Apple Crisp. For a vegan, dairy-free apple crisp, check out my Vegan Apple Crisp recipe.
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp for a Crowd. To scale up this recipe for 8 or more people, I recommend following the same recipe by using 1.5 times the ingredients and baking it in a 9”x13” pan.
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp for Two or for One. If you desire to make this recipe in a smaller quantity, I recommend cutting down the ingredients to one-third or even one-fourth of those listed in the recipe. Then, portion it into individual ramekins for baking (make sure your ramekin is oven safe).
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate crisp in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F.
- To Freeze. Yes, gluten free apple crisp can be frozen. Let the crisp cool completely. Tightly cover it or place it in an airtight freezer-safe storage container. Freeze the crisp for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
Assemble right up until the point of baking. Tightly cover your apple crisp, and lay it flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
What to Serve With Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Ice Cream. You can’t beat a bowl of apple crisp with ice cream! Try my Oat Milk Ice Cream, Whiskey Ice Cream, or your favorite kind.
- More Apple Desserts. Create a delightful spread of apple desserts. My Baked Apple Slices and Apple Oatmeal Cookies would be delicious.
- Apple Drinks. For a fun and festive apple experience, serve this crisp with Apple Cider, an Apple Cider Cocktail, or an Apple Cider Mimosa.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Dish. The perfect size for the apple crisp recipe.
- Mixing Bowls. This set has every size you need, and they’re dishwasher-safe.
- Rubber Spatulas. I love this colorful set of everyday-use spatulas.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use Fresh Apples. I do not recommend making gluten free apple crisp with canned apples. The texture of canned apples will completely break down once the crisp bakes (we want the apples tender, but not mushy).
- Peel the Apples. While you don’t have to peel the apples for apple crisp, I prefer to peel them. Since the crisp’s topping of oats and nuts brings the A+ crunch game, I find the apples’ peels detract from the crisp’s balance of texture.
- Protect the Topping. If your topping is baking faster than your filling (aka it’s getting too brown), go ahead and tent the baking dish with foil. This will protect the topping while allowing the apples underneath to bake a little longer.
- Try a Variety. If possible, use a variety of apples in your crisp. Not only will each apple provide a slightly unique flavor, but the texture of each apple will vary too. This ensures your crisp has some deliciously creamy apple bites and some that are more firm.
Gluten Free Apple Crisp
Gluten Free Apple Crisp featuring a buttery oat topping over a warm apple cinnamon filling. Easy and scrumptious. The perfect apple dessert!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings (1 9×9-inch pan)
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Ingredients
For the Topping:
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 2/3 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup pecan halves chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
For the Filling:
- 2 1/2 pounds mixed apples such as Granny Smith, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges (about 6 medium apples)
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey
- 2 tablespoons bourbon or rum or water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
- Vanilla ice cream frozen yogurt, or Greek yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9×9-inch or similarly sized baking dish with non-stick spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, almond flour, brown sugar, pecans, and salt.
- In a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave (or a saucepan on the stove), melt the butter. Pour over the top of the oat mixture. With a fork or rubber spatula, stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the apples, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch. With a big spoon, stir to combine.
- Scoop the apples and any liquid that has collected at the bottom of the bowl into the prepared baking dish into an even layer. It will be very full. Nudge the apple slices around a bit so that they lay fairly flat.
- With your hands, squeeze chunks of the crumb mixture together to create clumps of assorted sizes, and place them on top of the apples. Scatter any remaining crumb mixture over the top.
- Bake the crisp until the apples are tender (you may need to use a fork to peek down underneath that generous topping and check on the apples) and the crumb topping is crisp and deep golden brown, about 45 to 55 minutes. Check the crisp halfway through, then periodically during baking; if at any point, the topping browns more quickly than you would like, tent the pan with foil to protect the crust, then continue baking as directed. Serve warm with a big scoop of ice cream.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate crisp in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a baking dish in the oven at 350°F.
- TO FREEZE: Let the crisp cool completely. Tightly cover it or place it in an airtight freezer-safe storage container. Freeze the crisp for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- TO FREEZE UNBAKED: Tightly cover your apple crisp, and lay it flat in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bake as directed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1(of 6)Calories: 549kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 6gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 30mgPotassium: 363mgFiber: 9gSugar: 53gVitamin A: 452IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 96mgIron: 2mg
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5 stars from the UK!
I am loving this recipe, so much so, I feel the need to go back for seconds…
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Lyndsay! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was the best apple crisp I’ve ever baked! The only change I made was to substitute the one and a half teaspoons of ground cinnamon with 3 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice. Every bite tastes like autumn!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Loved this. My 92 year old dad liked it, high praise indeed. Have had to make a second one just two days after the first one, of which I got 2 bites!! So glad its apple season.
I’m so happy that it was a hit, Charlotte! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This is amazing. Followed the recipe with no changes and it was so good that I wanted to lick my plate. Highly recommended ??.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Michelle! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Absolutely loved this recipe! It came out amazing. My whole family loved it. I will definitely be making this again…and again… and again :-). Thanks for a wonderful and delicious recipe!
Hi Suzi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe is such a winner! I’ve never added rum to an apple crisp and it definitely makes such a difference. I did substitute monk fruit for the brown sugar and it still taste great! Thanks for such a delicious idea! Easy to follow recipe and great results! Everyone in our family loved it.
Hi Michele! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I followed Erins recipe to the t and it was fabulous. It’s so crispy and nutty.
I’m trying it out again for my Thanksgiving crowd but made a day ahead and refrigerated.
It’s alway nice to have a yummy option for your gf family and friends.
Hi Stacey! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Delicious! My husband was scraping the pan when it was all gone!
I have a question, would the texture/recipe be affected any if I were to assemble the apple crisp but waiting to bake it until a few hours?
Hi Alex, so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I haven’t tried it myself but it might be okay to do that. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Awesome!! Tried this for a dinner party and everyone raved about it! Will definitely use it again.
Hi Nancy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Made this last night and it was delicious! My husband is celiac and he love it!
Hi Karen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it was a hit. I have family members that are gluten free and they raved about it. So guess what’s in the menu for Christmas!
So happy to hear that, Brenda!