This gluten-free apple crisp recipe has a SECRET INGREDIENT in the topping to make an extra crispy, flavorful crumb topping!
This is my go-to gluten-free apple dessert! It’s delicious served with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce – and is always a crowd-pleaser.
Be sure to watch the video to see how to make it!
Is there anything better than gluten-free apple crisp with soft, cinnamon-glazed apples and a buttery cinnamon oatmeal topping?
Apple Crisp is the perfect dessert any time of year. I especially love it in the fall when apples are in season and I want everything to smell like cinnamon!
Making apple crisp gluten-free is easy – but does require a few tricks. Gluten-free flour can easily get soggy, so I’ve found it’s helpful to add some nuts into the topping. This helps create a crispy, buttery topping that stays on top of the apples.
(PS if it’s pie you love try this Gluten-Free Apple Pie!)
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Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Flavorful, crisp topping
- Make with easy-to-find, simple ingredients
- Perfect amount of sweet/tart flavor
- Great for a crowd!
VIDEO: How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
For more gluten free apple desserts, try my gluten-free apple crumble, gluten-free apple muffins, gluten-free applesauce bread, apple compote and gluten-free apple cake.
You also might like some of these fall favorites – gluten-free pumpkin pie, gluten-free pecan pie, gluten-free pumpkin bars and gluten-free pumpkin muffins.
How to Make It
- PEEL AND CHOP the apples. Grate 2 of the apples on a box grater and chop the rest. Grating just 2 of the apples helps create a nice sauce!
- Mix together the FILLING INGREDIENTS. Add the apples, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, cornstarch and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Pour the apple mixture into a pan and cover with foil.
- Pre-bake the apples before adding the filling to soften them.
- Add part of the oats along with gluten-free flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt and vanilla extract to the food processor. PULSE to combine.
- Add the cold BUTTER AND NUTS and pulse a bit more.
- Add the remaining oats and almonds and pulse once. SPRINKLE the crumble topping over the apple filling.
- Bake until the crunchy topping is GOLDEN AND BUBBLY. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce! (Try this dairy-free caramel sauce!)
Ingredient Substitutions
You can use coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar. Unfortunately maple syrup will not work in place of the sugar. Coconut oil or vegan butter will also work in place of the butter.
How to Chop the Apples
For this apple crisp, I usually cut the sweet apples into 1/2-inch cubes. If your favorite way to have apple crisp is with sliced apples, simply decrease the par-baking time by 5 minutes. Just be sure all the apples are cut the same size so the filling bakes up evenly. Either way is delicious!
What flour should I use?
It’s best to use a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour. I like King Arthur Flour Measure-for-Measure Flour. Also be sure to use gluten-free oats to keep this recipe 100% gluten-free.
Dairy-Free?
This gluten-free apple crisp can easily be made dairy-free. Simply use Earth Balance buttery sticks in place of the butter.
Recipe FAQ
Apple crisp typically has ingredients like oats and nuts in the crisp topping. Apple crumble usually has a topping made of flour, sugar and butter.
Apple crisp works well with a variety of apples. My favorite apple to use for apple crisp is Granny Smith. I like the sweet-tartness and firm texture of Granny Smith apples. The best apples to use will hold up during baking like Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious.
Yes! Apples do not contain any gluten-containing grains. All apples are naturally gluten-free.
Want more crisp recipes? Try this Gluten-Free Peach Crisp. Or if you’re looking for more fall recipes you can’t beat this Caramel Corn Recipe.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Adding some nuts to the gluten-free apple crisp topping helps it bake up golden brown and crispy.
- To keep the topping crispy, par-bake the apples separately before adding the topping.
- Be sure to use gluten-free oats to keep this recipe 100% gluten-free.
- Pick a crisp-firm type of apple that will hold up while baking like Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
I hope you love this gluten free apple dessert as much as we do! If you try this gluten free apple crumble, be sure to leave me a comment and star rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Gluten-Free Apple Crisp (Secret Ingredient!)
Video
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 10 apples (about 4lbs) I like Granny Smith, see note
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For the Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats, divided
- 1/2 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt not melted, preferably cold
- 10 tablespoons butter sliced into 10 pieces
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds, divided can also use pecans or almonds
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
Make the Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Peel and chop 8 of the apples into 1/2-inch cubes. Grate 2 of the apples on a box grater. (Grating just 2 of the apples helps create a nice sauce!)
- In a large bowl, combine the apples, sugar, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir together the lemon juice and cornstarch and pour over the apples. Mix everything together evenly.
- Pour the apple mixture into a 9/x13 baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 25 minutes, until the apples have started to soften and release their juices.
Make the Topping:
- While the apples bake, add 3/4 cup of the oats along with the gluten-free flour, brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to the bowl of a large food processor. Pulse until combined, about 5 pulses.
- Add the butter and half of the almonds and process until the butter mixture forms crumbly balls, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining oats and almonds and process with 2 quick pulses. Remove the blade and mix the flour mixture with the butter to form more chunks if needed.
- Pour the topping evenly over the par-baked apples. Bake (uncovered) for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are bubbly. Let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
This couldn’t be easier! Great for the apples we have sitting around at the end of the week.
Can you make topping ahead of time and store in fridge until ready to do final baking?
Yes that works great! I do that all the time when making it in advance!
I fixed this apple crisp. Delicious. I even used 2 cans of Musslemans GF apple pie filling. Added 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice and 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. I put all dry ingredients and vanilla in my food process with the cold butter and pulsed just till it was like little peas. Dumped on top of filling. Baked and was wonderful.
I’m glad the apple crisp turned out for you using that filling! Thanks for the comment!
I made the Apple Crisp. I used pecans and Honey Crisp apples. It was fabulous!! The crust was so crispy and flavorful. I even forgot to put the aluminum foil on before the fist cook. I thought I had ruined it, but it was delicious. Thanks.
Hi Erin could I use either almond flour or coconut flour, or a combination of them in this recipe? I do not have any 1-1 flour now. Also does this recipe have rice flour? If I use the above do I need to add it?
I clicked on this because I’ve been looking for a good, easy apple crisp.
I think I’m going to try 1/3 cup almond flour, 1/3 cup hemp seeds, and a 1/3 cup GF oats in this recipe instead of the oats and gluten free flour. I might add some flax seeds too. I’ve been trying to increase the fiber in my recipes.
But thanks, it looks great.
Such a fantastic recipe, especially for fall! Thank you so much for a classic dish made perfectly gluten-free.
Excellent recipe! I used almond meal instead of flour, and it came out beautifully…didn’t have any aluminum foil so just cooked it without it and it looks good. Thanks!
I’m so glad you liked it!
I just finished putting the dish in the oven when I realized that my rice flour was still on the counter untouched. It looks like it was in the ingredients list but not in the recipe!
Hopefully this doesn’t effect my dish too tooooo much.
Just thought I would let you know so that you could edit it.
Cheers 🙂
I did the same thing! Darn. Would have been nice if the recipe had been corrected when you pointed it out the first time!