Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Learn how to make a warm, gluten-free apple crisp with freshly picked apples.

Who loves the fall in New England? Apple picking with the family at an orchard? Who doesn’t love the changing leaves, hoodie weather, and crisp autumn air, followed by warm gluten-free apple crisp topped with vanilla ice cream?

This gluten-free apple crisp recipe is great for the whole family with simple ingredients. Even family members who don’t eat gluten-free will love this recipe.

In this post, you’ll learn the basic steps to make this recipe, learn more about the best apples for crisp, how to enjoy it together as a family, and answers to frequently asked questions.

How can you make this a family-friendly recipe?

Spend time picking apples at a local orchard and take photos. Many local farmers offer hayrides and tons of family-friendly activities. If you aren’t sure which apples make the best apple crisp, ask the farmer. Sometimes they have hybrid varieties that are super crispy, even better than the ones on our list. Then, have your family gather in the kitchen to make this recipe. As a family, talk about your favorite apples and why. Compare textures, tastes, colors, and sizes. Finally, crowd around the table and enjoy the apple crisp with friends and family.

Find a Connecticut Apple Orchard here.

Ingredients:

1. Apples: Use tart, crisp baking apples, or a mix, like Honeycrisp or Granny Smith. See which apples are best for apple crisp below.
2. Lemon juice: a squeeze of lemon helps brighten up the flavor and provide a zest to the apple filling without overpowering it.
3. Brown sugar: sweetens the crumbly oat topping
4. Gluten-Free Flour: thickens the filling juices, while the flour combined with the oats keeps the topping from becoming too crumbly. Our family uses Bob Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour.
5. Almond flour: denser than regular flour, a bit more texture, adds a subtle nut flavor, boosts nutrition with protein. The dense, oily almond flour will keep the topping incredibly tender and flavorful. Provides a nice brown color.
6. Cinnamon: gives the apple crisp lots of fall flavor. Pure ground cinnamon is naturally gluten-free, but our family prefers McCormick Cinnamon because they guarantee it’s gluten-free.
7. Oats: key ingredient; you will need old-fashioned certified gluten-free rolled oats, not quick oats. Our family prefers Bob’s Red Mill Organic Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.
8. Baking Powder: provides an extra lift and crispiness for the topping, helps create brown color.
9. Butter: unsalted or salted regular butter, makes the topping crumbly, flaky, and extra-crispy. The butter in the filling helps bind ingredients and adds extra flavor.
10. Salt: just a pinch balances the sweetness. Omit if you have salted butter.
11. Spices: just like other fall recipes, the cinnamon adds a layer of fall flavor, with depth and warmth.
12. Vanilla extract: Enhances and complements the other flavors, bringing out the warmth in the cinnamon, while providing a cozy aroma and adding a depth of sweetness to the filling.
13. Milk: creates a creamy texture for the filling
14. Salt: balances out sweetness
15. Pecans or walnuts (optional): add more crunch to the crisp
16. Brown sugar: adds sweetness.

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp Pro Tips

What Kind of Apples are Best for Gluten-Free Apple Crisp?

Our family recommends a nice crunchy, crisp apple, like a variety that you would want to put in your child’s lunchbox. My son loves Honeycrisp or Cosmic Crisp.

Here are the top contenders:

1. Honey Crisp
2. Cosmic Crisp
3. Granny Smith
4. Braeburn
5. EverCrisp
6. Pink Lady
7. Golden Delicious
8. Jonagold
9. Hybrid crunchy apple
10. SweeTango

What are Certified Gluten-Free Oats?

​If you have celiac disease, you need to be careful with oats because even ones that are marked as gluten-free can still be hard to digest, and ingestion can still mimic the same symptoms of gluten exposure. We highly recommend certified gluten-free oats. These companies take the time and spend more money to ensure their products have zero cross-contamination and no gluten.

While oats are naturally gluten-free, facilities and manufacturing centers often share equipment with other grains, causing cross-contamination. It’s really not worth the risk with oats; just always use certified gluten-free.

With that said, our family loves Bob’s Red Mill Organic Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.

How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Step 1: Make the Filling

Peel and slice the apples into thin slices. In a large mixing bowl, add the peeled apples and filling ingredients. Then, using a spatula, toss the ingredients together until the apples are evenly coated. Pour the apple filling into an 8 x 8 pan and set aside.

​Step 2: Make the Crisp Topping

In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Then cut the butter into small cubes. Mix using a fork or your fingers until the topping is crumbly.

Step 3: Bake

Sprinkle the crisp topping on the apple filling and bake for 30 -35 minutes or until the sides are bubbly and the crust has a light brown crisp.

Print Pin

Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Calories 167

Ingredients

Crumbly Topping

• ¼ cup Gluten-free flour
• ¼ cup Almond flour
• ½ cup Brown sugar
• ½ tsp. GF baking powder
• ¼ tsp. Cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. Salt
• ⅓ cup Cold butter (diced into cubes)

Apple Filling

• 4 cups Apples (peeled and sliced)
• 3 tbs. Melted butter
• 2 tbs. Gluten-free flour or xanthan gum
• 3 tbs. Milk
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
• ¼ cup Light brown sugar (packed)
• ½ tsp. Ground cinnamon
• Dash of salt

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set aside an 8 x 8 Pyrex dish, baking pan, or casserole dish.
• Peel and slice the apples into thin slices. In a large mixing bowl, add the peeled apples and filling ingredients. Then, using a spatula, toss the ingredients together until the apples are evenly coated. Pour the apple filling into an 8×8 pan and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients. Then cut the butter into small cubes. Mix using a fork or your fingers until the topping is crumbly.
• Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the apples.
• Bake for 30 -35 minutes or until the sides are bubbly and the crust has a light brown crisp.
• Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you desire.
• Store in an airtight container or cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Calories: 167kcal

Course: Dessert

Keyword: apple, autumn, fall

How to Store and Reheat

• To store: Let the apple crisp cool, then cover it with a lid or foil. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
• To reheat: Add a serving of apple crisp in a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 30 seconds or until warm. The crisp will not be as “crispy” but will still taste amazing. Add a scoop of ice cream if you desire.

Frequently Asked Questions

​More Fall Gluten-Free Recipes to Try

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Donuts
• Healthy Autumn Apple Harvest Salad

Did you make this recipe? Share the recipe. Please let me know how it turned out. Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtags #familyfriendly #glutenfree @gfdalesio.