Gluten Free Apple Crumble

A Gluten Free Apple Crumble that tastes absoutely incredible!  Sweet apples with a crunchy gluten-free oat and almond flour topping. There is no better dessert in the fall or winter to enjoy than a warm apple crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt.  Delish!

I grew up eating apple crisp or peach crumble as a kid for every holiday dinner. The sweet smell of apples in the oven, while we ate, reminded me that I had to leave enough room for dessert. 

My mom’s recipe is delicious but loaded with sugar. In fact, the entire top layer was a layer of brown sugar and butter. No oats. Just butter and sugar.

I am always on a mission to try and reduce sugar in creative ways or find ways to improve the ingredients in my favorite recipes. No dessert is 100% good for you. It is meant to be enjoyed as a treat so a little sugar or sweetness is to be expected.

What Makes This Recipe Great?

• Honey has been used in place of white refined sugar in the apple mixture. Maple syrup can be used as well as a vegan option.

• This apple crumble uses brown sugar but much less than many recipes and can be replaced with coconut sugar if you wish.

• Gluten-free oats and almond flour are used to great gluten-free crumble topping made with the almond flour giving a slightly nutty flavour to this more apple crisp.

• Cornstarch is used to thicken the apple filling instead of all-purpose flour.

• This recipe is super quick to prepare and after baking your house will smell amazing!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Apple Filling

• Apples – honey crisp or green apples are my go-to for this recipe and you will need about 5 or 6 large apples.
• Honey – adds sweetness to the apple mixture as well as creates a lovely syrupy filling when the sugars melt into the apple juices that are released while baking.  If you are vegan or just prefer it, maple syrup is a great substitute.
• Lemon juice – balances out the sweetness.
• Cinnamon – This warm spice goes great with apples and other stone fruits.  
• Nutmeg – Another great spice that goes well with stone fruits and adds a subtle nutty flavor.
• Vanilla – Because almost every baked good needs a little vanilla.  The flavor is a must!
• Cornstarch – Thickens the filling so that it isn’t a runny mess.  You can also use flour if you are not gluten-free.

Crumble Topping

• Gluten-free rolled oats –  the key ingredient in the gluten-free crumble! If you aren’t gluten-free regular rolled oats can be used.
• Almond flour – Adds some weight to the oatmeal crumble topping and has a terrific nutty flavor.
• Brown sugar – The sweet addition to the crumble topping with oats helps it stick together and crispy through caramelization. You can swap out the brown sugar for coconut sugar if you want to use a less-processed choice.
• Unsalted butter – Holds the crumble topping together creating those little pea-sized crunchy bits. Be sure that you use cold butter. If it isn’t then when you go to make the topping the butter will melt into the almond flour and oats and you won’t get the right consistency.
• Ground cinnamon – Once again a great warm spice to add for flavor.
• Salt – A flavor enhancer to make everything taste that much better.

Step by Step Instructions

Start by preparing the apple crisp filling.

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Peel, thinly slice, and core 5-6 honey crisp, pink lady or granny smith apples. About 2 1/2 lbs before peeling. Place sliced fresh apples in a large bowl.
2. Add the honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch. Mix well until combined and the mixture evenly coats the apples.
3. Pour the apple mixture into an un-greased 8″X 8″ glass baking dish and set aside.
4. Prepare the gluten-free almond flour crumble topping next.
5. In a medium bowl add the gluten-free rolled oats, almond flour, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt. 

6. Mix it all together with your hands breaking up the butter and blending it into the dry ingredients so that a coarse oatmeal-like texture forms with pea-sized crumbly bits. 
7. Sprinkle the oatmeal crumble topping over the apple mixture in the baking dish and gently pat down to evenly cover the top. 
8. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before enjoying this easy apple crumble with oats by itself or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or Greek yogurt.

What are The Best Apples For Baking?

When baking apples it is always best to go with a crisp, tart apple that will stand up to the heat when baked without turning mushy. 

Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith apples work the best but you could also go with Royal Gala apples that stand up well but are even a little bit sweeter. Check out this article about the best apples to use for cooking and baking from All Recipes.

Storing

I personally do put my leftover apple crisp in the fridge though there are rarely leftovers. 

You can cover with plastic wrap once completely cooled and store on the counter for a day but that won’t stop the crisp from becoming less crispy. Time and simple air will soften the crust so I see no benefit to leaving it on the counter. 

I always err on the side of caution and would recommend covering and putting any leftovers in the fridge.

Freezing

Yes, you can freeze this gluten-free apple crisp after it has been baked. 

Once it has been completely baked allow it to cool fully and then cover tightly with aluminum foil. I double-wrap the dish fully so that no air can get in and cause freezer burn. Apple crisp can be frozen for up to 3 months. 

When ready to eat let it completely thaw in the fridge overnight and then pop it in the oven at 350ºF until it is fully heated through the center.  About 25-30 minutes.  This will also allow the crumble on top to get crispy again.

More Gluten-Free Desserts To Try

• Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• Apple Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
• Vegan and Gluten-Free Thin Mints
• Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
• Easy No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake (swap the graham crackers for the gluten-free kind)