Gluten-Free Apple Crisp (healthy recipe)

This Gluten-Free Apple Crisp recipe is a perfect way to enjoy all those apples around you this fall. This delicious and simple to make apple crisp has a crunchy oat crumble topping with a touch of sweetness to balance tender and tart baked apples. Made with simple ingredients, this gluten free apple crisp recipe is sure to please your friends and family and it's he perfect way to end a meal or even, start your day!

Gluten-free apple crisp is here to get you alllll in the mood for fall🍂

The weather is cooling off, leaves are turning and apple farms are bursting with so many different apples🍎🍏

And these apples are calling out to be made into this delicious and easy to make gluten-free apple crisp.

A recipe that's sure to please a crowd, this simple gluten-free apple crisp is filled with cinnamon-coated and tender tart apples, topped a lightly sweetened crunchy crumble made with nutritious rolled oats and nutty almond flour.

This recipe is inspired by another favourite fruit crisp on my site, this Cherry and Peach Crisp with Oat Crumble (Gluten-Free, Healthy).

If you love fruit crisp of any kind, check it out too.

And if you have bushels of apples to use up, definitely check out this recipe for Healthy Gluten Free Apple Muffins with Cinnamon and this one for Easy Baked Apple Recipe with California Strawberry Oat Filling.

So many delicious ways to use up apples!

Jump to:

• 📝Ingredients
• 🔪Instructions
• 🔄Substitutions
• 💃Variations
• 🥣Equipment
• 🥡Storage and Freezing
• 🙋‍♀️What to serve with gluten free apple crisp
• 📖 Recipe

📝Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this gluten-free apple crisp:

For the apple filling:

• 4 apples - we love using the Pink Lady variety or Granny Smith (they're the kids fave)
• Gluten-free flour
• Cinnamon
• Liquid honey
• Lemon - this will give a shot of acidity to the sweet fruit for balance

For the oatmeal and brown sugar crisp topping, all you'll need are these ingredients:

• Butter - unsalted
• Gluten-free rolled oats (not quick cooking)
• Walnuts - they really give that crunch and lovely mouthfeel
• Dark brown sugar - can use light or regular brown sugar if you don't have the dark variety
• Salt

See recipe card for quantities.

🔪Instructions

It doesn't get much easier than making a delicious recipe like this gluten-free apple crisp.

You could make it right before you serve supper and then pop it into the oven to bake while you and the family eat.

Here's the high level steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
• Toss sliced apples in flour, cinnamon, honey and lemon juice
• Place apples into a square baking dish (8 x 8 inches)
• In a large bowl, add the butter, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt
• Using 2 knifes "cut" through the mixture, combining the ingredients together and add the chopped walnuts
• Scoop the oat crisp topping overtop the apples, pressing down gently
• Bake for 25-30 minutes in the oven or until the crisp is hot throughout
• Serve warm

This is NOT a mushy apple crisp. The result will be softened apples but still with some mouthfeel. Plus, keeping the skins on helps the apples hold their shape and boosts nutrition.

If you're wanting an overly sweet and super soft apple crisp, this is not it😄

See recipe card below for more tips and instructions.

Hint: you do NOT have to peel the apples! I mean, you can if you want, you're an adult and all BUT I say, keep those apple skins on there! They provide extra nutrition, give some texture to the gluten-free apple crisp once it's baked and some colour🍏🍎

One more hint: I like to cut the butter into thin slices, not cubes. (See photo above.) I find it easier to incorporate into the oat topping that way.

🔄Substitutions

For which type of apple to use, you can use almost any kind of apple in this apple crisp recipe. Use your favourite kind of apple that bakes well.

We like Pink Lady and Granny Smith because they both hold up to baking and the taste with the brown sugar topping is a delicious balance of sweet and tart.

Or use a combination of apples for variety!

Small note on the dark brown sugar: I've been lovin' the extra layer of flavour this variety of brown sugar adds to recipes but you can easily sub-in regular brown sugar.

💃Variations

You could use peaches or rhubarb or strawberries in this crisp instead of apples. Or why not try a combination of all three!

Keep the crisp topping the same and let me know how it turns out.

On my list to make next: strawberry rhubarb crisp🤤

🥣Equipment

For this gluten-free apple crisp recipe, no fancy equipment is required.

All you'll need is 1 large mixing bowl, a 8 x 8 square baking dish (like a glass baking dish), 2 knifes, and a spatula or large spoon.

🥡Storage and Freezing

Baked gluten-free apple crisp will be good in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Don't hesitate to have it for breakfast. That's right: this apple crisp re-heated is the perfect way to start your day☀️

Simply re-heat in the microwave to your desired temperature before digging in.

I don't recommend freezing this apple crisp. But if you want to make it up ahead of time, you could make the gluten-free apple crisp as per the recipe and keep it in the fridge for up to 6 hours before baking.

🙋‍♀️What to serve with gluten free apple crisp

If you're serving this apple crisp at the end of a meal and want to get indulgent, get ½ cup of high quality ice cream on there.

Personally, I prefer it as is without any topping.

But when I have this apple crisp for breakfast, then I might put a couple tablespoons of 2% Greek yogurt on top after I warm the crisp up😋

By the way, if you love fruit crisps or cobblers, check out this recipe for Cast Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler🍑 Also great for breakfast because it's packed with healthy ingredients and way less sugar and total calories than most cobbler recipes.

Hope you love this gluten-free apple crisp recipe like we do!

~April

📖 Recipe