Move over apple pie — this Gluten Free Apple Crisp is the ultimate fall dessert! Made with caramelized apples and then topped with an oat and almond flour topping, it’s delicious on its own or paired with your favorite ice cream.

If you’re anything like me, you might be wondering what the difference between a “crisp” and a “crumble” is. ….don’t tell me I’m the only one who’s Googled this before?! According to Canadian Living, a crisp is “a baked fruit dessert topped with a crispy and crunchy layer of ingredients”.

Well, that’s exactly what this gluten free apple crisp is! So, an apple crisp is exactly what I’m calling this.

Recipe features

• An easy and delicious fall-inspired dessert that anyone can make
• Topped with gluten free oats, almond flour and chopped pecans for optimal texture and flavor
• The warm apples and oats pair perfectly with ice cream
• A super cozy recipe, as are my vegan cinnamon rolls and sweet potato pie

Ingredient notes:

• Apples – I used a combination of red and green
• Brown sugar – can sub coconut sugar or cane sugar
• Arrowroot – or cornstarch
• Almond flour – I haven’t tested this with any other kinds of flour, but I’m sure gluten free all purpose flour would work
• Pecans – or sub walnuts
• Butter – can use dairy free butter to keep this recipe vegan

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Bake the apples. Cut apples into 1/4″ thick slices, then place them in a greased baking dish. Add the water, brown sugar, cinnamon, and arrowroot and stir so that the apples are coated, then bake them for 25 minutes, which will allow them to soften and caramelize.

Step 2: Make the crisp. Stir the dry ingredients together, then pour melted butter over top and stir so that everything is covered in butter.

Step 3: Bake the crisp. Once the apples are done, remove the baking dish from the oven, then sprinkle the oat topping over them and bake again for 30-35 minutes or until they’re golden brown on top and the edges are bubbling.

Tips and FAQs

• You don’t have to peel the apples beforehand; since we’re adding water to the baking dish, the apples will get soft and caramelized without having to peel them.
• Want to take this to the next level? Try adding a drizzle of this healthy caramel sauce over top!

Can this be made without oats?

Yes! You can easily create a similar “crumb” topping using only almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter, like I did in my gluten free rhubarb crisp.

Is this naturally vegan?

No, but easily can be! Simply use dairy free butter, and then top the entire thing with your favorite dairy free vanilla ice cream. Don’t want to use brown sugar? Use coconut sugar or cane sugar instead.

How should I store this?

Store apple crisp in a container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This dish actually reheats quite well in the microwave, but you can also pop it back into the oven to warm it up.

More gluten free desserts

• Healthier Salted Caramel Sauce
• Gluten Free Apple Cupcakes
• Chocolate Sweet Potato Pudding

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!