Easy Gluten-Free Apple Crisp Without Oats

Learn how to make an easy and delicious gluten-free apple crisp without using oats! This apple crumble is loaded with a juicy apple cinnamon filling and thick streusel topping for the perfect warm, fall treat!

No Oats gluten-free apple crisp

Whether you cannot tolerate oatmeal, or are missing a traditional gluten-free apple crisp recipe ingredient, it’s still possible to enjoy bubbly apple dessert with a buttery crumble topping.

The apple filling recipe comes from another popular apple dessert, gluten-free apple cobbler, using the same hack for making a perfectly balanced, juicy fruit filling.

Instead of chopping all the apples, one is grated using a box grater. The grated apple breaks down during baking, leaving the filling juices optimally flavored and thickened.

The gluten free crumble topping without oats is similar to a streusel, like the those used on gluten-free coffee cake or gluten-free apple muffins. The mixture combines melted butter, sugar, and flour, but also adds an egg yolk to help with binding and prevent a dry, sandy crisp topping.

ingredient notes

Like all the recipes on the site and in my gluten-free cookbook, the ingredients are simple and affordable. Plus, with this easy apple crisp there is no need to purchase speciality gluten-free oatmeal!

Fruit Filling: 

• Apples – I prefer Golden Delicious, but see below for alternative baking apples. Peel and chop all the apples, except one, which is peeled and grated. It breaks down during baking to thicken the filling.
• Sugar – Blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar adds a nice caramel flavor.
• Spice – Mixture of cinnamon and nutmeg

No Oat Crisp Topping:

• Gluten-Free Flour – The recipe was tested with Cup4Cup gluten free flour, which I use and highly recommend. For alternative GF flours, see top recommended gluten-free flour guide.
• Butter – For a dairy-free or vegan crisp, replace with melted plant-based vegan butter

Optional Ingredients:

• Nuts – To add nuts to the topping, decrease the flour by 1/2 cup and use 3/4 cups chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Dried fruit – If desired add raisins or cranberries to the fruit filling.
• Toppings – Serve with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, or whipped cream.

how to make gluten-Free apple crisp without oats

While this recipe pairs great with apples, the topping can be used for a variety of fruits, such as peaches, berries, or gluten-free strawberry rhubarb crisp.

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Begin by making the apple filling. Peel all the apples. Chop all but one, which is grated. Combine in a large bowl with sugar, brown sugar, water, vanilla extract, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
2. Transfer to a greased baking dish, and pour melted butter on top. Cover with foil and partially bake in a 400ºF oven for 20 minutes.
3. While the filling bakes, make the fruit crisp topping. Stir together sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted, warm butter and stir to combine. Stir in the flour.
4. Remove the crisp from the oven and remove the foil. Break off pea-sized clumps and scatter over the top. Return to the oven, lowering the heat to 350ºF.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the juices are bubbly and top starts to brown. Let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving warm with ice cream.

best apples to use

With so many apple varieties out there, it’s hard to know which are best for gluten-free baking! Gluten-free apple desserts can be made with a variety of apples for diverse flavor and texture.

These apples are known to be good for baking, hold their shape, and don’t turn mushy. My personal favorite to use for crisp or crumble are Golden Delicious because they also have a perfectly balanced flavor, not too sweet or too tart. 

• Honeycrisp
• Granny Smith Apples (these apples are tarter so may want to pair with something else)
• Jonagold
• Braeburn
• Pink Lady
• Golden Delicious

can i use apple pie filling?

Yes, but fresh is best! If you want to save a step, and it with canned apple pie filling, use two 20 ounce cans. The crisp will be a lot sweeter, so you may also want to decrease the amount of brown sugar in crumble topping to 1/2 cup total. 

dairy-free / vegan adaptation

It’s quite simple to make a dairy-free or vegan gluten-free crisp. Substitute the butter with plant-based butter sticks, such as Earth Balance. For the egg yolk in the crumble topping, replace with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water).

To serve, use a store-bought coconut whipped cream, such as CocoWhip, or make homemade coconut whipped cream. Supermarkets also carry many vegan / dairy-free ice cream options as well.

using other fruits

This no oats gluten-free crumble topping may also be used with other fruit fillings. Skip the initial partial bake step because other fruits soften faster than apples.

Choose from a wide variety of fruits, such as mixed berry, strawberry rhubarb, apricot, peach, or peach blueberry. 

If fresh or frozen berries are used in the fruit mixture, follow the filling recipe from gluten-free blueberry cobbler.

For stone fruits, follow the filling ingredients for gluten-free peach crisp, replacing the fruits with fresh or frozen.

storing and reheating tips

Store baked crisp on your counter, covered with foil, at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. Avoid using plastic wrap, which traps moisture, making the topping soggy.

If you would like to keep your dessert for longer than 2 days, store it well covered in your refrigerator for up to one week.

When you are ready to enjoy let it come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. For optimal reheating, place it in your oven at 300 degrees for about 20 minutes or until heated through. You may need to cover with foil if the topping starts to get too brown. 

To freeze crisp, first bake and allow to cool completely. Then, wrap the cooled crisp tightly in plastic wrap, cover in foil, and freeze for up to three months.

To reheat after it has been frozen, thaw either on the counter, or in the fridge overnight and then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated through. 

Click here to see the
step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!

more gluten free apple recipes

• Fresh Apple Cake
• Gluten-Free Apple Bread
• Apple Cheesecake Bars
• Gluten-Free Apple Muffins with Crumb Topping

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