Gluten-Free Oat Flour Apple Crisp
It’s easy to make gluten-free apple crisp without needing a GF flour blend or store-bought all-purpose flour substitute. Oat flour works perfectly and can easily be made at home with certified gluten-free oats for those who need it. This is a great simple recipe and we love it even though we do eat gluten – the oat topping is flavourful and delicious.
This recipe has had a complete overhaul to make it more accessible and straightforward. As much as I liked the former recipe with hazelnut butter and dates, it’s just too expensive to make these days and had a tendency to burn if it wasn’t very carefully watched. That’s a shame if it does and a real waste of ingredients. There’s a recipe in my book for a crisp made with a date-sweetened topping if you’d like to try it.
The new version is great and much simpler both in process and ingredients. The recipe is dairy-free as written, but you can use butter if preferred. See the ingredient notes below for substitutions and suggestions.
I first shared this recipe in 2018. It’s been updated with improvements to the recipe instructions and a retested and improved recipe, new photos, including step-by-step photos, and more helpful information.
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Ingredients You’ll Need and Why
Start with good apples and you’re already halfway there. These are my notes from recipe testing, and you can find the full recipe card below with complete measurements and instructions.
- Oats: use rolled oats for the best texture. Quick-cook are fine in a pinch. Steel cuts oats won’t work in an apple crisp. As mentioned above, use certified gluten-free if necessary. Oats are naturally gluten-free but often packaged alongside wheat, causing cross-contamination that’s not acceptable for someone with a true gluten allergy. Oats are always included in crisps – apple crumble is made without.
- Oat flour: pictured is homemade (I use the small food processor attachment for an immersion blender) but you can use store-bought. See how to make oat flour.
- Apples: choose a good baking apple that keeps its shape when baked, like Boskoop or Elstar. A slightly tart apple is best. I don’t like Granny Smith (and I don’t think we can get them here anyway) so I never use them, but if you’re a fan go for it. If your apples have very tough skins, like Granny Smith, you may want to peel first.
- Maple syrup: sweetening partly with maple syrup adds a fantastic maple flavour to the crisp. If preferred, honey can be used instead, but it is sweeter so the amount should be reduced by about half. See honey apple pie.
- Sugar: any type of granulated sugar will work, but different types will have slightly different results. Brown sugar makes the topping softer, raw cane sugar makes it crunchier, coconut sugar and maple sugar are slightly dry, and so on. Pictured is muscovado sugar, which has a similar flavour to brown sugar but is less sticky. You can use any type of sugar you have for this recipe but note that the crisp will change slightly depending on what you choose. I have not tested with sugar substitutes.
- Coconut oil: use refined coconut oil to avoid a slight coconut flavour if preferred. Cold vegan butter or dairy butter can be substituted for the coconut oil in an equal quantity, cut into small cubes and rubbed in to the dry ingredients.
- Spices: cinnamon and nutmeg as outlined is excellent. Also try cardamom, a pinch of cloves, or use a blend like apple pie spice.
- Starch: a small amount of starch is mixed in with the apples to thicken the apple juice that’s released during baking.
How to Make Oat Flour Apple Crisp
It’s a one or two bowl recipe, depending on how you’d like to make it. You can 1. mix the apples in the mixing bowl and then transfer to the baking dish, and mix the crumb topping in that same bowl, 2. use two different bowls, or 3. mix the apples in the baking dish and the crumb topping in a bowl. I usually go with option three but it can be a little tricky to mix without the apples falling out of the baking dish.
Step 1: mix the oat flour and oats, and sugar. Add the coconut oil and mix with your hands until a crumbly dough forms. You can use a spoon or spatula for this but it will take longer and the oil will be more difficult to incorporate. Set aside.
Step 2: core and dice the apples. Mix with the maple syrup, if using, starch, and spices in the baking dish or a bowl. Make sure the apples are evenly coated. Optionally add a squeeze of lemon juice (see tips below).
Step 3: top the apples with an even layer of the crumb topping. This should be a crumbly mixture without really big pieces, but it might be softer depending on the temperature in your home.
Step 4: bake until lightly golden and the apple filling is bubbling. It’s mandatory that the filling does bubble – the juices need to boil in order for the starch to thicken the mixture, and if it’s underbaked it will taste starchy.
Related: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Expert Tips for the Best Crisp
- Add lemon: if the apples you have are very sweet, add the juice of half a lemon to the apple mixture. I suggest using tart baking apples if they’re available.
- Sweeten to taste: the maple syrup in the apple filling is optional and I only add it sometimes. If you have a real sweet tooth, include it. If you’d like a less sweet crisp, omit it.
- Try add-ins: if you like a nutty crisp, add a handful of finely chopped walnuts or sliced almonds to the crumb topping. Raisins and dried cranberries are good mixed in with the apples but make sure they’re covered with the topping or they’ll burn.
- No need to peel: a good eating and baking apple will have a thin enough peel that it doesn’t need to be peeled before baking into a crisp. If the apples you’re using do have a very thick or tough skin, then peel, but otherwise it’s a waste of time.
More Gluten-Free Apple Recipes
- German Apple Pancake – a traditional fluffy baked pancake made with buckwheat flour
- Apple Crumble Bars – mostly date sweetened, with a cooked apple filling and oat-based crumble topping
- Apple Baked Oatmeal – with both applesauce and diced apples, an excellent wholesome breakfast
- Easy Baked Apples – another recipe from my childhood, filled baked apples, a must-make in autumn
Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Description
Ingredients
Crumb Topping
- 100 grams (1 cup) oat flour
- 50 grams (½ cup) rolled oats
- 50 grams (¼ cup) sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 50 grams (3 tablespoons) coconut oil solid, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon non-dairy milk or water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Apple Base
- 1 kilogram (2 lb.) apples 2cm (1 in.) dice (about ten apples)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup optional
- 1 tablespoon corn starch or 2 tablespoons arrowroot
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Add the oat flour, rolled oats, sugar, and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix to combine. Add the coconut oil, milk, and vanilla, then use your hands to mix until the oil is well incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.100 grams (1 cup) oat flour, 50 grams (½ cup) rolled oats, 50 grams (¼ cup) sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 50 grams (3 tablespoons) coconut oil, 1 teaspoon non-dairy milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Core and dice the apples, then place them in a large baking dish (approximately 31x21cm (~9×13 in.) or equivalent square or round dish). Add the maple syrup and mix to coat the apples. Mix in the starch, cinnamon, and nutmeg to coat.1 kilogram (2 lb.) apples, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg*
- Sprinkle the topping in an even layer over the apple filling. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the edges of the crisp are bubbling and the topping is dry to the touch and a deeper golden colour.
- Cool for at least ten minutes before serving. Keep leftover apple crisp in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
It turned out great! Crumble was awesome with nice texture and delicate hazelnut flavor.
However, I found that 1 kg of apples was too much. I used an 8” by 8” baking dish and it was pretty much full with just over a pound of diced apples. Crumble was just enough to cover the apples.