Apple crisp is a delicious seasonal baked dessert that consists of stewed apples with a grain free streusel topping that's made with ground almonds. Totally foolproof and a family favourite! Plus no oats are needed to yield that perfect crumbly topping.
If I told you that you could make this gluten free apple crisp in less than 30 minutes, would you believe me? Well believe it or not it's true.
Apple crisp which is known as apple crumble in the UK is very simple to make and flavourful.
This recipe contains no flour and is free from oats . Plus it's a grain and dairy free topping making it suitable for paleo,vegan and gluten free lifestyles.
For me this gluten free apple crisp recipe evokes memories of my childhood, apple desserts; be it pudding or pie they were a staple treat growing up.
You know it's officially apple season when you see an abundance of apple recipes including smoothies or these apple wedges.
Although I wasn't too fond of the thick warm custard that my mother would whip up and pour over my dessert.
Does apple crisp contain gluten?
Yes, traditionally the topping mixture consists of sugar, butter and flour. Flour is made from wheat which is where the issue with gluten stems from.
However, nowadays there so many recipes out there (including mine) that adjust the topping to make it free from gluten.
Apple crisp without oats
Many apple crisp/crumble recipes have a tendency to call for oats. Oats are great for creating a crumbly topping plus they are naturally gluten free too.
While I do enjoy a good apple crisp with an oaty topping I've grown fond of using ground almonds to make a good foolproof high in fat and protein topping.
Stewing the apples and topping preparation
If you love the taste of soft juicy apples then I would definitely suggest chopping up the apples and stewing them for several minutes.
I personally prefer to make my apple crisp this way because it's soooo much more flavoursome. You do loose some of the volume of apple which is why I always add an extra 1-2 apples to compensate.
Once the apple has cooked down then toss them into a baking dish just spread them out evenly and flat so everything is level.
The topping requires your hands to create that crumble mix. It's very simple to make but you need COLD butter that has been cut into small cubes in order for the crumble to uphold.
It's merely a case of combining the cold butter with the ground almonds, coconut sugar and spices. Then using the pads of your fingers to breakdown the butter into the dry ingredients.
This same crumble is featured in my Avocado Chocolate Crumble recipe and my Vegan Pumpkin Parfait.
Ingredients you will need
- Ground almonds
- Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- Apples (Granny smith, gala, pink lady)
- Coconut sugar
- cinnamon nutmeg
Serving suggestions
- Ice cream
- Custard
- Simply on its own!!
The steps
Melt the butter in the sauce pan along with the coconut sugar, cinnamon and water
Cook the apples until tender this should take roughly 10 minutes then drain off any excess liquid.
Toss the apples into a oven proof pyrex dish then add the coconut sugar, cold butter, nutmeg, cinnamon and ground almonds into a medium sized bowl
Combine the butter with the grounds almonds using your finger tips to create a crumbly mixture.
Sprinkle the crumble topping over the apples evenly then bake for 10 minutes or until golden.
I'm allergic to nuts, what can I use instead?
If you have a nut allergy then you will need to use a combination of gluten free flour and oats (roll or old fashioned works). Just use half and half.
What other apples can you use?
Granny smith apples, honey crisp apples, red or golden delicious, bramley apples
Can you add additional fruit or nuts to the apple crisp?
Yes, add raisins, blueberries, blackberries, rhubarb, cranberries, pear, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds etc...
It is okay to use almond flour instead of almond meal?
Yes, you can use almond flour if you don't care to use almond meal.
Can you leave the skin on the apples?
I wouldn't recommend it because the skin is quite tough and it won't break down while the apples are stewing. It's best to peel the apples first.
Can you make this dessert ahead of time?
You can make the actual recipe the day before and refrigerate it. Alternatively, you can prepare the base only by stewing the apples, allow them to cool, refrigerate it. Then make the crumbly topping when you need it.
Notes and tips
- Any leftover needs to be tightly wrapped with cling film or saran wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Re-heat any leftover crisp if you don't care to eat it cold.
- Any apples are suitable to use for this dessert (I used gala apples)
- I DON'T recommend freezing this dessert as the apples become too mushy and don't hold up during re-heating
- The overall sweetness is subtle if you want a super sweet apple crisp then use more sweetener. It's always best to do a taste test of the topping as you go along and adjust if needed
- Use erythritol, monkfruit , stevia or sucralose for a low carb sweetener option
- Sit the chopped apples in salt water as you work your way through peeling and chopping each apple
- Use an ovenproof pyrex dish - mine is 8 x 6 inches
- Make sure the butter is COLD in order to make the crumble
- Drain off any excess liquid so there isn't a layer of liquid/apples sitting in the pie dish
Other dessert recipes you make like
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No Oats Gluten Free Apple Crisp
Ingredients
- 6 apples gala, pink lady, granny smith etc...
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of dairy free butter
- 3 tablespoon of coconut sugar Use erythritol, stevia or sucralose for a low carb option
- 1 tablespoon of water
For the topping
- 1- cup of ground almonds (almond flour)
- ⅓ cup of coconut sugar raw cane sugar works too, see notes
- ¼ cup of cold dairy free butter cubed
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c/ 356f/gas mark 4.
- Now peel, core and chop the apples. After peeling let the apples sit in a bowl of water with a 1 teaspoon of Himalayan pink salt in a bowl of water. This method will prevent the apples from browning quickly.
- Once the apples have been peeled, rinse the apples and discard the salt water
- On medium heat, melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan, then stir in the coconut sugar and cinnamon and finally pour the apples into the saucepan along with the water
- Reduce the heat and gently simmer the apples for 10 minutes, stirring thoroughout so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Once cooked down drain off any excess liquid in a colander
- Toss the apples into a heat proof pyrex or pie dish
- Prepare the topping by adding all of the listed ingredients into a medium sized bowl
- Use the pads of your finger tips to rub the cold butter in with the sugar, spices and ground almonds until a crumbly texture has been achieved. add up to ½ cup of ground almonds, if the crumble is too sticky.
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly all over the stewed apples
- Baking in the oven for about 10 minutes or until slightly golden brown
Notes
- Any leftover needs to be tightly wrapped with cling film or saran wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Re-heat any leftover crisp if you don't care to eat it cold.
- Any apples are suitable to use for this dessert (I used gala apples)
- I DON'T recommend freezing this dessert as the apples become too mushy and don't hold up during re-heating
- The overall sweetness is subtle if you want a super sweet apple crisp then use more sweetener. It's always best to do a taste test of the topping as you go along and adjust if needed
- Use erythritol, monkfruit , stevia or sucralose for a low carb sweetener option
- Sit the chopped apples in salt water as you work your way through peeling and chopping each apple
- Use an ovenproof pyrex dish - mine is 8 x 6 inches
- Make sure the butter is COLD in order to make the crumble
- Drain off any excess liquid so there isn't a layer of liquid/apples sitting in the pie dish
Janet
Saline water. Saline that’s used in hospitals?
Charla
Saline is a combination of salt and water.
Jen
This is such a great idea for a topping! I have an unfortunate Apple allergy (in addition to being an oat-sensitive celiac) so I’m going to try this with pears. I’ve been on a quest for a great oat-free topping for fruit crisps for awhile. Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Charla
You are welcome Jen. Yes pears would definitely work for this recipe.