I know it’s basically the holiday season at this point and all but I still have to tell you this fabulous story about why I absolutely HAD to make this gluten-free vegan apple crisp on Halloween. We have some pretty amazing friends in our life right now and John and I LOVE getting together with them often to chat and laugh and eat delicious food. Well, two out of the six of our group are gluten-free eaters and another two of us are borderline vegan eaters (guilty as charged), but you just can’t go without apple crisp in the fall. You just can’t. Am I right? So I buckled down and did some research (and snagged some gluten-free flour from my friend Rebecca’s pantry) and came up with a delicious way to satisfy everyone’s appetites and dietary needs with one warm, sweet apple crispy dish.
Ta-da!
This apple crisp is about as simple and basic as they come, and though it’s vegan and gluten-free it’s just as delicious as any traditional version I’ve tried. Armed with non-dairy butter (Earth Balance, how I love thee), it’s totally dairy-free. And thanks to almond meal, gluten-free oats, and a gluten-free flour blend, it’s also void of the glutens. Good riddance, food allergies. Good riddance.
Wondering what it tastes like? Warm, sweet apples, plenty of warm spice from the cinnamon, and the crispy, crumbly oat topping is just the bee’s knees. Top it with some non-dairy ice cream (or dairy, if that’s your thang) and dig in. Fall has never been so darn delicious (or healthy), I’m convinced.
Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crisp
Ingredients
CRISP
- 8 small-medium apples (peeled, cored and chopped // a variety of both sweet and tart // 8 apples yield ~6 cups)
- 1 dash lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 heaping tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
TOPPING
- 1/3 heaping cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend
- 1/2 cup gluten-free old fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/3 cup non-dairy butter (melted // such as Earth Balance // a little more than 1/2 stick yields 1/3 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 C) and lightly grease a 9×9 baking dish (adjust number/size of pan if altering batch size).
- Add apples to a large bowl or plastic bag and sprinkle with lemon juice. Toss to coat with granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt.
- Transfer to baking dish and set aside.
- Rinse and dry bowl and add brown sugar, flour, almond meal, oats, cinnamon, and salt and stir. Add melted butter and mix until it resembles wet sand.
- Sprinkle topping over the apples and bake until apples are soft and topping is golden brown (between 45 minutes to 1 hour).
- Let rest 10-15 minutes before serving. Is great with vanilla ice cream – caramel sauce is also a lovely addition.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)
roughly adapted from Barbara Bakes
Isabelle says
I reviewed this recipe two years ago but I wanted to follow up and say that it has continued to be a favorite and a frequent flyer of mine. I make it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year. Various people in my life request it in lieu of birthday cake. In the spring and summer I mix berries or peaches into the apples and omit the cinnamon. I think I once made it with apples and some fresh cranberries and a bit more sugar. I’ve truly made it my own over the past couple years. I add very little sugar into the fruit but I double the topping and instead of using GF flour blend I use cornstarch. It is always fantastic and always a hit.
We adore your fun variations on this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing, Isabelle! xo
Lynette Argiros- Slosson says
Can I make this recipe for a crowd for 40 people?
Hi Lynette! If you look above the ingredients there’s a box to adjust the amount of servings!
violatte says
I really loved this! SO GOOD! I would suggest making a bit extra (x0.25 more?) of the topping, I feel like I didn’t have enough. It’s a great recipe though!
Thank you for sharing, Violatte! We’re glad you enjoyed it overall! xo
Fran Sullivan says
Instead of oats, could I increase the almond flour? I’m allergic to oats.
I want to try this!
Hi Fran, we’d suggest a mix of more GF blend + more oats. We hope you love it!
Gail says
If you double the recipe, what size pan do you use?
Hi Gail, we’d recommend a 9 x 13-inch pan if doubling the recipe. Enjoy!
Deb D says
I’ve made this multiple times. I usually double the topping amount because I love the crunchy crumble. It’s always a winner at any gathering.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Deb! We love the topping too!
Megan says
If I freeze and store for the week before I need it. Can i freeze it all together and then pop it in the oven frozen?
That should work! If using a glass container, let it come to room temperature first (or set in a warm spot such as on top of the oven while the oven is preheating) to avoid breaking the pan by going from very cold to very hot too quickly.
Lenore says
Crowd pleaser! Made this for a celebratory dinner last night. I was happy to find your recipe for a gluten free, vegan version of apple crumble as one of my guests has gluten and dairy intolerances. I used coconut oil instead of vegan butter and added some flaked almonds to add to the crisp. It was bubbling at around 35 minutes so I took it out of the oven then. Everyone loved it and I had some requests for the recipe which I shared with them. I’ll definitely be making this one again.
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for the lovely review, Lenore! xo
Amanda Redman says
Made this for the first time tonight. It’s delicious! I used all granny Smith apples and used almond flour in place of almond meal and also for the gluten free flour. I also added 2 dashes of pure vanilla extract (only because I love vanilla). I baked it for 50 minutes and it crisped up perfectly and the apples were just right. Thanks for this recipe!
So simple!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the review and for sharing your modifications, Amanda!
Isabelle says
This was fantastic! I made it for Thanksgiving. Even though I’m gluten free I usually steer clear of GF baked goods because they all taste gluten free to me but this was just great. I reduced the sugar that got mixed into the apples to a scant 1/4 C because I prefer less sweet desserts but I put the full amount of sugar into the topping. It took pretty much the whole hour for the apples to get fully soft and cooked. I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Isabelle. Thanks for the wonderful review!
Victoria says
Hi I’d like to make this Nut free as well— can this recipe work without the almond meal? TIA!
Hi Victoria! You can use more gluten free blend in place of the almond meal, (maybe start with 2 Tbsp instead of 1/4 cup) it may be a little more dry and crumbly but it should work!
Lucy says
Hi! I don’t want to use cornstarch. How important is that ingredient?
Hi Lucy! The cornstarch helps thicken the juice from the apples as they cook, which helps keep the topping from getting too soggy. It will probably work without it, but we aren’t positive!
Megan says
This is so good! I would normally use ice cream over a crumble but forgot to buy some. It was amazing without it. Quick and easy to make.
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed, Megan. Thanks so much!
Barbara says
This is the best apple crisp ever!
I used almond flour and filbert flour as the binders.
It was great! Thanks so much!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Barbara. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Toni says
What can I substitute for the GF flour? I can’t tolerate GF or regular flour? Would almond flour work ? Thank you
Hi Toni! We haven’t tried this recipe with almond flour in place of the gf flour, but it could work! Let us know how it goes!
Rebeca C says
This was fantastic! I did sub the cornstarch for arrowroot bc I was out of cornstarch and it was perfect!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Rebeca! Thank you for sharing! xo
Luciana says
This was amazing! I used almond flour instead of almond meal, and coconut oil instead of non-dairy butter, and it worked out perfectly! Thank you for this
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing, Luciana. xo
Bonnie says
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was delicious. I personally added a bit moee cinnamon because I love it, and I wonder if I didnt screw up because the topping seemed sparse. I’m going to make double the recipe next time. Otherwise easy and delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing, Bonnie! xo
Hope says
Our new favorite crumble recipe! I’ve made it at least 6 times this season and experimented a little. We’ve made it with apples, apple/pear, also tastes amazing as a persimmon/pear crumble. I used ground flax seed instead of almond meal, and coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar. Arrow root powder also worked good instead of corn starch. I also added coconut flakes to the topping. Love it and definitely being saved in my recipe book!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Hope! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Bonny Flood says
Does this require refrigeration or can it be left out covered?
I don’t generally refrigerate it for the first 12 hours, but do refrigerate (for food safety) after that
Carly says
I never leave reviews, but this was SO good. I made it for Thanksgiving and followed the recipe as is, only slightly reducing the sugar in the apple mix from 1/3 cup to 1/4. The crisp came out perfect after 45 minutes. I may make more of the crumb topping next time, only because I liked it so much.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it so much, Carly! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Danyel Gimeno says
Long time follower, first time poster- this recipe is A W E S O M E. Thank you for providing my super health-conscious yet super lazy self with recipes that are easy to follow and almost always have ingredients that live in my pantry. You’re giving the gift of confidence in making healthy and delicious food. I can’t think of a better service to your fellow humans. <3
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Danyel!!
Sandy says
Can regular flour replace the GF flour? I don’t have the ingredients for GF flour.
Yes!
Naomi says
This is the most delicious gluten free Apple Crisp I have EVER tasted & I have used it a dozen times, tweaking the recipe each time. I like adding chopped rhubarb and sometimes strawberries (depends what I have to use up). I use almond meal, shredded coconut, quinoa flakes, buckwheat grouts & walnuts for a lovely nutty, crunchy topping. I would love to sub the sugar and try our honey. Any ideas for quantities?
I do find the topping tends to burn easily so I cover the Apple Crisp with foil half way through. I also chop my apples quite small to help them cook through (especially if using Granny Smith apples).
Thanks for sharing your review, Naomi! I’m not sure about subbing all of the sugar for honey, but perhaps half? Let us know if you try!
Valeria says
👋Love it. Like all things we, well I tweak them to make them healthier. Added a handful of ground walnuts and tablespoon of ground flaxseeds. Go fibre and omega 3s. Also, I don’t trust that commercial GF flour are actually a healthy product, so I compose my own from the options I may have at 🏡 I’ve used a mix of buckwheat, chestnut & a bit of rice flour to keep it lighter. Also 3 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of sugar, and more cinnamon.
With the apple, I leave the skin on, +/- rhubarb, juice of one lemon, a few pitted prunes for sweetness and chuck the lemon skins in, cook the lot on medium to low heat. No sugar. Everyone seems to love that the fruit isn’t adulterated.🌱🌸
Love the creativity! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Valeria!
Andrea says
I love rhubarb! I’m curious how much you add to the recipe?
Valeria says
Whatever, more if I have plenty in the garden. My guess 3/4 of a cup of Rhubarb because that’s roughly the batch sizes I have frozen from the end of last season, (Australia,) before the cold weather put the plant in hibernation 🌱🌸 The 🍎 is whatever is left in the fruit bowl at the end of the week, or “odd fellows”, (imperfect looking “pink ladies”,) that I buy cheap for my lorikeets. Sometimes I put in a few cloves, but mostly I’m a cinnamon girl. 🍋 which ever are in season on the trees. Meyer are sweeter & come in first and when they are done the Eureka come in and are a bit more sour. I’ve even used lime when I had no lemon. I squeeze the excess fruit and freeze in baggies like breastmilk. I’ve tried freezing lemon juice in ice cube trays to be more environmentally sound but it wasn’t great. Lemon cubes stuck together, got sticky became pretty impossible to separate. (Cleaver)🤗
Taryn says
Delicious! I am not eating wheat so I used cornflour for the crumble instead. The crumble mixture wasn’t dry or a sand like texture as stated, I was worried but it spead while baking and covered most of the apples. It was such a yummy treat and a great way to use up apples!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Taryn. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Michelle says
I love everything about this recipe. Due to my food allergies I usually make a couple of substitutions … not this time, just a simple trade of coconut flour in place of the almond meal and I was good to go. So delicious and yummy. I make sure to have this in the fridge and ready to go as it has become my husband’s favorite snack.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Michelle! Thanks for sharing!
Angela says
So easy and delicious!
sharon says
I absolutely love this! I made it once and decided to make it again for Christmas. I got a bit ambitious and made it today (a week before Christmas) I know that you recommend not baking it if you are planning on freezing it. How long will the cooked apple crisp stay fresh if I freeze it or should I refrigerate it? Thanks! Sharon
Hmm, we wouldn’t recommend keeping in the fridge for a full week for food safety. And we aren’t sure about freezing after cooking as it may cause there to be too much liquid in the bottom when reheating. It will still taste good though! Let us know how it goes!
Faith says
Made this for Thanksgiving dessert and it will be a yearly staple for sure. I used half Granny Smith and half Gala apples for the perfect combination of tart and sweet. Made exactly as written and added So Delicious non-dairy vanilla ice cream on top. Fantastic! Thank you for a great GF, vegan option that everyone loved.
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Faith! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Amanda says
This dessert was a hit at our Thanksgiving gathering! I picked it specifically for a family member that needs GF dishes, but everyone enjoyed it (especially with vanilla ice cream ?)!!!
I was worried one batch wouldn’t be enough, so I doubled it and one definitely would’ve been enough… But no one was complaining about leftovers!
The only change I made was using regular butter, and larger baking dishes since I made more ?
This will definitely be added to my recipe book and used in the future!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Amanda!!
Elizabeth Amend says
Yummy, yummy yummy!!!!! Wow! I used Almond flour instead of “almond meal”, and Smart Balance vs “Earth balance, ”(not knowing if they are the same?) It was sooooo delicious and the first time I was able to bake a delicious gluten free/dairy free apple crisp! Both my husband and son LOVED it, (who can tolerate gluten and dairy) and didn’t notice any flavor difference from a regular recipe. YES! My daughter in law (who’s gluten/dairy intolerant) also LOVED it. We just consumed that whole entire dish after dinner. What a happy surprise for me. Thumbs up! It’s gonna be my go-to recipe for many years to come. ?Elizabeth
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Elizabeth. We are so glad your whole family enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Elizabeth Amend says
Woops! I forgot to rate this delicious apple crisp. 5 stars for sure! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steff says
This apple crisp is the best I’ve ever tasted and will be the dish I bring to every gathering from here on out.
*changes: used coconut sugar 1:1 in place of both sugars called for, and used real butter.
*save the peels and dry them with some cinnamon or cinnamon sugar! Easy to do in the oven or dehydrator and no food is wasted.
Great tip about the peels, Steff! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
stephanie says
I want to make this for a dinner party this weekend. However I have commitments during that day. If I bake it the morning of the party & don’t plan to eat it until 12 hours later whats your recommendation of storing and reheating?
Thank you!
That would actually work well! Just refrigerate and reheat in the oven (at 350 F) before serving!
Keri says
I have made this a few times and everyone loves it! Anyone freeze it? I have so many apples from going apple picking thought I would make a few and freeze !
Thank you
Hi Keri, you should be able to freeze it before baking. Let us know if you give it a try!
Almut says
I had not enough apples,so I used also some blue berries and 1 Mango ,less sugar and little more lime juice, used normal butter,baked only for 35 min
Was delicious ? thanks for the idea
Kimberley says
I have made this recipe twice now! We love it!It is my daughter’s favorite dessert, she has many food allergies. I sub gluten free baking flour for the almond meal.
Patti Massey says
I played with recipe. Added chopped walnuts and raisins. I didn’t have any gf rolled oats so I substituted gf granola. Awesome.
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Patti!
Natalia Cherubini says
Have made this apple crumble about 10 x’s since November, doubling the recipe each time. It’s been a HUGE hit!! Amazing recipe!!
Sara says
Easy and delicious!
Subed coconut oil for vegan butter, gluten free flour for cornstarch, and some date sugar for half of sugar in apples. Worked like a charm!
Isabel Damian says
I make this every year! and I’m not a vegan or gluten free ;)
Anjuli says
Delicious.. I went ahead and baked just the apples for half the time then pulled out of oven and added topping for second half and that kept topping baked perfectly. I didn’t have cornstarch so I just skipped it and turned out great. I added other spices like allspice as I am a lover of chai etc. Thank you for the post :)
Whoop! Glad you enjoyed it, Anjuli :)
Smart! Thanks for sharing!
Elizabeth says
OMG! So I made a few changes – used apples and pears – substituted almond flour with pecan meal, added 1 tsp of vanilla and used regular unsalted butter. Gobsmacking good!
I’ve recently become interested in cooking – your recipes make it fun and inspiring. Thank you!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing your recipe modifications, Elizabeth! We are glad you enjoyed it!
Toni Dockery says
I didn’t have any almond flour so I just left it out. I used Bisquick GF pancake and baking mix. The results? Absolutely wonderful. My husband and I ate the entire Crisp at one sitting!!!!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Toni!
Michelle says
This was amazing! We picked apples at the orchard and had a hodge podge of varieties in our bag so I have no idea what types even went in- but it said a mixture so that’s what we did. We substituted almond flour for almond meal just due to not having almond meal on hand. My husband said this was one of the best desserts he has had and I agree! Made 4 giant servings but we actually got it to last for 8 servings. So good, thank you from our gluten free family!
Melissa says
Would this work without the added sugar? Currently avoiding all added sugar due to dietary restrictions.
I think so but would suggest adding a little stevia for a bit of sweetness.
Alison Strang says
I have just recently joined the gluten free & vegan world! I made this dessert & my fiancé agreed it’s the best apple crisp he has ever had. Thank you so much! Look forward to trying more of your recipes!
Whoop whoop! We are so glad you both enjoyed it, Alison!
Holly says
Hi. Instead of non-dairy butter or coconut oil, do you think vegetable shortening would work? I read here that someone tried with ghee but didn’t get raving results? My daughter can’t have sunflower or coconuts or pea protein. (It is extremely difficult to feed her. Sigh.)
Hi Holly! We haven’t tried using vegetable shortening but if you give it a try, report back on how it goes! Good luck!
Laura says
This was my first ever completely vegan/gluten free dessert attempt and I have to say IM SOLD! I doubled everything and made a 9×13 for a dinner party and everyone raves. The topping was the perfect combo of crunchy, buttery, and sweet to compliment the tart first of the season apples we picked. I will be making this even when I DONT need a GF dessert! Thank you!
Yay!
Violet Ahrenholtz says
Wow Great recipe! I am gluten free and I had to find a dairy free recipe because we were out of butter (GASP) and I needed one that worked well with coconut oil. Lets just say I will never think that I NEED butter to make a crisp again! this may have been the best crisp ever.
I made a few changes because I didnt have everything on hand (added a pinch of nutmeg and ginger, used coconut oil, and used gluten free flour because I had no almond meal -but almond meal would have been better I am sure) I also used wealthy apples which taste AMAZING but are really hard to find these days. Excellent recipe. Thank you for sharing this with the world!
Sarah Beauchamp says
I need some help. I’ve made it as written, but now I’ve a neighbor who is recuperating from a serious illness. Sometimes food gifts are overwhelming, so I want to freeze it in a disposable paper cake pan and have the topping in a baggy.
Can you tell me or help me find out how to change the baking temp and time if cooking from frozen?
Thank you very much.
Sam says
Thanks for the recipe, How would I make this a peach and apple Crisp? Should I use half and half of each and how firm should the peaches be? Thanks!
Hi Sam! We actually have a peach crisp recipe you might be interested in!
Sam says
I ended up making this recipe and it was a bit hit. I doubled the topping as suggested and was glad I did. I also subbed extra oats and flour for the almond meal. Thanks for the great recipe! I come to you first for my dairy free recipes. You don’t disappoint!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Sam!
Brittany says
Can I use brown rice flour in place of the gluten free blend?
Hi Brittany! We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but if you test it out, let us know!
Anna says
This was an awesome recipe! I’ve made it twice now and both times went over super well with my company. I replaced the butter with coconut oil and used less sugar and more honey in the crumble part. Thanks for the recipe :)
Yay! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Anna!
Rachel Stevens says
Absolutely Amazing!!!! Thank you. My husband and I LOVED it.
Judy says
Made this for dinner party with half suggested amount of sugar in apples and topping. Best crisp I’ve ever made. Everyone had seconds!
Glad to hear, Judy!
Hannah says
This far exceeded my expectations! I didn’t know how the vegan butter or the gluten free flour would react because I’d never used it before, but this was as good as any apple crisp I’ve ever had. Should’ve made it in the fall though, cause the apples around aren’t that good this time of year.