Gluten Free Apple Crisp: Easy, Dairy Free & Vegan
Served warm from the oven, this gluten free apple crisp will quickly soar to the top of your most requested recipes list! It's the perfect dessert that not only comes together super quick, but is dairy free and vegan as written. So grab a baking dish and some Granny Smith apples and get ready for the best apple crisp recipe ever!
I originally published this recipe in 2021 but have since updated the pictures and added more baking tips.
The beautiful golden brown oat topping of this apple crisp is just the start of this warm, delicious, crowd pleasing dessert. Underneath that hearty, cinnamon spiced topping are sweet apples in their most simple form. Nothing added, just crisp, tasty apples. And if you love apple recipes, check out this gluten-free apple cobbler and this gluten-free apple cake.
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Here's Why It's The Best Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
It's not often that a simple dessert recipe leaves such an impression on the taste-testers. But this one had everyone reaching for seconds (me included!)! It has all the things you want in an apple crisp:
- Hearty oats (reference this article for more on gluten-free oats and oat flour)
- Dairy free and vegan as written
- Simple prep
- Short ingredients list
- Best baking smell EVER!
And it's a favorite for even the pickiest eaters!
Ingredients You'll Need & Possible Substitutions
Just a short stack of 7 ingredients is all you need for this tasty Fall inspired dessert! Here is a breakdown of the ingredients and the brands I used and recommend for this recipe. I'll also include a substitute if there is one that works...
- Granny Smith apples - Granny Smith are the variety that are usually a very vibrant, bright green. They are a bit on the sour side to eat as-is but are wonderful to bake with since they maintain their texture even after baking. I would not recommend substituting these (note on apple varieties below).
- Brown sugar - I used the Imperial brand of brown sugar but any light brown sugar would work well here. If you must substitute this, I recommend substituting half of it with Swerve brown sugar. Do not swap out all of it as the apples need the brown sugar but half is do-able.
- Gluten free flour mix - I use my gluten free flour mix here. King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour Mix is my second choice (for things like these pumpkin cookies and these oatmeal cookies) and it works equally well.
- Oats - I used the old fashioned variety of gluten fee oats for this crisp. Quaker brand was the one I reached for here, but you could also use the Rolled oats from Bob's Red Mill. Make sure your oats are certified gluten free. If you need to substitute the oats, quinoa flakes are a good (although pricier) alternative.
- Cinnamon - I use and recommend the McCormick brand of cinnamon. I would not advise substituting the cinnamon as it is an essential flavor profile.
- Nutmeg - I use the same brand of nutmeg that I do for cinnamon - McCormick. I would not advise substituting this as it's a flavor essential.
- Vegan butter - Country Crock sticks are my baking go-to for vegan butter. Earth Balance would be equally good though.
Exact measurements and step-by-step directions for making this gluten free apple crisp are in the recipe card below.
What Types of Apples Work Best
Granny Smith apples are my go-to apples for the apple filling for this recipe mainly because they are readily available in most stores. However, if you don't see these bright green beauties in your grocery store, then look for any of these apples:
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
- Fuji
- Gala
- Braeburn
- Cortland
- Jonagold
- Crispin
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: First butter the baking dish with some vegan butter.
Step Two: Spread the 5 cups of sliced and peeled apples in the dish.
Step Three: In a medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients together.
Step Four: Cut in the butter using a pastry blender.
Step Five: The mixture will look like large crumbs.
Step Six: Sprinkle this mixture over the apples in the baking dish.
Baking the Apple Crisp
No need to cover the dish, just bake it at 350 F for about 45 minutes. A fork stuck into one of the apples should have a little bit of give, but still be solid (not mushy).
Storage
Once baked and cooled, this apple crisp can be stored covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. It can be served warmed or straight from the refrigerator.
Baking Pro Tips
1. Measure by weight
As I've covered in my baking masterclass, measuring ingredients by weight is the surest way to perfectly textured, consistently delicious baked goods. Everything from white bread to raisin bread to dinner rolls to sugar cookies, weighing ingredients with a digital scale means you have the exact amount of flour or starch each and every time. This is the one I have that's budget friendly but reliable.
2. Softened butter
It's much easier to cut in the butter when it's had about 30 minutes to soften. Slice the butter into cubes and use a pastry blender like this one to fully incorporate the butter in with the oat-flour mix. It should resemble large crumbs.
3. Double for more servings
If you have 6 or more adults, or some big time dessert fans, I'd advise doubling this recipe. I don't often advise that, but this recipe is a great one for it. Just double the ingredient amounts and place the apples in a 9" x 13" baking dish. Baking time might increase to 50 minutes, but other than that, there's no other changes.
FAQs
Granny Smith are the ones I recommend for the best results. But feel free to use Honeycrisp, Gala, or any of the other options in the "What Types of Apple Work Best" section.
Quinoa flakes would be another option. They are close to oats and bake up wonderfully.
A warm from the oven apple crisp is delicious as-is but a scoop of vanilla ice cream is also delicious or some whipped topping or whipped cream. And serve it with some yogurt for a breakfast treat!
Store any leftover apple crisp covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat it inn the microwave before enjoying.
Peeling the apples is not a must. I prefer the texture of baked apples when they are peeled, but feel free to leave the skins on.
Nuts would be a wonderful addition to the recipe. Add about ¼ cup of chopped nuts to the oat mixture before baking.
Other Helpful Resources
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Recipe
Gluten Free Apple Crisp: Easy, Dairy Free & Vegan
Ingredients
Method
- Peel and slice 5-6 granny smith apples. The total amount should be 5 cups.
- Heat oven to 350F. Butter an 8" x 8" baking dish and set aside.
- Spread apples in baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, flour mix, oats, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Using a pastry blender, cut in the softened butter until mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle topping over apples in the baking dish.
- Bake at 350F for 40-50 minutes or until apples are soft when tested with a fork.
- Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Apple slices should be about ¼ - ½ inch thick.
- Quick cooking oats were used in this recipe.
- Slicing the butter before cutting it in makes it easier to incorporate into the topping.
- Do not cover the crisp while baking.
Apple Crisp: I added 1/8 t. all spice and served it warm, with heavy cream, like my mama used to do. Thank you for sharing your time and talent with us who so desperately need GF foods.
GG in Lubbock
Hi Verdonna,
Oh wonderful feedback - thank you so much! Glad to enjoy it 🙂
Christine
Apple Crisp is delicious! Yummmm...
Hi Denise,
Thank you - one of my favorites!:)
Christine