Made with a scrumptious crisp topping layered over a filling similar to apple pie, this easy apple crisp recipe is one of my family’s favorite cool weather desserts. Just like my blueberry crisp recipe, the filling can be mixed up right in your baking dish, which means you’ll be able to skip washing an extra bowl.
This recipe is plenty sweet so I serve it plain, but I’m sure it would be delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Now, you may be wondering . . .
What are the best apples for apple crisp?
My official answer is that the best apples are the ones you have on hand. My personal favorite to use are granny smith apples, which is not what I expected when I first started experimenting different varieties. They yield a sweet, firm crisp with a thick syrupy filling that my family adores.
However, I’ve had good results with other varieties such as fuji, gala, honey crisp, golden delicious, and pink lady, so whatever you like will probably work.
What’s the difference between a crisp, a crumble, and a cobbler?
A crisp typically has a crunchy topping made with a oats, some kind of sweetener, flour (in this case almond), butter (or coconut oil if you’re dairy-free), and sometimes nuts like pecan, walnut or almond. Apple crisps are probably the most well-known, but the summer both strawberry crisps and blueberry crisps are popular, too.
A crumble topping doesn’t usually include oats or nuts. It’s more like a streusel.
Cobblers are usually made with a thick dropped-biscuit or pie dough topping. In my Southern-style peach cobbler, I prefer to use use a buttery biscuit topping that melds perfectly with cinnamon, vanilla, & heaps of fresh peaches.
Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- vegetable peeler
Ingredients
For Apple Filling:
- 4 cups apples (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp arrowroot flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For Crisp Oat Topping:
- 1 cup old fashioned oats (look for certified gluten-free and also glyphosate-free)
- ½ cup walnuts, pecans or almonds (roughly chopped)
- ½ cup blanched almond flour
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil (or unsalted butter)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F.
- Place the apples in an 8×8 casserole baking dish and sprinkle with arrowroot flour and cinnamon. Stir together lemon juice, maple syrup, and water, then pour over the apples.
- Stir the apples until they are well-coated with the arrowroot, maple syrup and lemon juice, then set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients needed for the crisp – oats, nuts, almond flour, and salt. Stir until well-combined.
- Add the coconut oil/butter and maple syrup to the crisp mixture and stir again.
- Scoop spoonfuls of the topping over the apple mixture. It's best to leave a little space between the spoonfuls to allow some heat to escape from the apple mixture during baking.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
More Warm & Comforting Apple Recipes
Slow Cooker Caramel Apples – This recipe can be quickly tucked into your slow cooker before bed, then your whole kitchen is filled with a delicious aroma in the morning. My family loves it – I hope yours will, too.
Paleo Apple Fritters – These fritters are a delightful breakfast addition, or you can top them with vanilla ice cream for dessert.
Hot Apple Cider – This spiced cider is super easy to make and can also serve as the base for buttered rum.
Caramel Apples – Made from scratch with only THREE ingredients, including the apples!
Paleo Apple Pie – I haven’t tried it yet, but this recipe from A Clean Bake is on my list to bake this fall!
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Love all your recipes, and to tell you we need more Heather Dessingers in our world. It’s about healthier families💕
How much maple syrup in the apply crisp recipe?
Hi Barbara, it’s 1/4 cup in the filling and 1/4 cup in the topping for a total of 1/2 cup.
Is the arrowroot flour a thickener? Could I use tapioca or agar in place. Would it be the same measurement? Thanks!
Yes, it is a thickener. I think tapioca would work but I haven’t tested it so the consistency might be slightly different. If you try it please let us know how it turns out!
I hate apple crisp made with oatmeal. I use my Mom’s old recipe, have been making it for over 40 years, and do NOT intend to start using oatmeal in something it was never intended to be used for. If you’re going to use oatmeal, you might as well just make cookies and call it a day.
Different story, Different folks. Do you always
Scroll on by if you have to be so snarky. What’s the point 🤷🏻♀️
Hello Looks good but honestly all grains have gluten and oats are a grain so this recipe looks good but it’s not Gluten Free…. Paleo is Grain Free All the best
Actually, oats are naturally gluten-free but can become contaminated with gluten if grown alongside wheat, barley, etc. in fields or if processed on the same equipment. That’s why I buy oats that are grown and processed in separate facilities and guarantee that on the label.
This was really fun to make and delicious! My five-year-old son even peeled and sliced the apples 🍎 😋 👨🍳
Really loved this recipe! I added a few more apple slices and subbed apple cider for the water. I also doubled the lemon juice. Delicious, and my guests loved it!
So happy to hear that, Teri. Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Nice recipes and very easy to make. Tomorrow I shall prepare your this recipe Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (Gluten-Free). This recipe is very simple and easy to make. Thanks for sharing so many delicious recipes.
I made this for dessert and it was amazing! It took about 30 minutes to get everything out, peel and process the apples, and assemble the dish, and I baked it about 50 minutes. The perfect amount of sweetness! I used Granny Smith apples and they were perfect for this.
So glad you liked it, Jessie! Thanks for letting me know. ❤️
This was AMAZING!! Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe w no added sugar! I improvised with what I had on hand: apples, strawberries, fresh rhubarb, honey and coconut flour. It was so excellent, my husband said you better give that 5 stars!
Looking at comments, I’m GF (sensitive) and don’t have an issue w GF oats, they’re usually fine as long as you’re not celiac or doing a grain free diet. I use recipes as an outline, improvising with what works best for me and my family.