• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Flavor Walk logo

  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Brownies
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Dessert
    • Main Dish
    • Muffins
    • Quick Breads
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Home » Recipes » Dessert

Gluten Free Apple Dessert

Sep 6, 2022 · Leave a Comment

Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  • 25
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
A serving of apple dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a fork on a stack of two white dessert plates with text overlay, "Apple Dessert, easy & gluten free."

This easy recipe for Gluten Free Apple Dessert is layered with a crumbly streusel crust, sweet apple filling, and topped with more tasty streusel. If you’re a fan of apples, you have to try this yummy fall dessert!

A serving of gf apple dessert with more dessert in the background.
Jump to:
  • Why this Recipe Works
  • What are the Best Apples to Use?
  • Are Oats Gluten Free?
  • Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
  • How to Make Gluten Free Apple Dessert
  • Step By Step Instructions
  • More Gluten Free Apple Recipes
  • Gluten Free Flour Blend
  • Recipe Tips and FAQs
  • More Gluten Free Recipes with Fruit to Try
  • Recipe

While the proverb, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” may be true, this apple treat will have your friends and family coming back for more. A cross between apple crisp and Dutch apple pie, this gluten free dessert includes both a tasty crust and a sweet topping.

Why this Recipe Works

  • Using apple juice in the filling gives the dessert a second level of apple flavor.
  • Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves give the dish a warm spiced flavor that pairs well with the apples.
  • The streusel topping adds a layer of sweet, buttery crunch.

What are the Best Apples to Use?

You’ll want to select a good baking apple like Braeburn, Gala, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith. These varieties all have a firm texture and good apple flavor. I like to use Granny Smith because their natural tartness prevents this dessert from being overly sweet.

While the Red Delicious and Fuji can be good choices for eating, they don’t work well for baking. The Red Delicious becomes mushy and overly sweet, and the Fuji are too firm and don’t break down enough in the 60 minutes needed to bake this dessert.

(This post contains affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.)

Like many fruit crisps and crumble recipes, this recipe uses oats. As someone with Celiac disease, I’m always careful when a recipe calls for oats. Although many folks with gluten-intolerance can enjoy regular oats without any problem, I use certified gluten free oats for this dessert recipe.

Are Oats Gluten Free?

Pure oats are gluten free, but most packaged oats have the potential of cross-contamination. If the oats are processed in a facility that also processes wheat, barley, and rye, it’s possible the oats are no longer free of gluten. For more information see, The Oat-Conundrum: Are Oats Gluten-Free?

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

  • Gluten free flour blend - I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour to make this apple recipe.  If you don’t have a problem with gluten, you can use all-purpose flour.
  • Oats - Old-fashioned rolled oats (certified gluten free). I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Oats. If you don’t need certified gluten free oats, you can substitute regular rolled oats. I don’t recommend quick oats for this recipe.
  • Nuts - Chopped pecans are what I use. If you don’t have pecans, you can substitute chopped almonds or walnuts. 
  • Butter - Unsalted butter is my preference so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe. For dairy free use a non-dairy butter like Earth Balance.
  • Apple juice - I use apple juice that’s 100% juice. If you use unsweetened apple juice, you’ll want to increase the sugar in the filling to ½ cup.
  • Apples - Granny Smith apples are my choice for this dessert. Any good baking apple will also work.

How to Make Gluten Free Apple Dessert

  1. Peel and dice the apples and melt the butter.
  2. Stir together the flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, spices and salt.
  3. Add the butter and stir until completely combined.
  4. Set aside 1 & ½ cups of the mixture and press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350-degrees for 10 minutes.
  5. Place the apples in a mixing bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice and vanilla.
  6. In a large saucepan, whisk together the apple juice, sugar, and flour until combined. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
  7. Remove from the heat, add to the apples, and stir to combine.
  8. Pour the apple filling into the baked crust and sprinkle with the reserved topping mixture. Bake for 60 minutes.
  9. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Step By Step Instructions

(For ingredient amounts see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

Peel and dice the apples and melt the butter. Preheat your oven to 350° F. Set aside a 9x9-inch baking pan.

Make the Crust

Place the flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, spices, and salt in a medium bowl and stir together until combined.

Gluten free flour, brown sugar, gluten free oats, salt, chopped pecans, and spices whisked together in a glass mixing bowl.

Add the melted butter to the mixture and stir until completely incorporated.

Dry ingredients for gluten free apple dessert, mixed with melted butter, in a glass mixing bowl.

Remove 1 & ½ cups of the mixture and set aside for the topping.

Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9x9-inch baking pan.

Unbaked bottom crust for apple dessert in 9x9-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Make the Apple Filling

Place the peeled and diced apples in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with the lemon juice and vanilla extract.

In a large saucepan, whisk together the apple juice, sugar, and flour until the sugar and flour are dissolved. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat, add to the apples, and stir to combine.

Peeled and diced Granny Smith apples, apple juice, sugar, gluten free flour, lemon juice, and vanilla mixed together with a rubber spatula in a metal mixing bowl.

Pour the filling into the baked crust and sprinkle with the reserved topping mixture.

Unbaked gluten free apple dessert in 9x9-inch baking pan.

Bake for 60-65 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

More Gluten Free Apple Recipes

  • Easy Gluten Free Apple Cake
  • Simple Gluten Free Apple Muffins
  • Apple Walnut Crumb Cake
  • Baked Gluten Free Apple Fritters

Gluten Free Flour Blend

Make sure to use a good quality all-purpose gluten free flour blend when making this dessert.  I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 which contains xanthan gum.

Xanthan gum helps to hold baked goods together.  In traditional baking, gluten in all-purpose flour acts as the binding agent for the baked good.  Gluten free baking requires a replacement for the binding agent and that’s where xanthan gum comes in.

Your results may vary depending on the gluten free flour you use.  I haven’t tried using almond flour or coconut flour with this recipe.

Remember to use the “spoon and level” method when measuring your gluten free flour.  Simply use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup and then use the back of a table knife to level off the top.  Using the measuring cup to scoop the flour directly from the canister or bag can give you more flour than needed in the recipe.

Gluten free apple dessert in a baking pan, with two servings removed, and a metal server.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

  • When making this dessert for someone with Celiac disease, be sure to use certified gluten free oats.
  • Use a good baking apple with a firm texture and good flavor. I like to use Granny Smith apples for this recipe.
  • Allow the dessert to cool completely before slicing and serving. The apple filling will set up as it cools.
Can you make it dairy free?

Yes. You can swap out the butter in the crust/topping with a non-dairy butter like Earth Balance buttery sticks.

Do you need to cover while baking?

No. You can leave the dessert uncovered when you're baking the crust and after you add the filling and topping.

How should I store any leftovers?

Allow the dessert to cool completely before covering with plastic wrap.  Store the wrapped dessert at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

A slice of apple dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a fork on a small white plate.

If you like your dessert warm, place a serving on a microwave-safe plate and heat at 30 second intervals to the temperature of your liking. Use caution when microwaving the dessert as the filling can become quite hot.

Love the flavor of apples? Give this apple dessert a try. The delicious apple filling, layered between a tasty crust and sweet topping, is hard to resist. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to take it to the next level. Happy Baking!

More Gluten Free Recipes with Fruit to Try

  • Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Rhubarb Crumble
  • Easy Blueberry Muffins
  • Strawberry Bread Recipe
  • Easy Blueberry Crisp

If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on the blog, don't forget to leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.  I really enjoy hearing from you!

You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more of the delicious food I'm making!

Recipe

One serving of gluten free apple dessert with a scoop of ice cream and a fork on a stack of 2 white dessert plates with more apple dessert in the background.

Gluten Free Apple Dessert

Connie @ Flavor Walk
This Gluten Free Apple Dessert is the perfect treat for apple lovers. The sweet apple filling sits on a streusel crust and is topped with more delicious streusel.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 5 mins
Baking crust 10 mins
Total Time 1 hr 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 9 servings
Calories 474 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Crust:

  • 2 cups gluten free flour blend
  • 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • ½ cup rolled oats (certified gluten free)
  • ½ cup pecans, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

  • 1 ½ cups apple juice
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons gluten free flour blend
  • 6 cups baking apples, peeled and diced
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Peel and dice apples and melt butter.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and set aside a 9"x9" baking pan.

For the Crust:

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the gluten free flour blend, brown sugar, gluten free oats, pecans, spices, and salt until combined.
  • Add the melted butter and stir until completely combined.
  • Set aside 1 & ½ cups of the mixture for the topping.
  • Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9"x9" pan.
  • Bake for 10 minutes.

For the Filling:

  • Place the peeled and diced apples in a large mixing bowl.
  • Drizzle the lemon juice and vanilla extract over the apples.
  • In a large saucepan, whisk together the apple juice, sugar, and flour until the sugar and flour are dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until thickened, 1-2 minutes.
  • Add to the apples and stir to combine.
  • Pour the filling into the crust.
  • Sprinkle the reserved mixture over the top of the filling.
  • Bake for 60-65 minutes until the filling is bubbly.
  • Cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

  • When making this dessert for someone with Celiac disease, be sure to use certified gluten free oats.
  • Use a good baking apple with a firm texture and good flavor. I like to use Granny Smith apples for this recipe.
  • Allow the dessert to cool completely before slicing and serving. The apple filling will set up as it cools.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 474kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 274mgPotassium: 207mgFiber: 6gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 520IUVitamin C: 5.2mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1.7mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on products and brands you use. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the ingredients you are using with your preferred nutrition calculator.

This post was originally published in 2019. It was republished in 2022 with updated images, additional text, and FAQs.

More Dessert Recipes

  • Chocolate Banana Bread (gluten free, dairy free)
  • Old-Fashioned Chocolate Icebox Cake
  • Easy Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp
  • Gluten Free Lemon Blueberry Bread

Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  • 25

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

WELCOME

Connie of Flavorwalk Food BlogWelcome to Flavor Walk. I'm Connie the author of this blog where I share gluten-free, simple and easy recipes that add flavor to life. Spend a little time, explore, and you may find some flavor to add to your life, too.
More about me...

Stay Connected

Sign up to receive new recipes delivered to your inbox!

Featured Posts

One slice of gluten free spice cake on small white plate with remaining cake in the background.

Gluten Free Spice Cake

Close up view of slices of gluten free chocolate chip pumpkin bread on parchment paper.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

A slice of gluten free banana cake with cream cheese frosting on a white dessert plate.

Gluten Free Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Three slices of gluten free cinnamon bread in front of the remaining loaf of cinnamon bread.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Swirl Bread

A gluten free pumpkin bar on a white plate with the remaining bars in the background.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bars

Close-up view of a white platter filled with gluten free banana muffins.

Gluten Free Banana Muffins

A serving of no bake oreo cheesecake and a fork on a white plate with additional cheesecake in the background.

No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Recipe (Gluten Free)

Popular Cake Recipes

Gluten Free Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake on a round white plate with a tan and white striped kitchen towel under the plate.

Gluten Free Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake

A slice of cranberry coffee cake and a fork on a pink and white floral plate

Gluten Free Cranberry Cake

Gluten Free Lemon Cake on a round white plate with a raspberry and white striped kitchen towel in the background.

Gluten Free Lemon Cake

Close up view of an uncut chocolate brownie cheesecake on a round white plate with forks and smaller plates in the background.

Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake {Gluten Free}

Overhead view of a gluten free icebox cake on a clear glass cake stand.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Icebox Cake

Overhead view of gluten free lemon pound cake on an white, oval, serving plate.

Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake

COPYRIGHT

All images and text on this site are property of Flavor Walk.  Feel free to share recipes you have made and provide a link back to the page on flavorwalk.com where you found the recipe.  Pinning is always welcomed and appreciated.  Thank you!

Flavor Walk is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

  • Home
  • Nutritional Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • GDPR Requests
  • CCPA
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

Copyright © 2023 Flavor Walk • Privacy Policy • Disclosure

170 shares
  • 25