Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

When I think of fall, I always think of apple crisp. Apple crisp is just one of those desserts that is so easy to make that it is pretty much foolproof. You’ve got all of the delicious flavours of apple pie without having to make a perfectly rolled out pie crust.

It’s apple picking season and lots of us are ending up with big bags of apples that we need to use up. Apple crisp is such an easy dessert and it goes so well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It also makes a delicious breakfast.

This apple crisp recipe contains no refined sugar and no gluten. It has all of the delicious flavour of traditional apple crisp without being overly sweet and it’s perfect for those of us who are gluten intolerant or sensitive. For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill gluten free baking flour, but you can use any premixed gluten-free baking flour.

This recipe is a great one to get kids in the kitchen to help with because it is mostly just some stirring and scooping. My four-year-old picked the apples and she was so excited to create a dessert out of them. Getting kids in the kitchen and having them prepare food in any way that’s age-appropriate is a great way to get them excited to eat. It even works when it’s a food they typically refuse to eat. My daughters wouldn’t eat sliced bell peppers when I served them, but when they were in the kitchen with me and watched me slice them, they asked to try some. It’s also very important that kids learn how to make their own food so they are well prepared for leaving the home and they won’t rely on boxed and canned foods.

Recipe

Ingredients

Filling
5 honeycrisp or granny smith apples (about 1 kg), peeled and chopped into ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons of arrowroot starch
3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
¼ teaspoon of ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon of allspice
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Topping
1 cup of gluten-free baking flour
1 cup of gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup of coconut sugar
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of baking powder
12 tablespoons of cold unsalted grassfed butter, cut into cubes
¼ teaspoon of salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Toss all filling ingredients together in a large bowl until apples are evenly coated, then pour into a 7x11in baking dish.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and mix with your hands until you get a crumbly mixture. Don’t overmix.
• Pour topping mixture over the filling in an even layer. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

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Contributed by Melanie Maxwell, R.H.N.
https://www.vibrantlywell.com/