My Grandmother's Apple Crisp
Ingredients
Apples
- 7-10 apples depending on how full you want it and size of baking dish
- TIP: Any apple will work but baking apples, Cortland and Granny Smith apples will give a nice tart flavor in contrast to the crumble and will hold their form best. Other apples may lose their form and become more "mushy" when baking-- I love using a combination of apples. And an apple crisp is a great way to use up "older" apples.
- TIP: my family tends to over fill the pan because the apples will shrink or "fall down" after baking and settling. If you over-stuff it with apples you will still be left with a lot of apples.
- Cinnamon to taste approximately 1/2 teaspoon- 1 teaspoon
Crumb topping (this is a very forgiving recipe if you need to adjust quantities for your pan size)
- 1 cup gluten free all purpose flour with xanthan gum we use GF Jules - affiliate link
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed (could cut back to 2/3 cup depending on size of pan)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or dairy free alternative (We often use Earth Balance soy free sticks), Softened
- 1/2 cup gluten-free oats could add more if using a large pan and trying to make a larger quantity of topping
- 1-3 tablespoons flaxseed meal optional, adds some nutrients and no one will taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
Apples
- Peel, core and slice the apples 1/4-1/2 inch thick, and place in a large bowl. Tip: don't worry if some of the apples are in different sizes or shapes. It's a very forgiving recipe! The thicker may take longer to bake and soften.
- Add cinnamon to the apples and stir to combine.
- Place apples in a baking pan (any shape, approximately 9-10 inch -- this is a 10 inch round, I've used 11 x 7 rectangle and 8x8 square -- it's a forgiving recipe!).
Crumb Topping
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl and with a pastry cutter or your hands (preferably) mix the crumb topping together.
Assemble & Bake
- With your hands "drop" pieces of crumble over the apples until it's covered
- Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until topping slightly golden and apples tender. TIP: Check at 30 minutes and if the crumble is getting too brown and you want apples to cook longer, cover with foil and continue baking another 5- 10 minutes)
Love this recipe! Made it a couple weeks ago and made it again today for Thanksgiving. It is really good and way easier than apple pie.
Thanks so much Carolina! I am so happy you love it too and agree, so much easier than pie! So honored to be part of your Thanksgiving table.
Made this recipe, it is amazing!! I doubled the recipe and it came out perfect. Gone in two days, it was a family hit!!!?
Thanks Ali! So happy your family loved it! It is a fan favorite here too!
I went apple picking over the weekend and was excited to use the apples! Found this recipe of the apple crisp and decided to bake this! Just finished making it and it looks so delicious!! I also like that the recipe doesn’t feel like it’s unhealthy!
Such a perfect way to use all those freshly picked apples! I too love that it tastes so good and doesn’t feel unhealthy– packed with apples and other goodness!
One of my favorite easy to make recipes
!!!
You just made my day! My family loves it too!
Just made this for a family gathering and I couldn’t help but sneak a test taste (or 5) first. ? It is scrumptious! Best apple crisp I’ve ever made!
Wow! Thank you so much! I hope the rest of your family loves it too!
Oh yes, I did add the juice from half a lemon just because I didn’t have any tart apples. I also threw in few caramels but I will omit them next time because I think it would be best as written. ?
Adding a little lemon juice to make the apples tarter is a great idea!
OMG!! This Apple Crisp was amazing. I made it for a work pot luck and everyone who tried it loved it!
I won’t have to miss out on any desserts in the future this will be my go to. Being GF is hard when your the only one in the family.
Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes ❤️
Great! So happy everyone loved it! And it is a good one to have in your repertoire for when you need an easy and yummy dessert! 🙂
Hi karen my na.e is Patty. I wanted to know if I could use a different kind of flour and can I substitute the sugar for Zing Organic stevia sweetener ? I wanted to make this because I’m going to my sister’s and we’re going to have a family get together. I may be leaving on the 25th.
Hi. This recipe really needs an all purpose flour (maybe oat flour would work) but I wouldn’t use almond flour. As for the stevia, I’ve never used it so I can’t speak to the impact on taste or consistency of the crumble. Linking to our other apple crisp recipe which may be more forgiving with a different flour and sugar. https://www.healthygffamily.com/recipe/apple-crisp-3/
So easy to prepare, my three-year old mixed up the topping. I love the simplicity of this recipe – can’t wait to make another.
Yay! So happy you love it and love that your 3 year old helped make it! Thank you!
Do you grease the pan? This looks so good!!
So delicious!! I used Trader Joe’s GF flour which doesn’t contain xantham gum. I used 1 egg white to substitute and turned out great. Will definitely make again!
I made this apple crisp again this year for my Thanksgiving dessert and it was amazing!! I LOVE this recipe it’s so easy, delicious and perfect for any occasion.
Happy you loved it as much as we do! And it is so perfect any time! Thank you!
I made this last night to use up some Granny Smith apples that were on its last legs. I actually thought the apple mixture could have been a little sweeter, but probably because my apples were very tart. Next time I will taste an apple first! And I couldn’t help myself and added a half cup of chopped pecans to the topping, and it was perfect. I will tell you that my non gluten free husband had 3 helpings! Thank you!
Love that your non gf husband loved it so much! And true, whenever you bake with apples, the flavor will vary depending on the tartness or sweetness of your apple… so it’s always a great idea to adjust the sugar to taste! Love that you added pecans! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! Can you make this ahead time and refrigerate until baking time? TIA!
That’s a great question! I’ve never done that but it should work fine!
A fall favorite! I prepped it before a long swim meet & we all came home and ate it cold with vanilla yogurt for dinner, it was FABULOUS. Another easy, delicious recipe from your kitchen.
So happy you love this too! We’ve been making it on repeat this fall! Thank you!!
I had a “peck” of apples that needed to be used so I thought I’d try this recipe. After the apples were all peeled, corded and sliced, it was so easy to make. I doubled the batch and pretty much had to double the cooking time. It turned out so well that even my non-gluten-free family LOVED it!
So happy you all loved it Thanks for sharing!
I’m about to make this and noticed there’s no sugar added to the apples like the other fruit crumbles — the auger is in the topping. Is this correct? Just double checking. Thanks.
Sorry, just seeing this question… yes, the sugar is in the topping and so it’s really about enjoying the natural sweetness of the apples (with some cinnamon of course!). Enjoy!