Oat Flour Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Crisp
yields: 8 servings
Warm cinnamon-spiced gluten-free apple crisp with an oat and almond flour topping that tastes like cookie crumbs. Serve this classic fall dessert warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Apple filling
- 2¾ lbs whole baking apples, such as honeycrisp or granny smith (about 7 apples)
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cubed
Gluten-Free Almond Oat Crisp Topping
- 75 g (¾ cup) gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
- 56 g (½ cup) super-fine blanched almond flour
- 30 g (3 tablespoons) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko; do not substitute white or brown rice flour
- 27 g (¼ cup) gluten-free oat flour, see note
- 12 g (1½ tablespoons) cornstarch
- 76 g (¼ cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, prepare the apple filling. Peel the apples then cut them from the core (see note about peeling below). Slice them ¼ to ½ inch thick and place them in a large bowl. You should have about 2¼lbs peeled and sliced apples.
- Add the brown sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, and toss well to combine. Pour the apples into a 2-quart baking dish, pan, or pie pan (I used a 7x10 baking dish). Evenly place butter chunks over the top. Place pan on a large baking sheet to catch leaks, and bake the apples for 5 minutes, until the butter melts.
- Meanwhile, combine rolled oats, almond flour, sweet rice flour, oat flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the cold butter and vanilla extract and beat or mix on medium-low speed until the dough clumps together when pinched. If working by hand, cut in the butter by hand or with a pastry cutter and mix until the butter incorporates and the dough clumps together when pinched. Note: You may also use a food processor for this step, and if doing so, wait to add the rolled oats until the end. Once the dough clumps together, work in the oats by hand, pinching the dough into clumps.
- Top warm apples with crumbles of the dough and bake for 40-45 more minutes, until the apple filling is bubbling and the crumbles are golden brown. Serve warm topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Apples: Whether or not you peel your apples is a matter of personal preference. If you don't mind the texture of the skin when baked, then by all means, leave it on. I personally recommend peeling it to get the most melt-in-your-mouth texture of your apple filling.
Oat flour: If you don't have oat flour, you can make your own by blending gluten-free rolled oats in a food processor or high-speed blender until finely ground.
Storing: Store any leftovers in an airtight contanier in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Make-Ahead Apple Crisp
If you want to save even more time, you can make the crumbles entirely in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. You can use them straight from the fridge, but if storing them in the freezer, be sure to defrost them on the counter first. You can also slice your apples up to a day in advance, tossing them in the lemon juice. Wait to add the sugar corn starch, and spices until you're ready to assemble to prevent the apples from releasing too much liquid. When you're ready, toss the apples with remaining ingredients, top with crumbles, and bake!