Gluten-Free Apple Crumble (Dairy-Free, Vegan)

It’s Apple Season!

Fall means so many things – from the beautiful auburn leaves that fall on the ground, to cooler, crisper days, and to pumpkin everything.

Another big thing we cannot miss about fall is apple season, and I’m way excited about that! Fresh apples are literally everywhere this time of year, so let’s take advantage of that!

Apple pie, apple crisp, apple cider… anything with apples goes during the fall!

Apple Crumble to Enjoy This Fall

A baked fruit dessert is always a good idea, and a fruit crumble is easily one of my favorite desserts.

So we’re making a gluten-free vegan apple crumble today.

I mean, what’s not to love about warm bubbly fruit finished off with a crunchy crumble topping? Plus, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to it and I’m in bliss.

Why This Recipe Works:

• Simple Ingredients: The ingredients required for this gluten-free apple crumble recipe are easily found at the local grocery stores. (In fact, you might already have most of them at home!)
• Easy to Make: Preparing this delicious apple crumble is uncomplicated, and even if this is your first time baking a crumble, you’ll be surprised at just how simple this dessert recipe is.
• Perfect Texture and Taste: With a juicy apple filling and a crunchy crumble topping, the contrast in texture in this grain-free apple crumble is just perfect! The acidity of the tart apples combined with the sweetness of cinnamon and sugar is amazing – your taste buds will thank you!
• Totally Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan: The best part is that this recipe is 100% gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances (or those simply on a gluten-free diet) can enjoy it without worries.

Recipes Notes + Substitutions:

• Apples: I prefer using Granny Smith apples, but any other types of tart green apples will work (such as Ginger Gold, Pippin, Crispin, or Antonovka apples). If you don’t care for tart apples, feel free to use red apples too (such as honeycrisp, red delicious, gala, pink lady, etc).
• Cinnamon: Using ground cinnamon adds to the fall flavor of the apple crumble. Alternatively, you may also use pumpkin pie spice instead.
• Sugar: I used white sugar, but feel free to use cane sugar, light brown sugar, dark brown sugar or coconut sugar if you prefer. If you are diabetic or insulin-resistant, I highly recommend using granulated monkfruit sweetener (a 1:1 sugar substitute that is zero glycemic index and will not raise your blood sugar).
• Almond Flour: I like using blanched almond flour, but almond meal will work just as well (here’s how you can make your own homemade almond meal).
• Tapioca Starch: To keep this recipe grain-free, I’ve used tapioca starch (also known as tapioca flour). If you don’t have tapioca starch, you may use arrowroot starch too. Alternatively, you can also use a good-quality gluten-free flour blend.
• Coconut Oil: I like using refined coconut oil for my baking because it has a less pronounced coconut taste (as opposed to extra virgin coconut oil which has a stronger coconut flavor and smell). You may also use chilled vegan butter instead. Alternatively, if you are not dairy-intolerant, you can go ahead and use normal melted butter or ghee instead.
• Vanilla Extract: I like adding a bit of vanilla extract to the crumble topping, but if you don’t have it on hand, or simply prefer not to use it, go ahead and leave it out instead.

Dish by Dish Tips/Tricks:

• Prevent Crumble From Burning: If you find that the crumble topping is turning very dark, cover the apple crumble with aluminum foil during the last 10 minutes while it continues to bake.
• Swap Out the Apples: You can easily vary the types of apples used, and if you enjoyed this crumble, and would like to make other variations, simply swap out the apples for pears. Alternatively, you can also make our favorite gluten-free mixed berry crumble.
• Make it More Tart: If you like additional tartness, simply add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to the apple mixture before baking it.
• Make it More Decadent: It’s the holiday season, so if you’re preparing this apple dessert for Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas, you make it even more luxurious by drizzling a dairy-free caramel sauce over.
• No Ramekins? I like using ramekins so this homemade apple crumble is already baked in individual portions, but if you don’t have ramekins, feel free to use a square baking dish instead (note that the baking time may be longer if you use a larger dish).
• Make Gluten-Free Apple Crisp: To make an apple crisp, simply add 1/4 cup of uncooked gluten-free oats to the crumble mixture before baking.

Recipe FAQs: