This homemade cinnamon apple crisp without oats is an old fashioned recipe the way Grandma used to make only quick and easy! This 15-minute 6-ingredient fall dessert has a spice caramel apple filling and a crunchy crumble top without oats.
This apple crisp without oats is a warm, cinnamon-filled, cozy apple dessert along side all my pumpkin spice recipes among my fall recipes. This one is spicy, with a delicious streusel easy to make with pantry ingredients. The crumble is made without oats the way apple crisps was baked decades ago - this version is an easy apple dessert that melts in your mouth.
Like my other apple recipes, cinnamon apple cake, my baked apple cider donuts and my cinnamon roll overnight oats, this apple crisp recipe can be made gluten free by using your favorite gluten free baking flour.
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Why You'll Love This
Easy to make. My grandmother lived in Boston, and every fall made this recipe every fall from her 20s to her 90s. She loved the nostalgia, and how easy it is to make with an oven and a baking pan, as well as apples, spices, apple cider and flour.
It's an apple crisp with no oats. While oats are nutritious, this apple crisp is made with only flour, resembling the old fashioned and earlier version of the recipe, called an apple crumble. And using gluten free flour makes it perfect for gluten free diets. This recipe is also vegan, paleo, refined-sugar-free and nut free.
Ingredients
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Apples. You'll need 3-4 apples. Choose crisp varieties so they hold up in the oven. The best apples for apple crisp are Jonathan's, Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, Granny Smith.
Apple cider. Just a little will replace some butter found in traditional recipes, keeping the spices up and the calories down.
Sugar. Use brown sugar with the apples to bring a caramel flavor similar to apple pie. A combo of brown and white sugar in the crumble top creates the perfect crumble texture.
Cinnamon. You can also add nutmeg and allspice.
Flour. Use a gluten-free baking flour or all purpose.
Butter. This works best using salted chilled sticks. Use regular or dairy free such as Earth Balance sticks.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
Substitute the apples. Feel free to substitute the apples for pears, peaches, blueberries, cherries or even cranberries, or try my fresh cranberry crisp.
About the flour. The traditional old-fashioned oat-free apple crisp uses all purpose flour, but you can use gluten-free baking flour, or even almond flour. The latter will create a heavier crumble so reduce it by ¼ cup.
Step by Step Instructions
For more detail, visit the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.
Preparations. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare the apples with a corer or paring knife, and measure ingredients. Either grease with butter or line a pan with parchment paper. Chop chilled butter into small cubes.
Step 1: Chop the apples. Stand each apple up, and cut all four sides off close to the core. Discard the core, and chop the apples into slices.
Step 2: Make apple filling layer. Add the apples to a bowl, and toss with the apple cider, brown sugar and cinnamon. Layer them level in the pan.
Step 3: Make crisp crumble layer. In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together, and then add the butter. Chop the butter into the mixture until clumps form about 30 seconds to leave butter chunks intact.
Step 4: Layer the apples in an 8-inch square baking pan. Sprinkle crisp crumble layer on apples. Spoon the mixture over the apples, shuffle the apples a bit so some of the topping falls between them.
Step 5: Bake for 35-45 minutes or until it is bubbling, and the top is golden. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then serve. Top with ice cream, date paste or serve along.
Recipe Tips
Cutting apples. I use a paring knife. A corer is not necessary. Stand the apple up, cut off four sides, and discard the core. Cut the 4 chunks into ¼-inch slices.
Butter. Make sure the butter cold and hard; don't work the crumble layer longer than 30 seconds or butter will become too soft.
Pans to use. Use an 8-inch square pan or the like. It can be metal or ceramic. Don't use a deep pan like a loaf pan or your crust will become soggy.
Keep apples from browning if you'd like by tossing them in a tablespoon of lemon juice before you add the crumble top.
Watch the crisp in the oven. It can take 35 minutes to 45 minutes to bake depending on your oven.
Storage & Make Ahead
Storage of leftovers. Store leftover apple crisp in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds uncovered, or bake on foil for 15 minutes at 350 F.
Make ahead. The apple crisp without oats cannot be refrigerated ahead of time, but it can be frozen. Bake, cool and freeze right away.
FAQS
No because it would all become too soggy, but I have a single serving apple crisp recipe in the works and will link it here.
You can put the whole pan in the oven and heat at 350 F for up to 15 minutes.
I don't peel them because the texture adds chewy, and the peel adds nutrition and fiber.
More Apple & Fall Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Apple Crisp Without Oats (gluten-free, dairy free)
Equipment
- 8-inch square baking pan grease or use parchment paper
- kitchen knife
- fork
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 4 apples chopped, 3 cups
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon apple cider
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Crisp Topping
- 1 cup flour Use a gluten-free baking flour or all purpose.
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoon butter chilled and cubed
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Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prepare the apples, and measure ingredients. Either butter your 8-inch square pan, or line it with 8-inch by 12-inch parchment paper. Chop chilled butter into small squares.
- Chop the apples. Stand each apple up, and cut all four sides off close to the core. Discard the core, and chop the apples into slices.
- Make apple layer. Add the apples to a bowl, and toss with the apple cider, brown sugar and cinnamon. Layer them in the pan.4 apples, 2 tablespoon apple cider, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Make crisp layer. In another bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir together, and then add the butter. Chop the butter into the mixture until clumps form. Don't overwork, leave butter chunks intact.1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 cup flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon cane sugar
- Sprinkle Crisp on Apples. Spoon the crisp mixture over the apples, and bake the crisp for 35 minutes or until it is bubbling and the top is golden. Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then serve.
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