Delicious Gluten-Free Almond Flour Apple Pecan Crisp: The Ultimate Fall Dessert Recipe
Indulge in the comforting flavors of autumn with this incredibly delicious and naturally Gluten-Free Almond Flour Apple Pecan Crisp. This irresistible dessert features a generous filling of tender, juicy apples, perfectly spiced with warm cinnamon and nutmeg, all nestled under a thick, golden, and exceptionally crunchy crisp topping. Crafted with wholesome ingredients like old-fashioned oats, nutrient-rich almond flour, and crunchy chopped pecans, this crisp delivers a satisfying texture and a depth of flavor that’s hard to beat. The secret to its extra-thick and super-crunchy topping lies in using melted butter, which simplifies the process and enhances the crispness. Baked in a large 9×13 pan, this recipe is ideal for feeding a crowd, making it the perfect centerpiece for any fall gathering or holiday meal. As an added bonus, it’s remarkably versatile and can easily be adapted for a vegan diet by simply swapping in plant-based butter.
This recipe is directly inspired by the success of my almond flour peach crisp bars. After recently refining that recipe and falling in love with the unique texture and flavor of its almond flour and oat-based topping, I knew I had to adapt it for a classic apple crisp. The result is a truly exceptional gluten-free apple crisp that stands out from typical recipes.
Unlike many traditional gluten-free crisp toppings, this version incorporates a significant amount of almond flour, almost matching the quantity of oats. This innovative blend, combined with the inclusion of baking powder and cornstarch, contributes to a topping that is both tender within and delightfully crunchy on the surface. Furthermore, by opting for melted butter instead of laboriously cutting in cold butter cubes, we not only save valuable preparation time but also achieve an extra-crispy texture that holds up beautifully. This thoughtful approach ensures a superior crisp experience every time.
Table of Contents
- Key Ingredients and Smart Substitutions
- How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Pecan Crisp with Almond Flour
- Precision in Baking: A Note on Measuring Ingredients
- Expert Tips for Crafting the Best Almond Flour Apple Crisp
- Recipe FAQs
- More Delightful Apple Recipes to Try
Key Ingredients and Smart Substitutions for Your Apple Pecan Crisp
Understanding the role of each ingredient is key to perfecting this delightful apple pecan crisp. Below, we delve into the core components, offering insights and potential substitutions to help you achieve the best possible results. The comprehensive list with precise quantities can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Apples – The Heart of the Crisp: You’ll need approximately 3 pounds of apples for a generous filling, which typically translates to about 8 cups of chopped apples (roughly 8 medium-sized apples). I often use Gala apples due to their balanced sweetness and ability to maintain their shape beautifully during baking, preventing a mushy filling. They’re also widely available and budget-friendly. For those who prefer a more tart-sweet profile, Honeycrisp apples are an excellent choice. If you’re aiming for an even more pronounced tartness, Granny Smith apples work wonderfully, though you might consider increasing the sugar slightly in the filling to balance the flavors. Combining different apple varieties can also add a delightful complexity to your crisp.
- Almond Flour – The Gluten-Free Game Changer: My strong preference is for fine blanched almond flour. Its fine texture and absence of skin (blanched) result in a more uniform and tender crisp topping. However, if you only have almond meal on hand, which includes the skins and has a slightly coarser texture, it will still work in this recipe, lending a more rustic feel to the topping. Almond flour not only makes this crisp gluten-free but also adds a subtle nutty flavor and contributes to a wonderfully tender crumb in the topping.
- Oats – For Classic Crispiness: Old-fashioned rolled oats, also known as large flake oats, are essential for achieving that quintessential chewy yet crispy texture in your crisp topping. Avoid quick oats, which are thinner and tend to become mushy when baked. To ensure this crisp remains truly gluten-free, it is crucial to select oats that are specifically labeled as certified gluten-free, as standard oats can often be cross-contaminated with wheat during processing.
- Cornstarch – The Unsung Hero: Cornstarch plays a vital dual role in this recipe. In the apple filling, it acts as a thickening agent, ensuring the juices from the apples create a luscious, syrupy consistency rather than a watery mess. In the crisp topping, cornstarch is a secret ingredient for maintaining that perfect balance of tenderness and crunch, preventing the topping from becoming too hard or crumbly.
- Pecans – For Enhanced Texture and Flavor: To introduce an extra layer of delightful crunch and a rich, buttery flavor, the crisp topping includes 1 cup of chopped raw pecans. These nuts toast beautifully during baking, intensifying their flavor. If pecans aren’t your preference or readily available, you can easily substitute them with an equal amount of chopped raw walnuts or almonds. It’s important to use raw nuts and avoid pre-roasted or salted varieties, as they tend to burn quickly and can alter the desired flavor profile of the crisp.
How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Pecan Crisp with Almond Flour
Crafting this gluten-free apple pecan crisp is a straightforward and rewarding process. The following section provides a clear, step-by-step overview, accompanied by helpful photos to guide you through each stage. For precise measurements and complete recipe details, please refer to the recipe card located at the very end of this post.
Precision in Baking: A Note on Measuring Ingredients
For your convenience, and to cater to common kitchen practices in the United States, all recipes on this site, including this almond flour apple pecan crisp, include US cup measurements in the recipe card. However, for those seeking the highest level of accuracy in their baking, which can significantly impact the final texture and consistency of baked goods, weight and volume measurements are also provided. When you see grams (g) listed, it is strongly recommended to use a digital kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients precisely. For liquid ingredients measured in milliliters (ml), a liquid measuring cup is ideal. Smaller quantities of ingredients, such as spices and leavening agents, are accurately measured using standard teaspoons and tablespoons.
Expert Tips for Crafting the Best Almond Flour Apple Crisp
Achieving the perfect apple crisp is all about technique and a few key considerations. Follow these expert tips to ensure your gluten-free almond flour apple pecan crisp turns out wonderfully delicious and beautifully textured every time.
- Uniform Apple Pieces are Key: The consistency of your apple chunks directly impacts how evenly they cook. For a rustic and satisfying texture, I prefer cutting apples into 1-inch pieces. This size allows them to soften without becoming completely mushy. If you opt for smaller pieces, keep in mind that they will cook more quickly, so you’ll need to reduce your overall baking time to prevent them from overcooking.
- Protect Your Crisp with Foil: The rich almond flour and pecan topping tends to brown more quickly than the apples cook through, and pecans can easily burn if exposed to high heat for too long. To prevent this, it’s crucial to cover your crisp with aluminum foil about halfway through the baking process. This allows the apples to continue softening and bubbling without over-browning the topping, ensuring a perfectly golden finish.
- The Importance of Resting Time: Patience is a virtue when it comes to serving crisp! Once you remove the crisp from the oven, resist the urge to dig in immediately. Allowing it to rest for at least 15-20 minutes is vital. This resting period gives the apple filling a chance to set up, thicken further, and cool slightly, making it much easier to scoop and ensuring it holds its shape beautifully. Plus, the flavors meld and deepen as it rests.
- Don’t Overmix the Topping: When combining the wet and dry ingredients for your crisp topping, mix just until everything is moistened and forms coarse crumbs. Overmixing can develop the gluten in oats (even gluten-free ones) and lead to a tougher, less tender topping.
- Use a Reliable Baking Dish: A sturdy 9×13 inch baking dish is recommended for this recipe. Glass or ceramic dishes tend to conduct heat evenly and retain it well, which is great for ensuring a thoroughly cooked filling and a golden topping.
Recipe FAQs: Your Questions Answered
Here are some frequently asked questions about making and enjoying this gluten-free almond flour apple pecan crisp, covering everything from preparation to storage.
While it’s not strictly mandatory, I highly recommend peeling the apples. Apple skins, even when cooked, can sometimes become a bit tough and chewy in the tender filling, creating an inconsistent texture. Peeling ensures a uniformly smooth and enjoyable apple filling that melts in your mouth.
Making this delicious apple crisp vegan is incredibly simple! The only animal product in the original recipe is butter. To adapt it, merely substitute the unsalted butter with your favorite high-quality plant-based butter. Many excellent brands of vegan butter sticks are available today that perform beautifully in baking, delivering the same richness and crispness.
This recipe is designed to produce a generous, crowd-pleasing apple crisp, so a 9×13 inch baking dish or pan is ideal to ensure proper baking and topping distribution. If you wish to make a smaller batch, for example, for an 8 or 9-inch square pan or a standard pie dish, simply halve all the ingredients. Remember that baking times might need slight adjustment for smaller quantities or different dish depths.
Any leftover crisp is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness. The topping will remain wonderfully crisp for approximately 3-4 days. To reheat, you can warm the entire crisp in an oven at 300°F (150°C) until heated through, or warm individual servings in the microwave for 45-60 seconds. Even after microwaving, you’ll find the crisp topping retains a surprising amount of its crunch! While you can freeze the crisp, I generally find that both the topping and the apples don’t quite maintain their original texture once thawed and reheated, often becoming a bit softer. It’s still enjoyable, but for peak crispness, fresh is best.
More Delightful Apple Recipes to Try
If you’ve enjoyed this apple pecan crisp, you’ll surely love these other apple-centric recipes perfect for any occasion:
- Almond Flour Apple Cake
- Air Fryer Baked Apples
- Apple Spice Cake with Buttercream Frosting
- Apple Spice Muffins
If you create this recipe, I would absolutely love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below! Your feedback is invaluable.
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Almond Flour Apple Pecan Crisp (Gluten-Free)
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Author: Leanne
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American, Canadian
Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This gluten-free Almond Flour Apple Pecan Crisp is filled with tender spiced apples and topped with a thick, crunchy and buttery oat topping, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the crisp topping:
- 1 3/4 cups (198g) certified gluten-free old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cups (130g) fine blanched almond flour
- 1 cup (130g) chopped raw pecans
- 3/4 cup (171g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, melted (use plant-based butter for vegan option)
For the apple filling:
- 3 pounds apples, about 8 medium-sized apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 8 cups) *see note
- 1/3 cup (80g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons (15g) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together all the dry ingredients for the crisp topping: old-fashioned oats, almond flour, chopped pecans, light brown sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and fine sea salt.
- Pour the melted butter and vanilla extract into the dry mixture. Stir well with a fork or your fingers until all ingredients are evenly combined and the mixture forms coarse, crumbly clusters. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the apple filling.
- In another large bowl, combine the peeled, cored, and 1-inch chopped apples with the remaining filling ingredients: light brown sugar, cornstarch, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and fine sea salt. Toss everything together until the apple pieces are thoroughly coated.
- Evenly spread the apple mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Remove the chilled oat pecan topping from the refrigerator and sprinkle it evenly over the apple layer, ensuring the apples are fully covered.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crisp topping achieves a beautiful golden-brown color. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and gently cover it with aluminum foil. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the apple filling is visibly bubbling around the edges, indicating that the apples are tender and cooked through.
- Once baked, remove the crisp from the oven and allow it to cool and set for 15-20 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the filling to thicken and makes for easier, cleaner serving.
Notes
- For this recipe, I primarily used Gala apples, which are celebrated for their balanced sweetness and ability to maintain their structure during baking. This prevents the filling from becoming overly soft or mushy. They are also widely accessible and generally more affordable. If you prefer a more pronounced tartness to balance the sweetness, Honeycrisp apples are an excellent alternative. For those who enjoy a truly tart apple crisp, Granny Smith apples are a fantastic choice, though you might consider increasing the brown sugar slightly in the filling to your taste.
- Ensure your apples are cut into even-sized pieces to promote uniform cooking. My preference is for 1-inch chunks, which provide a satisfying, hearty texture in the finished crisp. If you opt for smaller apple pieces, they will cook more quickly, so be sure to adjust your baking time accordingly to prevent overcooking.
- The almond flour and pecan crisp topping tends to brown quite rapidly, and the pecans can burn easily. To safeguard against this, it’s essential to cover the crisp loosely with aluminum foil about midway through the baking process. This helps the topping achieve a perfect golden hue without burning while the apples continue to soften underneath.
- To guarantee this crisp remains entirely gluten-free, always use oats that are specifically labeled as certified gluten-free. Standard oats may contain traces of wheat due to shared processing equipment.