We adore this Gluten Free Apple Crisp, and preparing it has been a cherished (and healthy!) family tradition since the boys were toddlers.
Gluten Free Apple Crisp
We throw this recipe with almond flour together effortlessly, and I love that it’s a bonding project for the entire family.
First, we peel and slice the apples, then assemble the almond flour topping that’s lightly sweetened with just a bit of honey.
Recipes for Healthy Desserts
Creating any dessert from scratch takes thought, but writing a healthy dessert recipe requires thinking out of the box.
For me, the first criteria is nutrient dense food –that’s where almonds come in! They’re incredibly nutritious, packed with magnesium, calcium, iron, and more.
Low Carb Recipes Dessert
The second factor is using low carb ingredients that are not only highly nutritious, but that won’t cause a spike in blood sugar. Almond flour and coconut flour are fantastic when it comes to low carb baking.
Diet Restrictions
Last, but definitely not least, is making gluten free food that everyone in my family can eat.
My older son was diagnosed with celiac disease more than two decades ago, so this is always top of mind when I’m writing recipes. I was diagnosed well before that, so creating recipes for those of us with food allergies is a passion.
Dessert Recipe with Almond Flour
All in all, my Gluten Free Apple Crisp is a trifecta of healthy, containing high fat, fiber rich almond flour, and wholesome apples, also loaded with fiber, along with rich nutmeg.
Gluten Free Apple Crisp

Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- ¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup salted butter or palm shortening
- ¼ cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 pounds apples, peeled and sliced
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg
- In a small bowl, combine butter and maple syrup
- Stir wet ingredients into dry
- Place apples in a 2 quart baking dish
- Crumble topping over the apples
- Cover and bake at 350°F for 50 minutes on low rack
- When apples are soft and their juices bubble, remove cover and bake 10 more minutes to brown crisp
- Serve warm
Almond Flour Nutrition
Along the lines of keeping blood sugar levels stable, it’s not just the number of carbs we consume but what we eat with them, as this determines how our bodies process and metabolize carbohydrate fuel.
This is one more reason for my passionate affair with almond flour.
Eating fat with carbs slows down the absorption of carbs into the bloodstream. Fiber can help with this as well, making almond flour the ideal choice since it’s also fiber rich.
| Nutrition Info (100g) | Carbs | Fiber | Net Carbs | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Flour | 19g | 10g | 9g | 22g | 50g |
| White Wheat Flour | 76g | 2g | 74g | 10g | 1g |
| Rice Flour | 80g | 2g | 78g | 6g | 1g |
How Many Carbs Almond Flour
As you can see, almond flour is far lower in carbohydrates than wheat flour and rice flour.
Gluten Free Apple Crisp Recipe with Almond Flour
When it comes to my recipes, delicious is top priority, but ease of preparation is a close second.
I’ve checked both boxes here with the best recipe for apple crisp with almond flour, and I have plenty of other healthy recipes for you below!
Gluten Free Desserts
When I first went on a Gluten Free Diet over 25 years ago, it was quite challenging to find gluten free foods and even harder to locate a recipe for gluten free dessert –I had to make my own.
Intolerance to Foods? I’m Here to Help!
An intolerance to foods like gluten, and for some individuals, grains, is a key component when it comes to autoimmune conditions like celiac and Hashimoto’s.
Armed with this knowledge, I’ve spent hours in the kitchen creating and testing recipes for healthy desserts for myself, my family, and all of you.
Recipes for Healthy Desserts with Apples
Here are some of my favorite healthy desserts with apples.
Apples Baked with Cinnamon
Our family is sweet on anything with baked cinnamon apples, and this healthy dessert recipe with 5 ingredients is an easy shortcut to all-American apple pie.
Whole apples baked in the oven, along with aromatic cinnamon sticks and vanilla bean are an effortless warm comfort food we serve all year around.
When the boys were little, I’d let them assemble their own baked apples by hollowing the fruit for them and setting out all the garnishes so they could stuff the apples themselves. What a hit!
Apple Sauce Recipe
Homemade Apple Sauce is a wholesome blend of fresh apples with notes of cinnamon. It’s also another one of the boys’ most beloved recipes to make.
Trust me, peeling the apples is a fabulous project that kept those little hands busy long ago.
Now in their mid-twenties, I’m not sure if my sons have had store bought apple sauce, that’s how much we love making our own.
With only two antioxidant rich ingredients and well under 10 minutes of hands on prep time, this one will surely be your new family favorite.
Pro tip –the sauce on the side of the baking dish may overcook a bit, turning into yummy bites of caramelized apples.
You can also make apple sauce in the InstaPot, and I will soon share a tutorial to show you how. In our home, this is necessary due to the quantity of applesauce my people eat. I make up to 5 pounds at a time when I cook Instapot Apple Sauce.
Easy Desserts with Apples
Although they’re not as ideal as berries, apples are still a low glycemic fruit that can make a memorable dessert.
Here, I coat the apples in a grain free batter made of coconut flour, maple syrup, and eggs, creating a lightly fried food for Hanukkah.
Take my word for it, you’re going to want to make this Apple Fritter Recipe year-round.
Over the years, the boys have enjoyed jazzing up this dessert recipe that’s easy with my homemade vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of naturally sweetened caramel sauce.
Fruit Recipes Dessert
What can I say other than this fruit tart is the apple of my eye!
Encased in a pecan pie crust made of this rich nut, eggs, and coconut flour, my Apple Tart is sweetened with a touch of honey (only 1 tablespoon!), sprinkled with cinnamon, and baked to perfection.
I’m often referred to as the Queen of Almond Flour, having written the book on it, but every now and then, I like to mix it up, and this pecan crust does the trick!
Low Carb Gluten Free Recipes
Any way you slice it, I’m here to serve up the easiest, tastiest gluten free recipes in the universe.
Is there something you’re looking for? Leave a comment and let me know, and I’ll be sure to point you to it here on the website.
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared this Gluten Free Apple Crisp recipe in 2014.













Coffee and Vanilla says
I love this recipe, almost apple crumble, but much healthier :) Thank you for sharing.
Margot
Debbie says
Really nice Crisp. Not overly sweet. Yummy for breakfast. I will use juicier apples next time as the galas weren’t juicy enough. Never mind it’s April. This will be great w fresh cortlands and macs next fall.
Elana says
Hi Olivia,
Because I do just about all of my recipe writing using almond flour, grapeseed oil (and agave), I really don’t know how other ingredients would work in place of these.
If you look through my blog, you’ll see descriptions of each the above ingredients and how nutritious they are. I really stay away from most other gluten-free flours as they are high-glycemic and I do better with higher-protein foods such as almond flour.
Many people also ask if they can use honey instead of agave, and again, I don’t have the answer to this since honey is another extremely high glycemic food that I avoid diligently.
In terms of grapeseed oil, it is my oil of choice because it is odorless and best replicates the texture of butter.
Of course, experimentation is a great thing as we all have different dietary needs and you are welcome to try replacing any ingredients in my recipes for other ones –though as I said before, I don’t know how they will turn out. If you do try, let me know how it goes!
Elana
Kimberly says
Hi Elana, wonderful recipe! I used honey and melted coconut oil instead of the grape seed oil. As someone else’s suggestion I added some likely thawed blueberries in as well. It came out beautifully! Thank you!
Olivia says
YUM! Would this work well with another flour, maybe a combination, in replace of almond flour? Also, I don’t use grapeseed oil, will any other work as well? Thank you for the recipe!
Jeanette says
This recipe is great with 1 cup of almond flour and 1 cup of oatmeal.
Elana says
Jess -thanks for being a tester and a taster! I’m glad that you enjoyed the crisp and that it went quickly.
Elana
Jess says
Well, i can happily inform all that the crisp was delicious and satisfying! It was gone before the weekend came :p
Thanks Elana!
Jess
elana says
Hi Jess,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I am glad you are enjoying the site. Please let me know how the crisp turns out.
Elana
Jessica says
Hey Elana,
I just stumbled upon your blog by clicking on a link through 101 Cookbooks.
My whole family are organic and i am so excited to try your recipes! I have printed out your apple crisp and plan on making it this Thursday.
THANK YOU!
Jess
Elana says
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks so much for your comment. I enjoy being of help to “recipe hounds,” families and those on wheat and dairy free diets –so you have hit the triple crown. Am glad that you are liking the cookies!
Elana
Tiffany says
Dear Elana,
I am so happy that I happened on your site. I am a recipe hound. Recently we are wheat and dairy free. I’m always looking for healthy new recipes for myself, husband and three kids. You are on my RSS feed for sure! Keep posting. I’m eating one of the cookies I made using your recipe right now. Deeelish!