This almond apple crumble is oh-so comforting and delicious. Tender apples, crisp crumbly topping, mildly sweet, gluten-free...it's the perfect fall dessert, especially when topped with fresh whipped cream or a dollop of vanilla nice cream! This recipe makes the perfect amount for sharing with someone...or you may want to enjoy it all by yourself!
Nothing says fall like apples...and baked apples even moreso!
I've got an easy and delicious almond apple crumble that you are going to love. AND it's gluten-free!
This recipe makes a smaller portion, making it perfect for sharing with someone...although it's so good, you may just want to keep it all to yourself!
What You Will Need
An Apple
First of all, you're going to need an apple....just one! I like using Gala apples because they are a bit softer and I think it makes for a nicer crumble. However, whether it's Granny Smith, Envy...just use what is available and what your favorite baking apple is.
Crumble Topping Ingredients
For the almond apple crumble topping you will need:
- almond flour
- brown rice flour (oat flour, millet, sorghum are all okay as substitutes)
- brown sugar
- sliced almonds
- cinnamon
- sugar
- melted butter
Baking Dish
Because this is a small recipe, good enough for one or two people, I like to use a 1-cup sized oven-safe glass food storage container (can be square or round). The container is portable so you can take it along on a picnic or pack it in a lunch. You can store it in the fridge to eat later, or if you can't eat the entire thing at once, pop the lid on to store the leftovers for another time! If you make a larger quantity of this recipe, simply use a larger food container!
How To Make It
Stew the Apples
In a pot or saucepan, add the thinly sliced apples, water, and lemon juice and cook them over medium heat until they become limp. This may take anywhere from 10-30 minutes, depending on the apple variety and how thin the slices are.
Once they are limp and soft, but still retain their shape, transfer them to your baking dish, packing them down slightly.
Make the Crumble Topping
Combine the almond flour, brown rice flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt in a bowl and add the melted butter. Stir to combine until well mixed. The texture will be a bit dry and crumbly, but there should be no loose flours. Stir in the sliced almonds.
Top the apples with the crumble topping, spreading it out evenly to cover the whole surface.
Bake the Crumble
Place the dish on a baking sheet to make it easier to take in and out of the oven. Bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 25 minutes and prepare to smell apple deliciousness wafting through your kitchen!
Let the almond apple crumble cool down slightly before serving.
Commonly Asked Questions
Yes, if you don't care about the slices, chop the apples and cook them until they are slightly softened.
Stewing the apples before baking gives them a nicer texture in the final result. There are plenty of recipes that call for simply using raw slices apples, but I find the apple texture too "crisp", even if they are sliced thin. What you end up with are soft, tender apple slices that still retain their shape.
I do not add any sugar to the apples because I think there is enough sweetness from the crumble topping. However, if you prefer a sweeter dessert, feel free to add some regular or brown sugar to the apples when they're just about done cooking.
Use regular all-purpose flour.
Yes, coconut sugar will work fine. So will date sugar or even just regular granulated sugar.
How to Serve Almond Apple Crumble
This is a small serving recipe, good for 2-3 people to share, or an indulgent single serving! It's totally delicious on its own, but really, what is a nice warm apple crumble without a nice scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream?
Sip on a hot tea or coffee while you savor each mouthful and you will be in heaven! As an example, enjoy the almond apple crumble with Poached Pear Ginger Tea, English Tea Latte, or Coffee Milk Tea...these are all perfect accompaniments!
Make the Crumble Ahead
If you're not ready to eat it after it baked, cool it down completely before covering it to store in the fridge.
If you use an oven-safe glass food storage container like I suggested, this is where it really pays off because you can simply top it with the container lid!
To warm up the apple crumble, remove the lid and either microwave it for 30-60 seconds, or warm it in a 350F/180C oven for about 10 minutes.
Other Apple Recipes
When it's fall and apples are aplenty, it's always good to know some other ways you can enjoy them!
You can easily adjust the recipe if you want to feed a crowd (adjust the servings in the recipe card below)! Bake up a big dish of almond apple crumble for a showcase dessert, or make several of these small ones so everyone has their very own! It's so comfortingly good that no one may want to share!
~ Lisa.
Recipe
Almond Apple Crumble
Ingredients
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Topping (Volume measurements in Recipe Notes below):
- 28 grams butter, melted
- 22 grams almond flour
- 22 grams brown rice flour (white rice flour okay)
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar
- Pinch cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350F/180C.
Topping:
- Combine almond flour, brown rice flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.
- Pour in melted butter and mix.
- Stir in sliced almonds.
Apples:
- Combine sliced apples, water, and lemon juice in a small pan and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly. Cook until apples are softened and slightly limp, but not mush. Add more water, a tablespoon at a time, as necessary for apples to achieve the right level of doneness.
- Transfer apples to baking dish, packing down slightly.
- Top stewed apples with almond crumble topping.
- Place baking dish on a larger pan for easier handling and bake for 25 minutes.
- Let cool slightly. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream or ice cream!
- Or let cool completely, cover, and place in fridge for eating later. Warm in a 350F/180C oven for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Unit Conversions:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 22 grams almond flour = ¼ cup
- 22 grams brown or white rice flour = 2 ½ tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar = 3 grams
- The crispness of the raw apple will determine the texture of the finished apple crumble. I like using Gala because they are slightly softer and they also stew faster. Crisper apples like Envy or Granny Smith will take longer to stew and will also remain a bit more crisp.
- Chop the apples if you don't care about the slices.
- If you prefer a sweeter apple crumble, add some sugar to the apple while they are stewing, according to your taste.
- If you are not gluten-free, substitute the brown rice flour with regular all-purpose flour.
Nutrition
Thanks for stopping by! If you make this dish or any of my other recipes, I would love it if you could take the time to comment and rate it below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
**This post was originally published October 7th, 2019 and republished October, 17th, 2022 with an updated recipe, new photos, and new writing.
Leena says
Just my kind of recipe...low in sugar and gluten free.Win, win! Wondering if I can experiment with other fruits(strawberries, peaches, etc)? Would you suggest pre-cooking these fruits too?
Hey Leena! I would definitely encourage you to experiment with other fruits, but if you use berries, I would either pre-cook them for much less time, or skip pre-cooking them altogether as the heat from the oven would be enough to soften them. Let me know how your experiments go!
Leena says
Thanks for replying Lisa! Will try and let you know.
Lucia McKinney says
I am having a slow energy day and was in need of a comfort sweet treat to make myself-baking is so cathartic. I LOVE this recipe as I have a really intense grain allergy this is a game changer thank you Lisa for creating this and sharing it I am so happy I found it right at the moment I needed it. Wishing you the best.
Hey Lucia! I am so happy that this recipe worked out for you, not only in meeting your allergy requirement but in you liking it! Thanks for your comment and I wish you the best as well!
Colleen says
Finally a gluten free apple crumble that sounds delicious. I love that there's hardly any sugar, and also that it's a smaller portion. Great tip about pre-cooking the apples, too. Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Thanks, Colleen! I'm overwhelmed by recipes where you have to add a lot of sugar to the apples AND the topping when it's really not necessary! I was so excited to have this recipe work out as well as it did.
Denise@urbnspice says
I love any type of apple dessert and your gluten free almond apple crumble looks delish, Lisa! It is so cool that you converted your chocolate loving husband. I would go for a comfort food dessert like apple crumble any day! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thanks, Denise! Yes, I considered it quite an accomplishment when he asked to share half after he thought he would have "just a little bit" to be nice!
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
Any kind of crumble is a favourite of mine! Almond apple is a terrific flavour combination. I love that you can make it low-carb too!
Thanks, Katherine! Yes, I'm quite pleased about people on low-carb diets being able to enjoy this crumble!
Kristen says
I love a good apple dish this time of year, this looks delish!
Thanks, Kristen! Apples and fall definitely go together!