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This easy apple crisp recipe without oats gives you soft, jammy cinnamon apples under a buttery almond crumble with a lightly crunchy top. It’s gluten-free and grain-free, and the topping is made with almond flour and chopped sliced almonds instead of oats!
Not everyone wants oats in their apple crisp. Some people just don’t like the chewy texture. Others skip oats because of how they eat, whether that’s grain-free, paleo, or because oats don’t agree with them. This one is for all of them.
Quick answer: For this simple apple crisp recipe without oats, swap the oats for a crumble of almond flour, chopped sliced almonds, brown sugar, and melted butter. Bake the cinnamon apples covered at 350°F for 20 minutes, scatter the chilled crumble on top, then bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes more. It serves 8 from an 8×8-inch pan and is gluten-free and grain-free.
When I baked it, the topping came out a little crunchy on top and soft underneath, just how a good crumble should be. My husband and kids said it’s the best apple crisp they’ve ever had, and the kids were the loudest about it!
Why make apple crisp without oats?
There are a few good reasons, and they’re all about the person eating it.
The texture. Oats bake up chewy, and some people just want a buttery, crumbly top, like an old-fashioned streusel on a coffee cake.
Grain-free and paleo eating. Oats are a grain, so a classic crisp is off the table. Almond flour isn’t a grain, which makes this apple crisp recipe without oats a good fit.
Oats don’t agree with everyone. Most people with celiac disease can eat pure, certified gluten-free oats, but a small number react to avenin, a protein found in oats themselves. The Celiac Disease Foundation explains it well. If that’s you, or someone you bake for, skipping oats completely is the safest route.
And if you love oats? My apple crisp with oatmeal is right here.
The secret to a crunchy apple crisp topping without oats
Almond flour on its own bakes up soft and a little sandy, and it browns faster than regular flour. So this apple crisp recipe without oats uses three small tricks.
Chopped sliced almonds. They take the place of oats. Chop them to about the size of oat flakes and they toast in the oven, so every spoonful has some crunch.
Chilled clusters. You pinch the topping into little clumps and pop them in the fridge for 10 minutes. Cold clusters hold their shape in the oven instead of melting into one flat layer.
A head start for the apples. The apples bake under foil for 20 minutes before the topping goes on. That way they’re tender by the time the almond crumble is golden, and the topping never has to sit in a hot oven long enough to burn.
Ingredients for this apple crisp recipe without oats
Apples: Firm baking apples that hold their shape, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Braeburn. A mix of tart and sweet tastes best. Soft apples like McIntosh turn into applesauce.
Lemon juice: Brightens the apples and keeps the slices from browning while you work.
Arrowroot powder: Thickens the apple juices so the filling turns jammy, not watery. Tapioca starch works the same way. Skip cornstarch if you want it grain-free, since corn is a grain.
Sugar for the apples: Just 3 tablespoons, granulated or light brown. Very sweet apples only need 2.
Almond flour: Use blanched, superfine almond flour. Almond meal looks similar, but it’s coarser and made with the skins on, so it gives you a heavier, oilier topping.
Sliced almonds: Your oat replacement. Chop them roughly so they mix evenly through the crumble.
Brown sugar: Packed light brown sugar helps the topping clump and tastes a little like caramel once baked.
Butter: Unsalted and melted. Almond flour already has a lot of natural fat, so this topping needs less butter than a regular crisp.
Salt and cinnamon: A small amount of each in the topping. Without the salt, it tastes flat.
How to make this apple crisp recipe without oats
The full apple crisp recipe without oats is in the card below. These are the steps that matter most.
Slice the apples about ¼ inch thick, then toss them with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and arrowroot until you can’t see any white powder. Spread them in an 8×8-inch dish, juices and all.
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
While the apples bake, make the topping. Stir the almond flour, chopped almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together, then pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork. It should look like damp, clumpy cookie dough. Squeeze it into pea-sized to marble-sized clusters, spread them on a plate, and chill for 10 minutes.
Take off the foil and scatter the cold clusters over the hot apples. Don’t press them down!
Bake uncovered for another 25 to 30 minutes. It’s done when the topping is golden brown, the juices bubble thickly around the edges, and a knife slides into the apples easily. Check at 20 minutes. If the top is already dark, lay a piece of foil loosely over it.
Then let it rest for 15 minutes. The filling thickens as it cools, and the almond topping firms up and gets crispier.
Tips for the best apple crisp recipe without oats
Topping browning too fast? That’s normal for almond flour. Cover loosely with foil and keep baking until the apples are tender. Ovens run differently, so trust the color more than the timer.
Topping soft right out of the oven? Give it the full 15-minute rest. An almond crumble crisps as it cools, so it’s always softest when it’s hot.
Topping greasy or flat? The clusters were probably too warm, or the butter was very hot when you mixed it in. Chill the clusters the full 10 minutes next time.
Filling watery? It came out before the juices were bubbling thickly, or it was cut too soon. Bubbling edges tell you the filling got hot enough for the arrowroot to thicken it. Leftovers firm up in the fridge overnight.
Apples still firm? Your slices were a bit thick. Cover with foil and bake 10 more minutes.
Ways to change this apple crisp recipe without oats
Other nuts: Swap the sliced almonds for ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
Dairy-free: Use 4 tablespoons of melted coconut oil or vegan butter instead of butter. Refined coconut oil tastes neutral.
Paleo: Use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar in both the filling and the topping, and coconut oil or ghee instead of butter. Coconut sugar is drier, so the clusters may be a little looser.
Nut-free: This version can’t be made nut-free, because almond flour is the base. If you need nut-free and you’re fine with oats, my apple crisp with oatmeal uses oat flour instead and has no nuts.
For a crowd: Double everything and use a 9×13-inch pan. Pre-bake the apples for 25 minutes under foil, then bake with the topping for 30 to 35 minutes.
Apples and pears: Swap 2 apples for firm pears and add ½ tablespoon more arrowroot, since pears are juicier.
How to serve apple crisp without oats
Warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the almond crumble, is hard to beat. Whipped cream or coconut whipped cream works too, and a drizzle of caramel sauce is lovely (check the label if you need it gluten-free).
It’s also good cold the next morning with a spoon of plain or vanilla Greek yogurt.
Storage, make-ahead, and reheating
Storing: Cover your apple crisp without oats and keep it at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 4 days. The almond topping softens in the fridge, but the oven brings it back.
Reheating: Warm portions in an oven-safe dish at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes, or in the air fryer at 320°F for about 5 minutes. The microwave works if you’re in a hurry, but the topping stays soft.
Making it ahead: Mix the topping, shape the clusters, and keep them in a container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Scatter them straight from the fridge or freezer over the pre-baked apples. From frozen, add about 5 minutes. Slice the apples on the day you bake, so they don’t brown.
Freezing the baked crisp: It keeps for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and rewarm it in the oven.
Apple crisp recipe without oats FAQs
Is apple crisp without oats just apple crumble?
Pretty much. In the US, a crisp usually has oats in the topping and a crumble usually doesn’t, so technically this is a crumble. But plenty of people call any crunchy-topped apple dessert a crisp, and this almond topping does crisp up on top.
Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
You can, but expect a coarser, heavier, more oily topping. Almond meal is ground with the skins on and isn’t as fine. Blanched superfine almond flour gives the best clusters.
Can I use coconut flour?
Not as a swap. Coconut flour soaks up far more liquid than almond flour, so a one-to-one swap turns the topping dry and dusty.
Can I use a gluten-free flour blend instead?
Yes, if you don’t need it grain-free. Swap the almond flour for 1 cup of a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and use 6 tablespoons of melted butter, since flour blends don’t have almond flour’s natural fat.
Is this apple crisp recipe without oats healthy?
It’s still dessert, but it has less sugar than many crisps, and the almond flour adds some protein and fiber. Enjoy it the way you’d enjoy any dessert.
Should I cook the apples before making apple crisp?
For this recipe, yes, but only in the oven. The apples bake covered for 20 minutes before the topping goes on, so they’re tender by the time the almond crumble is golden. You don’t need to cook them on the stove.
Should I bake apple crisp covered or uncovered?
Both. Covered with foil for the first 20 minutes so the apples soften, then uncovered so the topping turns golden and crisp. If it stays covered the whole time, the topping stays pale and soft.
Do I need to peel the apples?
No, but peeled apples give a softer, smoother filling. The skins stay a little chewy and curl as they bake. Leaving them on saves about 10 minutes.
Which apples shouldn’t I use?
Skip soft apples like McIntosh and Red Delicious. McIntosh breaks down into applesauce, and Red Delicious turns mealy and bland in the oven. Firm apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and Braeburn hold their shape.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes. Use the same amount, 4 tablespoons, of melted coconut oil or a mild oil like avocado oil. The clusters will be a little more crumbly and taste less buttery.
Can I make it vegan?
Yes. There are no eggs in this recipe, so just swap the butter for coconut oil or vegan butter. If you’re strict about it, check that your brown sugar is labeled vegan, since some cane sugar is processed with bone char.
Can I make it sugar-free?
Not completely, since apples have their own natural sugar. But you can leave the sugar out of the filling if your apples are sweet, and use a brown sugar substitute that measures cup for cup, like a monk fruit blend, in the topping. The clusters may be a little looser.
Can I make a small batch?
Yes. To make a small batch of this apple crisp recipe without oats, halve everything and bake it in a 9×5-inch loaf pan or four small oven-safe ramekins. Pre-bake the apples covered for 15 minutes, then bake with the topping for 20 to 25 minutes. For a bigger batch, see the 9×13-inch version in the “Ways to change this apple crisp recipe without oats” section.
More gluten-free apple desserts
If you’re fine with oats, try my easy apple crisp with oatmeal, got leftover apple cider? Turn it into gluten free apple cider donuts with my easy baked recipe. with crunchy oat clusters and homemade oat flour. For more apple baking, the apple hand pies and turnovers in my gluten-free puff pastry guide are a fun next project. And you’ll find plenty more in these 13 easy gluten-free dessert recipes and all my gluten-free desserts.
If you make this apple crisp recipe without oats, save it to your Pinterest board so it’s ready for the next apple season!
