This easy Gluten Free Bourbon Apple Crisp is prepared in under 25 minutes, and made with only 10 ingredients, making it the perfect warm & comforting apple dessert for the holidays! Be sure to serve the apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
For this gluten free apple crisp, mix slices of Honeycrisp apples with sugar and spices, and top with the best gluten free crumble topping recipe made with only 6 ingredients! Serve with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and enjoy during the fall or winter.
If you love apple desserts, try my Gluten Free Apple Muffins, Gluten Free Apple Pudding Cake with Caramel Syrup or Apple Pie Honey Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting! They're all such phenomenal chef-tested apple dessert recipes.
Why you'll love this bourbon apple crisp
- Super easy & quick to make - Prepare this recipe in under 25 minutes, then set it in the oven to bake!
- Only 10 simple ingredients - This recipe uses 10 simple ingredients that you likely have in the pantry already!
- Gluten free - This recipe uses gluten free flour and almond flour to keep it gluten free.
- Vegan - This recipe is naturally vegan and uses plant based butter.
- Perfect holiday or winter dessert - This is the perfect dessert to assemble the morning-of and bake right before your holiday meal for a warm and cozy sweet treat.
Jump to:
- Why you'll love this bourbon apple crisp
- Ingredients
- How to make gluten free bourbon apple crisp
- How to cook apple crisp in an air fryer
- Expert tips
- Best apples for apple crisp
- Recipe substitutions
- Recipe variations & add-ins
- Recipe FAQS
- Storing and Reheating
- Dessert recipes you may love
- Gluten Free Bourbon Apple Crisp
- Questions & Reviews
Ingredients
This bourbon apple crisp uses a handful of simple ingredients that create the perfect dish:
- Apples - I like to use Honeycrisp apples for this recipe, since they have the perfect texture for baking and have the right amount of sweetness.
- Lemon juice - Lemon helps to balance out the sweetness and acidity in the dish.
- Granulated sugar & brown sugar - I love using both kinds of sugar. The brown sugar adds a hint of molasses flavor.
- Bourbon - The bourbon adds extra depth of flavor to this crisp!
- Gluten free flour blend - My favorite gluten free flour to use is the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour, but any other should work too.
- Cinnamon - Cinnamon is the perfect spice for this recipe.
- Gluten free old fashioned rolled oats - It wouldn't be a crumble without a delicious hearty oat topping!
- Pecans - Provides the crumble a nutty flavor and perfect texture.
- Unsalted vegan butter - I use vegan butter in this recipe to keep it dairy free, but any butter can work.
- Salt - Salt is always needed to balance out the sweet flavors in a dessert.
Find the full list of recipe ingredients and instructions in the recipe card found at the bottom of this post.
How to make gluten free bourbon apple crisp
Step one: Peel, core and slice the apples into thin, ¼" slices. Sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice and mix together. In another bowl, whisk together the filling ingredients including: lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, gluten free flour, cinnamon and salt. Add the apples to the mixture and fold together.
Step two: Transfer the apple filling mixture to a cast iron skillet.
Step three: Prepare the crumb topping by mixing the gluten free flour, cinnamon, salt, oats, pecans, and brown sugar in a bowl. Add the cubed softened butter and use your fingertips to pinch the crumbs together.
Step four: Sprinkle the crumb topping on top of the apple filling. Bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes, until the apples are bubbling from the sides and the crumble is cooked through. Once cooked, allow to cool for 15 minutes before eating!
How to cook apple crisp in an air fryer
Making this apple crisp in an air fryer is also a great option if you prefer not to use the oven:
- Simple preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Grease 6, 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray.
- Make the apple filling & crumble topping. Divide the filling among all 6 ramekins.
- Cover the ramekins with foil and bake in the air fryer (4 or 6 at a time depending on the size of your air fryer) for 18-20 minutes until the apples are soften.
- Sprinkle the crumble on top of each ramekin and air fry for another 7-8 minutes.
Expert tips
Here are my top tips as a chef to make this recipe perfect every time:
- Cut the apples ¼" thick slices - Too thick and the apples won't cook, but too thin and the apples will disintegrate. Use a sharp chef's knife and cut the apples into ¼" slices.
- Toss apples with lemon juice - Make sure that once all the apples are sliced (or even during the slicing process) that you add the lemon juice to the apples to prevent them from turning brown.
- Use softened (vegan) butter - Every crumble topping recipe is different. Some use cold butter, while others use softened butter or melted butter. For this recipe, softened butter is key. Allow the butter to sit at room temperature for 30-60 minutes until it is super soft and spreadable.
- Lightly cover the pan foil if the crumble browns too fast - If you notice that the apples still need more cooking time, but the crumble is fully cooked, light lay a piece of foil on top of the crumble to prevent it from burning.
Best apples for apple crisp
Here is a list of my favorite apples to use when making an apple crisp.
- Honeycrisp - My personal favorite! Perfectly sweet and will retain its shape nicely.
- Granny Smith - Another amazing option is the Granny Smith apple since it is sweet and tart and retains its shape well once baked.
- Pink Lady - Pink Lady apples are an excellent option for baking since they are sweet & will hold their shape without falling apart once baked.
- Fuji - Fuji apples hold their shape and have an intense sweetness perfect for baking.
- Gala - Gala apples are excellent for baking. They have a more mellow sweetness, but still are plenty sweet.
- Cortland - Cortland apples get super soft but are also one of my favorite baking apple for their incredible sweet flavor. Cortland apples tend to be less readily available in many grocery stores.
Recipe substitutions
- Gluten Free Flour - You can substitute the gluten free flour in the topping with almond flour if you prefer!
- Chopped pecans - Feel free to swap the chopped pecans in the crumble topping with chopped walnuts or almond flour instead.
- Vegan butter - Swap the vegan butter with firm (but not cold) refined coconut oil for a healthier alternative. The texture may be a bit different, but it will still be delicious!
Recipe variations & add-ins
- Apple Cranberry Crisp - Mix 1 cup of canned cranberries into the apple filling for a delicious tart twist!
- Apple Cherry Crisp - Add 1 cup of pitted & diced cherries to the apple filling mixture.
- Maple Pecan Apple Crisp - Swap the brown sugar in the apple filling for maple syrup. Then, swap half of the brown sugar in the crumble topping for maple syrup.
- Caramel Apple Crisp - Once the crisp is baked, drizzle the entire dessert with salted caramel.
- Amaretto Apple Crisp - Swap the bourbon with Amaretto instead!
Recipe FAQS
Yes! Bake the apple crisp then allow it to cool completely. Tent the top of the pan with foil and refrigerate. Before serving, remove the pan from the fridge and place into a 325°F oven, uncovered, for 8-12 minutes or until it's warm and bubbly.
Typically, an apple crisp topping includes flour, oats, butter, sugar and cinnamon.
Although they are very similar and one can use the words interchangeably, typically an apple crumble doesn't include nuts or oats in the topping. Apple crisp recipes tend to include nuts and/or oats in the crumb topping.
Yes! Simply substitute the oats with almond flour, gluten free flour or more chopped pecans. The flavor and texture will change, but it will still be delicious.
Storing and Reheating
Refrigerate & reheat: Once the crisp has fully cooled, tent the top of the pan with foil and refrigerate. Before serving, remove the pan from the fridge and place into a 325°F oven, uncovered, for 8-12 minutes or until it's warm and bubbly.
Freezer storage & reheating: You can store the entire crisp sealed in a freezer-safe ziplock for up to 3 months. To reheat, cover the frozen pan with foil and bake at 325°F for 30 minutes, then uncover and bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until fully warmed through. The crumble will definitely be softer, but still delicious!
Dessert recipes you may love
Have you tried this recipe? Consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? Thanks for visiting!
Gluten Free Bourbon Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 2 tablespoons Gluten free flour blend I recommend Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ pounds apples approx. 5-6 medium size apples*
For the Topping:
- ¾ cup Gluten free flour blend I recommend Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ¾ cup brown sugar loosely packed
- 8 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter cut into small cubes & softened at room temperature (1 stick)
Instructions
Make the filling:
- Peel, core and slice the apples into ¼” slices. Sprinkle sliced apples immediately with a bit of lemon juice and toss until coated.
- In a large bowl, mix together all the filling ingredients except for the apples.
- Add the apples to the filling mixture and mix until well coated.
- Make the Topping:
- Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl, except for the butter. Whisk together.
- Add the softened cubed butter and pinch it together with the dry ingredients until a softened crumbly mixture forms. It should look moist and not dry. Set aside.
- Assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8” or 9” cast iron skillet or baking pan with oil or cooking spray.
- Spread the apple filling mixture into the pan.
- Sprinkle the apples with all of the oat topping.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown and the apples are tender and cooked through.
Notes
- My top 3 favorite apples to use for this apple crisp recipe are: Honeycrisp, Granny Smith and Fuji.
- Storage: Store the pan covered in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze the crisp for up to 3 months.
- The best gluten free flour blend for this recipe is Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour.
Steven Wolff says
I am a huge fan of this dish! The texture on the outside makes it very crunchy, and the Apple pie filling is sweet but not too sweet! Highly recommend!
Frieda Greenblatt says
Thanks Dalya for sharing your AMAZING Apple Bourbon Crisp recipe!! My family’s going to go crazy for this!!!
Richard says
Such a delicious dessert!! I tried it warm and it was amazing. Then the next day I tried it cold and it was fantastic, even better which I didn’t think was possible. 10/10
Gabriella says
Loved this Apple crisp!!! Just the right amount of sweetness. Perfect for fall!
Vida says
Just tried this and it was to die for!! Perfect fall desert.