This gluten-free blackberry apple crisp could hardly be simpler to put together. Made from whole foods ingredients like oats, butter, and fresh fruit (even better if you can pick your own), and you could almost justify it for breakfast as well as dessert.
Gluten-Free Blackberry Apple Crisp
My toes are very lightly dipping into gluten-free eating -- I'm not fully committed to it yet in practice (it will be an experiment to see how I feel since I have not been diagnosed with a gluten allergy) but I have been reducing here and there to ease the way. So this crisp, which as has happened before in my gluten-free baking endeavors, calls for almond and oats in a combination that makes me think regardless of any gluten-free lifestyle (or not) I may embark upon, I'll revisit again and again.
It's finally blackberry season! I'm thrilled to report I made a small batch of jam that I canned and distributed to various family and friends but also am hoarding in the back of our pantry. If I'm lucky we'll be able to pick enough to make a bit more. It's also apple season and I'm conversely chagrined to report that too many of our tiny Gravensteins have been tossed over the back fence to our neighbor's goats. But -- I've made a couple of pies and several crisps and when I pair the blackberries with the apples something really lovely has come out of it.
Almond and Oats Bring Wonderful Flavor
The flavor of toasted almonds and oats folded together is something you'll probably want to revisit too. Swapping maple syrup for the brown sugar in the apple-blackberry mix could make this crisp almost if not definitely appropriate for breakfast -- a lightly sweet hint of the fall flavors and weather that is almost on our doorstep. I love Gravenstein apples for baking but admittedly I mainly use them during this season because we have a tree; technically you could use any apples here but if they are on the sweeter side you'll want to reduce the sugar a little.
I've been thinking about this site and am planning a refresh to be completed by the end of the year -- including a better recipe index, more essays, a bit more focus than I may have had in the past. We'll see if I can accomplish that! In the interim, crisp.
What You Need for Gluten-Free Blackberry Apple Crisp
- Oats: Choose rolled oats rather than instant/quick oats
- Almond flour: Either almond flour OR almond meal works here
- Fresh blackberries: Frozen will also work
- Sliced apples
- Brown sugar or maple syrup
- Unsalted butter
Tips for Success
- To make dairy-free: Swap melted coconut oil or a neutral oil of choice for the unsalted butter
- You can use any apples here, though I prefer tarter apples. I often make this in August, when we have Gravenstein apples in season on our tree
- Try grated fresh ginger, or ground ginger, in place of the ground cinnamon
How to Store
To store, keep the crisp in its pan and cover with foil. Crisp may be kept in the fridge for 5 days. To serve, eat cold, bring to room temperature, or gently reheat in the oven or microwave.
Gluten-Free Apple Blackberry Crisp
Ingredients
For Filling
- 3 lbs (tart) apples, peeled and sliced
- 1-2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar or ¼ cup maple syrup
For Topping
- ½ cup unsalted, melted butter
- 1 cup/120 g almond flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Place the sliced apples in a 9×13 pan. Gently fold in the blackberries and brown sugar.
- Melt the butter and place in a large bowl. Add the almond flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and mix to combine. Sometimes I add a bit more oats if the topping seems thin. Spread evenly over the apples and blackberries.
- Place crisp in the oven and bake for 45 minutes, checking then to see if the fruit is bubbling and the topping looks crisp. If not, check every five minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Crisp will keep, well-covered in the fridge, for 5 days.
Helen Spiridakis
Your jam was perfect! gone too soon! Looking forward to your reimagined blog.....always a culinary treat!