Apple crumble is one of my favourites - not just for its taste but also for its simplicity. The pairing of the sweet, golden-brown crumble with its crunchy texture and the tang of fresh apples is simply delightful. It's a treat I find myself preparing throughout the year, but there's no denying that autumn, with its abundance of apples, is the ideal season for this dessert. In my opinion, a warm apple crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is unbeatable. I know, it’s a classic combination - but it's popular for all the right reasons.
This time, I've opted for the gluten-free version of the crumble. Naturally, the texture is a bit different from your traditional wheat flour crumble, but it's no less delicious. The crumble turned out wonderfully crunchy and buttery, with just the right touch of vanilla. I made it using a blend of gluten-free all-purpose flour and instant oat flakes.
For the apple selection, I often go for the Polish apple ‘szara reneta’ due to its distinctively tart taste, which balances the sweet crumble perfectly. Yet, the recipe is adaptable, so any variety of apples you have in your kitchen will do just fine.
Apples with crumble – additions (optional)
The crumble is delicious on its own, yet if you're keen to infuse it with autumnal flavours, here are a few suggestions to experiment with:
- Autumn spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves. Either mix a small amount of these spices into the crumble or choose one to highlight.
- Fresh cranberries: adding a handful to the apples will give a pleasingly sour note
- Almond liqueur: a splash of almond liqueur, like amaretto, added to the apples can enrich the overall taste
- Vanilla ice cream: add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to the warm crumble for a classic finish
Are there any other ingredients you'd recommend adding to an autumn crumble? Please share your ideas—I'd love to try something new.
On the blog, you'll discover two more apple-based recipes that are perfect for the autumn and winter seasons.
Apple crumble | Gluten-free recipe
Ingredients
- 5 apples
- 150 g all purpose gluten-free flour
- 100 g instant oats (gluten-free)
- 120 g butter (cold)
- 100 g sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (natural)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C.
- Peel the apples and chop them into smaller chunks. Pop them into a medium-sized, ovenproof dish.
- In a separate bowl, toss together the remaining ingredients: gluten-free flour, oatmeal, sugar, vanilla extract, and cold butter, cut into small cubes.
- Mix the ingredients together using your hands until the mixture becomes crumbly. Then, evenly scatter this over the apples you've prepared earlier. Place the dish in the oven and bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until the crumble is crisp and golden on top. If you find the crumble a bit pale towards the end, just crank up the heat to 200°C for the final few minutes.
- Serve the crumble warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
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