Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Crumble
Autumn is almost here! Grab some juicy apples and whip up this Gluten-Free Apple Cranberry Crumble for dessert tonight!
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We’re heading into my favorite time of the year up here in upstate New York! Heck, Autumn is my favorite time of the year anywhere…but it’s especially nice here in the northeast. The leaves begin changing from green to a beautiful array of oranges, reds and yellows. The local apple orchards are loaded with fresh, juicy apples. The windows start to stay open around the clock for a couple of weeks. Oh, and not to mention the sweaters come off the top shelf of the closet, too!
My sister and mother came up to visit last weekend along with my 2-year old niece, Blakely. Blakely is a riot! Sure, she’s smack in the middle of the ‘terrible two’s’ but she’s still such a cute kid! During last summer’s visit, Laura and I took everyone up to the Saratoga Race Course to catch some races. And now it turns out that Blakely is obsessed with horses. In fact, we got her a gigantic stuffed horse for Christmas last year. By gigantic, I mean ginormous. So big that my Mom took it back with her when she come to visit after Robbie was born…and it took up an entire full-sized suitcase!
We also took little Blakely apple picking last year at one of the nearby orchards. (Where she happened to ride a pony…) So apparently for the entire week before she came up to visit, she was running around Nashville telling everyone about horses and apples. A couple of weeks ago, my sister told me that Blakely ran up to a guy who looked like me and yelled, “Funcle! Pick apples! Horsey neigh!” (She calls me Funcle because I’m the fun uncle. Haha!) Then she realized it wasn’t actually me and she got embarrassed and ran off. Oh, to be a little kid again!
So this year, we repeated all of Blakely’s favorite things. We picked apples on Saturday, and then we headed up to Saratoga to catch some horse races on Sunday afternoon. By my calculations, that girl is going to be asking for a horse for Christmas here pretty soon. (Sorry, sis!)
Let’s just say our trip to the apple orchard was successful. The honeycrisps weren’t ready yet, but that didn’t stop us from picking many, many pounds of apples. I’m talking many and more apples here! One of my favorite things about Fall is the return of comfort food…and apple cobblers are right up there at the top of the list! It’s tough to beat the flavor of apples combined with cinnamon.
So I hit the kitchen on Saturday night and whipped up this easy Apple Cranberry Crumble for us to share. The tartness from the cranberries pairs quite well with the sweetness from the apples and the brown sugar. And then the oat crumble on top…oh, I think I could just scrape that off and eat it with a spoon!
For the crumble topping, I grabbed some rolled oats from my pantry and got to work. On a side note, I always keep a bag…or three…of rolled oats in my pantry. I use them for everything from oatmeal to homemade granola to crumbles for baked goods.
Along with the oats, I added some brown sugar as well as a bit of ground ginger into the crumble. Ginger is one of those warming Fall flavors, and it worked beautifully in this Apple Cranberry Crumble! Oh, and I added some pecans for a bit of extra crunch. All together, this crumble made an excellent topping for those cranberries and fresh apples that we had picked earlier in the day. Blakely even had a 2nd serving of crumble. After all, she’s on vacation, and Funcle and Aunt LaLa are here to spoil the heck out of her…and then send her home!
I hope you guys have a great long weekend filled with apples…and maybe even an Apple Cranberry Crumble! Enjoy!
Apple Cranberry Crumble
Ingredients
- 6 large apples I used 3 Granny Smith and 3 Gala, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 cup cranberries frozen
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour I used this gluten-free flour
- ½ cup rolled oats divided
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¾ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup pecans chopped
- {optional} ice cream or whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 10”x6” baking dish. (Note: This crumble can also be baked in a deep 9” pie pan.)
- Using a large bowl, add apples, cranberries, granulated sugar and cinnamon; mix until well combined. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish; set aside.
- Using a large bowl, add flour, ¼ cup of oats, brown sugar, ginger and salt; mix until well combined. Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in chopped pecans. Spread mixture evenly across top of apples. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of oats on top.
- Bake at 375°F for 45-50 minutes, or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. (Note: Tent the dish with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent the crumble topping from burning.)
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
- {Optional} Top with ice cream or whipped cream before serving.
Looking for more tasty apple dessert recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Yay for Fall! And all those cozy Fall sweathers 🙂
We don’t really have apple orchards around here. I do have a little tree, but certainly not enough to pick. That would be so, fun, though strolling through the orchid with a little basket in tow.
Your niece looks adorable! And funcle? How cute! Hopefully, that name will stick ’cause it’s just the best. Must make you proud, that’s for sure!
I love a good crumble and this one fits the bill perfectly. Love the ginger and pecans in there! Happy long weekend, David 🙂
Yes to the Fall sweaters, Dawn! It’s still silly hot here for September, so those sweaters will be hanging out in the closet for another few weeks…but it’s coming! 🙂 If you ever get a chance to visit an apple orchard, you definitely need to do it! So much fun…so many apples…haha. Thanks, Dawn! (And yay for comments working again, right?)
Hi David! Cobblers and crisps have always been favorites of mine! They are definitely fall comfort foods! I like your addition of cranberries! I hope your sister has room for a real horse because it sounds like someone might be asking for one soon! Horses also love apples! Have a fun weekend!
Yes! Cobbler and crisp season has most definitely arrived. (We’ll just ignore the fact that the temperature will still be in the 90’s this week…) Haha…and yes, horses do indeed love apples! What a happy coincidence there. Hope you and Gary had an awesome long weekend! 🙂
Blakely is one heck of a cute riot! And too funny about that giant stuffed horse – hopefully it’ll keep her satisfied for a long while! Though, I don’t blame her for not being satisfied with just one bowl of this crumble! My “funcle”-friend, this is insanely delicious! Ginger is one of my favorite spices and compliments cinnamon so well! Also, what a great idea to add pecans to that topping too! Gosh, I could scrape that topping off and eat ALL of it – and then attack the apple cranberry filling with some vanilla fro yo! Oooh heaven! This is my birthday weekend and I’m thinking i’m gonna have to convince Lil Shashi to go apple picking with me and then help me make this!
I sure hope you and Aunt Lala and Robbie (btw what’s his Blakely-given nickname?) have a wonderful long weekend!
Hah! Yes, Blakely is cute. Yes, Blakely is a riot. So that would indeed make her a cute riot. A ‘cute tornado’ would also be an apt description here! The topping on this crisp…oh man, Shashi. I could seriously have just eaten a bowl of the topping by itself! 🙂
Birthday weekend? How did I not realize that?? I hope you had an excellent one. Happy (belated) birthday my friend. And I hope you were able to get Lil Shashi to go out apple picking!
Hmmm…Robbie doesn’t have a Blakely nickname yet. I guess “Wobbie” since she can’t say “r’s” too well yet. 🙂
Ah Blakely is cute, reminds me of my niece! I love Bob’s Red Mill products, always top stuff. I also like the look of that crumble, those cranberries are very New England. You’re right, who doesn’t love apples and those warming spices in the Autumn.
I didn’t think about it, but you’re totally right, Matt…this is a very New England recipe between the cranberries and the apples. It might still be hot here (for September), but that isn’t going to stop me from getting into the Fall flavors. Hope you had a great weekend!
When I was a child growing up we had loads of apple trees in our yard. I remember peeling so many apples for my mother to make everything apple. I didn’t like it back then but I wish I could have those apples today. This looks absolutely scrumptious for a long weekend with friends and family.
That’s so awesome that you had apple trees in your yard, Celeste! We have a couple of apple trees in our yard, but the crop has been meager at best. Partly because we don’t spray and tend to the trees as we should…but it’s still fun to watch the apples grow! Hope you had a great (food-filled) long weekend! 🙂
Funcle, that’s so great! When I was a kid we hit up San Luis Obispo where my grandmother lived and used to go to Cal Poly and see the pigs and other animals. Loved it and now I get to see horses just up the road at Del Mar for the races. Looks like Blakey had a fun time! I ‘d be just as happy with this awesome looking apple and cranberry crumble. Let the season begin!
We did indeed have a great time at the races. It was fun to get out and just enjoy the weather, too…especially since we’re heading back into the 90’s this week. The 90’s! In New York. In September! Hope you and Dave had a great, food-filled weekend, Kevin! 🙂
your niece is super cute 🙂 and this crumble looks perfect for fall! Mmm I can almost smell it!!
Thanks so much, Manali! Bring on the Fall flavors, right? 🙂
Your niece sounds just too adorable for words! And I love the cranberry apple flavor combination- it screams autumn 🙂
Yes! Bring on Autumn! Cranberries + apples are a great combo for Autumn flavors…we just need to work on finding the Autumn temperatures. 🙂 Thanks so much, Medha!
I’m still in mourning over these final days of summer, but your post makes me look forward to fall.
Yeah, I hear ya, Jeff…summer disappeared way too fast this year. But I’m certainly not gonna complain about the arrival of Fall…whenever it decides to finally arrive, that is. Hope you had an awesome long weekend, my friend!
Even though that I am not ready for Fall just yet (still in denial ;-)) I agree with you – Fall comes with an array of great things from warm sweaters, comfort food and the most gorgeous autumn colours! Funcle is just the cutest nickname on earth! Oh she must love visiting you – it sounds like so much fun – apple picking and horse riding! She will certainly ask for a horse soon 😉 Our apples are almost ripe – we have picked the first ones last weekend so your delicious sounding apple cranberry recipe comes just at the right time! Have a great week!
I’m with ya, Miriam…it’s hard to admit that Summer is pretty much over (it went so fast this year!), but I do love me some Fall flavors and Fall comfort food. 🙂 It’s almost time to head out and pick some fresh apples…which is definitely one of the most quintessential Fall activities!
Yay for Autumn! It’s my favourite time of the year too, and it’s because of recipes like this. I am SO excited for everything apple and crumble. I love the idea of adding in some cranberries too – need to try that soon.
Yes, definitely toss some cranberries in next time you make an apple crumble. The cranberries add just a bit of tartness that really balances this one quite well. And yes, bring on the Fall weather and comfort food! Thanks, Dannii! 🙂
It sounds like you had a great visit with your family. I love the fall of the year, all the comfort foods, and cooler weather. Your apple cranberry sounds perfect. I love the combination of the apples and cranberries.
I couldn’t agree more, Dawn! Apples + Cranberries are a great combo…and they scream Fall comfort food (especially when baked in a crisp)! I hope you and your family had a great long weekend! 🙂
Apple trees bring back such wonderful childhood memories for me! And apple pie too. That apple crumble looks delicious! You really can’t beat apple crumble in fall (actually, any time of the year…)
I didn’t grow up around apple trees myself, but picking apples has definitely become a tradition now. And of course, fresh apples just beg to be turned into cobblers and crisps! This crumble is definitely a favorite…heck, I could just eat a bowl of that topping by itself! 🙂 Thanks, Lucie!
say hi to Fall , season of apples. this looks so good. i’m so excited of trying it out. send love from me to your little girl pls, she is adorable. 🙂
Thanks so much, Pat! 🙂
Thank you for a great story, and what sounds like a delicious treat! I’ve just learned i have to go Gluten Free, and am a Western New Yorker, with a love for all things Apple! You just made my day with this! Can’t wait to try it, and I’m so happy to learn about the Bob’s products!
Hey there, Kelly! This crumble is indeed a very tasty treat…perfect use of these New York apples. 🙂 And do check out Bob’s Red Mill products…they truly are great. If you’re going gluten free, their 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour is great (it’s the one linked in the recipe above). I’ve used it in place of all-purpose flour when baking a number of different things, and I’ve had great success every time. Enjoy the crumble, and thanks so much for stopping by my site…I truly do appreciate it!