The Ultimate Gluten-Free Apple Peach Crumble: A Perfect Seasonal Fusion
There is something inherently comforting about a warm fruit crumble bubbling in the oven. It is the quintessential dessert for transition seasons, where the crispness of autumn apples meets the lingering, honeyed sweetness of late-summer peaches.
At Gluten Free Journey, we believe that living with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity should never mean missing out on these iconic comfort foods. Our Gluten Free Apple Peach Crumble recipe is a testament to that philosophy: it’s simple, rustic, and so delicious that your guests won’t even realize it’s a gluten free dessert recipe.
The Best Easy Gluten Free Apple Peach Crumble (Oat-Free)
Ingredients
- 5 apples peeled and chopped
- 5 peaches chopped
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1 cup all-purpose flour gluten free
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with coconut oil or butter8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place apples and peaches in a large bowl and top with cinnamon, brown sugar, orange juice and corn starch.5 apples, 5 peaches, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup orange juice, 2 tablespoons corn starch
- Spread out in baking dish.
- Place gluten free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt into bowl and stir.1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Add butter to bowl and using hand mixer crumble mixture together until crumbly.8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Sprinkle crumble mixture on top of apples and peaches.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Serve warm ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Nutrition Details
Tried this gluten free recipe?
Let us know how it was!Why This Flavour Combination Works
While a standard apple crumble is a classic, adding peaches introduces a floral sweetness and a soft, jammy texture that balances the tart bite of the apples. The addition of orange juice in the filling adds a subtle citrus brightness that prevents the dessert from being one-dimensionally sweet. Because this recipe is crafted without oats, it’s also an excellent option for those who are sensitive to or simply prefer a traditional flour-based “crumble” texture over an oat “crisp.”
Choosing the Best Fruit for Your Crumble
For the best results, fruit selection is key:
- Apples: Look for firm, tart varieties that hold their shape during baking. Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Braeburn are excellent choices. They provide a necessary structural contrast to the softer peaches.
- Peaches: Fresh, ripe peaches are ideal, but they should still be slightly firm to the touch. If it’s off-season, you can certainly use frozen peaches (thawed and drained) or even high-quality canned peaches (rinsed). Many of our readers even skip the peeling process for the peaches to save time and add a bit of rustic colour!
The Secret to the Perfect Gluten Free Topping
The hallmark of a great crumble is the topping. We use a high-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend combined with cold, melted butter. A unique tip from our kitchen: use a hand mixer to combine the butter with the dry ingredients. This ensures the butter is evenly distributed, creating those coveted “pea-sized” crumbs that turn golden and crisp in the oven, rather than a flat, sandy layer.
Customizing Your Gluten Free Crumble
One of the best things about this recipe is its versatility.
- Nutty Crunch: Add 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the crumble mixture for extra texture.
- Berry Twist: Swap one cup of fruit for fresh raspberries or blueberries to create a “Triple Fruit” medley.
- Vegan/Dairy-Free: You can easily make this vegan by substituting the unsalted butter with a high-quality plant-based butter stick or chilled coconut oil.
Serving and Storage
This dessert is best served warm, ideally within 20 minutes of leaving the oven. For the ultimate indulgence, top it with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of homemade gluten free whipped cream. If you have leftovers, they store beautifully in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Simply reheat a portion in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes to restore the topping’s crispness.
Frequently Asked Questions & Answers for this Apple Peach Crumble Recipe
The primary difference lies in the topping. A crumble (like this recipe) features a streusel-like topping made of flour, sugar, and butter. A crisp is similar but traditionally includes oats in the topping to create a “crispier” texture. A cobbler features a thicker, biscuit-style or cake-batter topping dropped in “cobblestone” clumps over the fruit.
Yes! You can easily adapt this recipe by substituting the 8 tablespoons of unsalted butter with a plant-based butter alternative or chilled coconut oil. Ensure your brown sugar is vegan-certified if following a strict vegan diet.
Peeling is optional. Many bakers prefer peeling for a smoother texture, but leaving the skins on adds colour and nutritional fiber. If your peaches are very ripe, the skins will soften significantly during the 40-minute bake time.
Orange juice serves two purposes: the acidity prevents the apples from browning too quickly during prep, and the citrus notes enhance the natural sweetness of the peaches, providing a more complex flavour profile than water or lemon juice alone.
The key is the cornstarch in the filling, which thickens the fruit juices as they bake. Additionally, ensure you are using a 9×13 dish so the fruit layer isn’t too deep, allowing the topping to stay crisp on top of the bubbling fruit.
This was such a surprise! Using both apples and peaches together in a crumble, delicious. Gluten Free Journey wasn’t kidding, it really is an easy to make apple crumble dessert!
Apples and peaches together, this is an absolute YES! Give it a try, it is delicious.
Would have never thought to use both apples and peaches in a cobbler, but what a delicious surprise this weekend!!
Who would have thought to put peaches AND apples into a cobbler! The sweetness with the tartness, plus the delicious spices, a tongue tingling surprise.
Thank you Christine!! Will be making again.
This is hands down THE BEST gluten free apple crumble I have ever had. This recipe is an absolute staple in my house!
Never made a crumble at home before. This was easy and good!
Delicious, thank you very much!
Apples and peaches in one recipe, was delicious!
I’m not much of a cook and this turned out great. I used fresh peaches that were going bad, didn’t peel them, uneven slices and chunks, old butter and terrible job cutting it into the flour mixture. And it still turned out really tasty.
Another gluten free hit. I only had 2 & apples peaches, but they were large so I made a half recipe. It fit perfectly into a glass food storage container so I used that. Recipes is quick to come together. No fuss. Delicious.
I surprised my mom with this treat and she loved it. My sister thought I had been slaving away in the kitchen all morning. And I did not peel the peaches -yay. Thank you, Camilla
My friend in Georgia sent me a dozen peaches, so obviously, I had to make this. I made your apple peach crumble for my mom’s birthday when she was injured and bedridden, and boy did it perk her up. So I figured this had to be just as good and it is!!!!! I still prefer the apple because I like apples better than peaches. But there are absolutely no better crisp recipes than yours!!! Full stop!
I’m eating it warm and it’s just delicious!
This is THE BEST Apple Peach Crumble Recipe in Gluten Free History!
Awesome!
It was delicious! Thanks Again 🙂
Deeeeelicious!
Made this for my women’s dinner at church and everyone loved it!
My litte gluten free family loved it.
Loved it. I used a mix of canned apricots and peaches. Lil whipped cream on top Nice warm dessert
I loved this recipe! I used some frozen peaches I had and mixed in some raspberries just because. The only disappointment was of my own making – There was a LOT of juice with the peaches which turned out to be too much, so the topping didn’t crisp up as it should have. So next time I’ll be more careful, and there will be a next time because despite my mistake, it was delicious! Served with vanilla ice cream, and got yums from my guys!
Delicious!
Really loved this recipe with peaches. I will be blueberry picking soon and trying with those added too!
Thanks for sharing. It was delicious
Absolutely delicious!!! Perfect summer dessert !! 🍑 🍨 🥧
Could not make enough everyone loved it so much!
Perfect recipe during apple season! Love making this apple crumble.
Thank you! Was great with Thanksgiving dinner
Thanks for sharing. I have tried many of your recipes and this is a favorite.