Mom's Gluten-Free Apple Crisp (Nut, Wheat, Egg and Fish-Free, Can Be Soy and Milk-Free)

I meant to post this last weekend, but time got away from me.  Better late than never, though. :)

Anyway, I cannot believe that it is August!  Time is flying!  In just about 3 weeks we will be starting school, and that just blows my mind!  But, my consolation, is that with the start of school will also be the start of my favorite time of year - autumn!  And, with autumn, comes one of my favorite foods - apples!  To celebrate the {soon-to-be} beginning of apple season, I thought I'd share this delightful crisp with you all!

My mom is an excellent cook, and one of the things we loved that she made for us as kids (and sometimes even now) was her apple crisp.  We nearly always ate it warm with ice cream, and it was (and is) divine!  You have the tart apples, the warm cinnamon, the crunchy topping, and then add the cold, refreshing ice cream on top - match made in heaven!  I have adapted this version to be gluten-free (because we need it to be in my house), and it is also nut, egg and fish-free (if all your ingredients are), and can be soy and milk-free (see variations).

If you're a fan of apples and crisps, you need to try this ASAP!  You won't be sorry!

Note: The gluten-free flour and baking mix I recommend do not technically contain soy, but the one contains xanthan gum and the other contains guar gum (see "Soy-Free" under variations for more details) which can cause issues for people with soy sensitivities or allergies, and that is why I will not claim that this recipe is soy-free.

Mom's Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

3 to 5 tart apples, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces 
(Amount of apples you want is based on personal preference.)
(I find that a tart apple like Granny Smith is best, but I've used Ginger Gold and Ida Red apples with success.  You can even mix a few varieties together if you wish.  Just make sure to use baking apples that are more firm and more tart than sweet.  Basically, you'll want to avoid apples like McIntosh (too soft), Golden Delicious (too sweet), and similar varieties.)

1 Tablespoon lemon juice or orange juice (optional)

1 Tablespoon water (optional)

Topping:

2/3 to 3/4 Cup brown sugar (packed)
(Amount based on personal preference, but generally the tarter your apples, the more sugar you want.)
   
1/2 Cup gluten-free flour blend or baking mix 

(I recommend Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour or King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Baking Mix)

   

1/2 Cup gluten-free quick cooking or old fashioned oats

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  

1/3 Cup salted, full-fat butter; softened

  

1. Preheat oven to 375^oF.
  
2. Grease a 9x13 pan with butter and set aside.  (Note: I find that using a glass pan is best, but it is not 100% necessary.)

3. If desired, in a large bowl, mix the lemon juice or orange juice with the water and toss the apples in the mixture.  (Note: This step can be skipped without worry.  If you don't have lemon juice or orange juice on hand or don't want to add it, feel free to skip this step.)
   

4. Place the apples in the prepared 9x13 pan.  (Note: As mentioned above, the amount and type of apples is up to you.  I find that aiming for about 4 Cups of apples works best (which is normally about 4 large apples), but you can use a little less (but no less than 3 Cups) or a little more (but no more than 5 Cups) depending on your preference.)
   

5. In a separate large bowl, combine all the topping ingredients until crumbly.  (Note: It is best to combine the brown sugar, gluten-free flour/baking mix, oats, and cinnamon first, then mix in the butter.  You can do this using your {clean} hands, a pastry cutter, a fork, or whatever you like.  You just want the butter to be pretty evenly distributed, but it should be a coarse mixture resembling coarse or lumpy sand, not a paste or dough.)

6. Evenly top the apples with the topping mixture.

7. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown. 

Serve hot or cold, plain or topped with ice cream or whipped cream as your diet allows.

Makes 12 to 24 servings, depending on size. 

Variations (Please keep your individual dietary needs in mind when using substitutions!):

• Milk-Free: Use lard, coconut oil, or a dairy-free butter for the butter.  You may need to add up to 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the topping, however, if you use an unsalted fat.
    
• Soy-Free: Neither Pamela's Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour or King Arthur Flour's Gluten-Free Baking Mix claim to contain soy, but Pamela's contains guar gum and King Arthur Flour's contains xanthan gum, which can cause issues with people who have soy sensitivities and allergies, and hence the reason I won't claim this recipe is soy-free already.  You can use regular flour (if you can have it) or a soy-free, gluten-free flour of your choice. 
     
• Different Flavors: I can use almost any fruit combination you desire, even frozen fruit (though the cooking time may need to be increased if you use frozen fruit).  You could use a combination of apples and another fruit or even sub all strawberries, blueberries, rhubarb, raspberries, cherries, peaches, pears - anything you wish as long as it doesn't exceed roughly 3 to 5 Cups (4 Cups tends to work best, FYI) of fruit, and you can use any combo that appeals to you.  I would not, however, recommend using canned fruit or bananas as the consistency would be greatly changed, and the result would be more mush than you'd want.  You can, however, use a 1 lb. 5 oz can of pie filling (if your diet allows) in place of the apples with success.
   
• Topping Variations:  If you can have tree nuts, you can always add up to 1/4 Cup pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc. to the topping.  You can even sub nuts for the oats, though I would not exceed 1/4 Cup of nuts regardless.  You can also increase the cinnamon amount to up to 1 teaspoon if you want more cinnamon flavor.

I mean, come on, guys!

Just look at that plate of deliciousness!  

You know you want some!

Make some today - you won't regret it!

Have a great rest of your week!