Gluten-Free Apple Blueberry Crumble

This gluten-free apple blueberry crumble is an easy fruit dessert made with tender apples, juicy blueberries, and a buttery crisp topping. The apples become soft and jammy, and the blueberries add sweetness and color, while the buttery topping turns golden and crisp.

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Easy fall dessert

Apple crumble never fails. It’s a crowd-pleasing fall dessert, or every season, perfect for potlucks or family dinners. This recipe has a twist and adds blueberries. It’s similar to this popular Apple Crisp, but the crisp topping has oats, and the crumble is more like a streusel topping.

This baked apple dessert is super easy to make, with no complicated steps or equipment. The fresh apples and blueberries soften while baking, and the buttery topping turns golden and crunchy. The blueberries add flavor, color, and juice. It’s best served warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream.

What goes in: ingredient notes

Some NOTES about the main ingredients of this recipe:

• Apples: green, medium Granny Smith apples. Pink Lady or Golden goes well too.
• Butter: cold, diced, unsalted butter.
• Sugar: brown sugar for the crumble that gives a slightly caramel flavor.
• Orange: fresh orange zest that adds freshness to the filling.
• Blueberries: fresh or frozen blueberries; both work.
• Almonds: chopped and toasted almonds.

How to make gluten-free apple and berry crumble

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

For the filling: Place the peeled, seeded, and cubed apples, the blueberries, and the orange zest in a baking dish. Set aside.

For the topping: Add the gluten-free all-purpose flour, both sugars, and cold diced butter to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Alternatively, combine the cold diced butter, both sugars, and gluten-free all-purpose flour in a medium bowl. Rub the ingredients together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle the crumble topping and chopped toasted almonds evenly over the fruit.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Let the crumble rest for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set slightly.

Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.

Storing: Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Good to know: baking tips

• Keep the butter cold: Cold butter makes a crisp topping. If the butter is warm when making the crumble, it will become a paste. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator before adding it to the apple filling.
• Apples: Granny Smith apples are the common choice because their slightly tart flavor balances the sweetness of the buttery sweet crumble. But Pink Lady and Golden Delicious work perfectly. Chop apples into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
• Sweetness: Adjust the sweetness to taste. Reduce the sugar in the crumble or add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the filling if you like sweeter desserts.
• Bake until bubbling: The topping must be golden brown and the apple filling bubbling.
• Let rest before serving: Allow the dessert to rest for about 10 minutes after baking. The filling will thicken as it cools.

You might wonder: FAQ

Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes, fresh or frozen blueberries work. Don’t thaw; add them directly to the apple filling.

Do I need to peel the apples? Yes, peeling the apples is better for a softer texture.

Can I freeze apple crumble? You can freeze the dessert, but I don´t recommend it; it’s never the same, and the crumble will lose some crunch. But if you freeze it, simply reheat it in a medium oven when you’re ready to enjoy it.

Serving options:

• Cream: a dollop of fresh whipped cream, classic!
• Ice cream: serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Syrup: drizzle with maple syrup.
• Yogurt: a dollop of natural Greek-style yogurt.

For more gluten-free fruit desserts

• Apple Crisp
• Plum Crips
• Pear Crumble
• Plum and Berry Cobbler
• Strawberry Clafoutis

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