Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler
A warm, comforting Gluten Free Apple Cobbler featuring tender cinnamon-spiced apples beneath a buttery, golden topping that’s perfectly crisp on top and cake-like underneath. Simple ingredients create an irresistible dessert everyone will love.
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling
- 6 cups apples about 6-7 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced (Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, or Braeburn work best)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Cobbler Topping
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum included; if yours doesn’t have it, add 1/4 teaspoon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 1/3 cup milk dairy or non-dairy
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9-inch baking dish or deep-dish pie plate.
- Prepare the apple filling by combining the sliced apples, sugar, gluten-free flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Toss until all apple slices are evenly coated with the mixture.
- Transfer the apple mixture to your prepared baking dish, arranging it evenly. The dish will look quite full, but the apples will cook down during baking.
- Make the cobbler topping by whisking together the gluten-free flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. This texture is crucial for a tender topping.
- Whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl, then pour into the flour-butter mixture. Stir just until combined – the batter will be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Drop spoonfuls of the topping over the apples, covering most of the surface but allowing some gaps for the filling to bubble through during baking.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. If the topping browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
- Allow the cobbler to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving to let the filling set slightly and avoid burning mouths!
Notes
- Not all gluten-free flour blends perform the same way. Look for one that contains a mix of rice flour, potato starch, and tapioca starch for best results.
- The cobbler topping should be moist but scoopable. If it seems too dry, add an extra tablespoon of milk.
- For extra texture, you can add 1/3 cup of chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans work well) to the topping.
- Make-ahead option: Prepare the apple filling and topping separately up to a day in advance, then assemble and bake when ready to serve.
- This cobbler stays fresh at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days.