This easy Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler is the best old-fashioned fall dessert! Vegan and allergy-free, made with fresh sliced tender-baked apples and a warm buttery biscuit dough topping. A quick and simple rustic recipe with no peeling required. Fragrant, cinnamony, and not overly sweet. Serve it warm from the oven with your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream!
Warm, gooey, apple filling with a perfect golden brown biscuit topping...you can smell the fall fragrance from the screen! This gluten-free apple cobbler is one of my favorite fall desserts. It's rustic and old-fashioned so you don't have to worry about perfect aesthetics here. Don't bother peeling the apples, the slices don't have to be perfect, and drop the buttery sweet biscuit dough any way you'd like! You won't believe it's vegan, allergy-free, and, of course, on the healthier side of comforting cold-weather treats!
Apple Cobbler vs. Apple Crisp
We all love a skillet-baked apple crisp where the topping is crispy, crunchy, and made with sweet cinnamony oats! Apple cobbler, on the other hand, is similar to an apple pie, where the warm gooey apple filling is covered by a layer of warm buttery biscuit dough! The dough is dropped over the top of the apples before baking so the finished product looks cobbled, resembling cobblestones!
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Recipe
There's a time and place for complex desserts, but when you just want something warm, cozy, and perfect for a chilly day that will even feed a crowd, let's keep it simple! While you can peel the apple if you want, this is a no-peel recipe. There are minimal ingredients, you don't need anything special, and besides slicing the apples, it's mostly a dump-and-bake recipe! This from-scratch cobbler is:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan & Vegetarian
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Oil-Free
- Naturally Sweet & Sugar-Free Option
- Kid-Friendly
- Quick, Easy, Perfect to Make-Ahead
- 100% Homemade with REAL Fruit
- Healthy Dessert For Potlucks and Holidays (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas)
Ingredients For Easy Apple Cobbler
For The Apple Filling:
- Apples: Any apple that is crisp and slightly tart will do. My favorites to use when baking are Gala, Honey Crisp, Evercrisp, Cosmic Crisp, Jonagold, Jonathan, Braeburn, or Pink Lady. These will all hold up in high temperatures without getting too mushy.
- Sweeteners: A few tablespoons of both granulated sugar and dark brown sugar help make the apple filling gooey and sweet without overpowering the natural sweetness of the apples (they enhance it!) You can also use sugar-free granulated Swerve and sugar-free brown sugar Swerve.
- Lemon Juice: A squirt of lemon juice on freshly cut apples prevents them from browning prematurely and balances the sweet and tart flavors.
- Vanilla Extract + Cinnamon: Cozy sweet vanilla notes and warm spicy cinnamon are what make this dessert perfect for the fall and winter months!
- Starch: Cornstarch or arrowroot starch helps thicken the filling slightly.
For The Biscuit Topping:
- Gluten-Free Flour + Baking Powder: Your favorite all-purpose gluten-free flour plus a little extra baking powder are all you need for the base of the simple cobbler biscuit topping.
- Sweeteners: Again, the biscuits will use granulated sugar and dark brown sugar. You can use the sugar-free options again to keep this recipe sugar-free. The sugars help get the biscuit topping crisp and golden brown on top!
- Vegan Butter: Buttery biscuits call for some dairy-free butter! Cubed-up and room-temperature vegan butter will give you a perfectly moist and delicious topping.
- Non-Dairy Milk: Just a few tablespoons of whatever milk you have in the fridge, you can even use vegan buttermilk. You'll add the milk as needed to help get the dough combined.
Ingredient Substitutions & Add-Ins
- No Starch: You can use gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of starch for the apples. The apples aren't super juicy, like peaches, so you don't need as strong of a thickener, however, I would use 2 tablespoons of flour vs. the 1 tablespoon of starch the recipe calls for.
- More Spices: You don't have to stop at just cinnamon! You can add other warming spices like ginger, cloves, allspice, or cardamom. You can even try a chai spice mix!
- Add More Fruits: Add some cranberries, cherries, figs, blueberries, or raisins for some extra fruitiness!
- Use A Variety Of Apples: You don't have to stick with one apple variety in this cobbler! Mix and match with your favorites for a unique and custom apple flavor!
How To Make Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler
- Slice your apples into ¼-inch to ½-inch thick wedges (peel them before slicing if you prefer) and add them to a greased 2 ½ quart casserole dish. Add the starch, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon juice to the apple and toss. You can do this in a separate bowl, but why dirty an extra dish?
- Prebake the apples for 15-20 minutes in the oven at 425°F.
- While the apples are prebaking, add the gluten-free biscuit dough ingredients to a bowl including the flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cubed room-temperature vegan butter.
- Use a fork to cut the butter into the flour before slowly adding in 2 tablespoons of non-dairy milk. You want the dough to be wet and sticky enough to be able to easily drop it over the apples. It shouldn't be dry and crumbly.
- Drop the dough over the apples, like little drop biscuits. You don't need to cover the entire surface.
- Bake the vegan apple cobbler in the oven for another 20 minutes, until the topping is crisp and golden brown.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- No Peeling: If you choose thick-skinned apples you may want to peel them before slicing, however, I find it unnecessary if you are using a variety I suggested. Plus, there will be less food waste and more nutrition!
- Slicing: You can slice the apples super thin, ⅛th inch, if you'd like, and reduce the prebake time to about 10 minutes. You can also chop the apples into cubes if you prefer smaller pieces of apple in each bite!
- You can add more sugar to the apple filling if you want a sweeter gooey filling.
- Sprinkle extra cinnamon and granulated sugar over the top of the cobbler before baking.
How To Serve Vegan Apple Cobbler
The aromas emanating from the oven will be mouthwatering, but try to contain yourself and allow the apple cobbler to cool for about 10 minutes after it's done baking! Then just scoop out a big warm gooey serving and top it with your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream! You can also serve it with coconut whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, or a drizzle of vegan caramel! Of course, serving it on its own is totally acceptable too!
How To Store and Freeze Leftovers
- Storage: You can store the leftover baked and cooled apple cobbler in the fridge, covered in the casserole dish with a lid or foil for 5-7 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the entire finished cobbler in the casserole dish, double-wrapped with plastic wrap and foil, or individual portions in airtight containers and thaw as needed in the fridge. This biscuit topping will lose some of its crispness, but you can revive it by giving it a toast in the oven when you warm it! Frozen cobbler is best used within 3-4 months.
- Reheat: To reheat leftover or thawed apple cobbler, you can warm individual portions in the microwave or warm the entire casserole dish in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
More Gluten-Free Apple Recipes:
- Apple Fritter Bread
- French Apple Cake
- Apple Cider Doughnuts
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- Classic Apple Crisp
- Crustless Apple Pie
- Slow Cooker Applesauce
- Slow Cooker Apple Butter
Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler
This easy Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler is the best old-fashioned fall dessert! Vegan and allergy-free, made with fresh sliced tender-baked apples and a warm buttery biscuit dough topping. A quick and simple rustic recipe with no peeling required. Fragrant, cinnamony, and not overly sweet. Serve it warm from the oven with your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 40 Minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For The Apple Filling:
- 2.5 lbs Apples (about 7 small apples)
- 2 TB Granulated Sweetener (or preferred granulated sugar)
- 2 TB Dark Brown Sugar Sweetener (or preferred light or dark brown sugar)
- 1 TB Corn Starch (or Arrowroot Starch)
- 1 Tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tsp Cinnamon
For The Biscuit Topping:
- 1 Cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
- ½ Tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ Cups Granulated Sweetener (or preferred granulated sugar)
- ¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar Sweetener (or preferred light or dark brown sugar)
- 4 TB Vegan Butter (cubed, room temperature)
- 2 TB Unsweetened Plain Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
For The Apple Filling:
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Wash and core the apples before slicing them into ¼ to ½-inch thick wedges. You can leave the apples unpeeled or peel them if desired.
- Liberally grease a 2.5-quart casserole dish with some vegan butter and place the apple slices into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the granulated sugar, brown sugar, starch, and cinnamon over the apples, and add the lemon juice and vanilla before tossing everything together with your hands to fully coat the apples.
- Pre-bake the apples in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the apples are slightly soft and fragrant.
For the Biscuit Topping:
- While the apples bake, mix together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl.
- Add in the cubed, room-temperature butter and knead the dough with your hands or the back of a fork to break up the butter. Then slowly add in the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix it together (the dough should be wet and sticky).
Baking the Cobbler:
- After the apples have pre-baked, drop 6-8 biscuit-shaped blobs of dough evenly over the top of the apples.
- Sprinkle some extra granulated sugar and cinnamon (optional) over the tops of the biscuits and bake the apple cobbler in the oven for 20 minutes, until the biscuit topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Remove and let the cobbler cool slightly, about 10 minutes, before serving with your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream!
Notes
- Suggested Apple Varieties: Gala, Honey Crisp, Evercrisp, Cosmic Crisp, Jonagold, Jonathan, Braeburn, or Pink Lady are great options. Feel free to mix and match.
- Storage: You can store the leftover baked and cooled apple cobbler in the fridge, covered in the casserole dish with a lid or foil for 5-7 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the entire finished cobbler in the casserole dish, double-wrapped with plastic wrap and foil, or individual portions in airtight containers and thaw as needed in the fridge. This biscuit topping will lose some of its crispness, but you can revive it by giving it a toast in the oven when you warm it! Frozen cobbler is best used within 3-4 months.
- Reheat: To reheat leftover or thawed apple cobbler, you can warm individual portions in the microwave or warm the entire casserole dish in the oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Serving
The best potluck dessert to celebrate the season! Warm, cozy, gluten-free, and vegan. It's perfect for any occasion and just so easy to whip up!
So tell me:
+ What do you like to serve our apple cobbler with?
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Esme Slabbert
GF, Vegan checks all the boxes, love this!
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Kelly
I love apple cobbler, this looks delicious 🍎🍏
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!