There is nothing like the smell of apples and cinnamon baking together in the oven. This gluten-free apple cobbler is full of tender apples, buttery caramel, and a soft biscuit topping that soaks up all that sweet flavor. It is simple to make, tastes incredible warm with a scoop of ice cream, and is one of those desserts nobody will believe is gluten-free.
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One of my favorite things about this homemade gluten-free apple cobbler is that you can make it all year long. That being said, my heart has a special place for fall apples. They have a fresh, crisp quality that can only be found during the fall.
If you are looking for the perfect apple dessert to make, this recipe is a tried and true winner. If you are an apple fanatic, you can check out all of my easy gluten-free apple recipes and find some new favorites.
Why I love this gluten-free apple cobbler:
- This gluten-free apple cobbler recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. You don’t need fancy or expensive ingredients to make this recipe.
- You can use the caramel apple filling in any recipe that calls for apple pie filling.
- It tastes incredibly plain, but add some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and you elevate this dessert to a new level of yumminess.
- You can make this recipe ahead to save time.
- The gluten-free cobbler topping has a great soft texture.
- If you are baking for a crowd, this easy recipe can be adjusted to make a big 9×13 dish full of cobbler.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with Cup4Cup, but other blends should work well. The purpose of the flour in this recipe is to thicken the caramel sauce and make the biscuit topping.
- Apples – My favorite apples to use in this recipe are Granny Smith and Pink Lady. I think tart apples work best with caramel flavors.
- Brown Sugar – You can use light or dark brown sugar in this recipe. Be sure to check to verify the brown sugar is gluten-free.
- Milk – You can use non-dairy milk, as I did, or regular milk.
- Ground Cinnamon – Sometimes spices can be cross-contaminated with gluten, so be sure to use a safe brand. I like Penzey’s and McCormick because they are. (McCormick’s allergy statement: “All of our single ingredient spices are gluten-free. Our single-ingredient spices are 100% pure, with nothing additional added to them.“)
- Butter – Use unsalted butter. If you are dairy-free, use dairy-free butter.
- Baking Powder – I always recommend using aluminum-free baking powder to avoid any metallic aftertaste.
Testing Notes From My Kitchen
This gluten-free caramel apple cobbler is easy to make, and most gluten-free flour blends should work well. You can do mini adjustments to the moisture level. If your batter is too wet, add a little more flour; if it is too stiff, add more milk.
I tested this recipe with Granny Smith and Red Delicious apples. Granny Smith was my favorite because the tartness balanced the caramel best. Red Delicious made the cobbler too sweet. Don’t hesitate to mix varieties if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: In a saucepan, add the brown sugar, water, vanilla extract, and unsalted butter. The melted butter adds to the creaminess of this cobbler.
Bring the mixture to a boil on medium-high heat, and slowly add 1/4 cup of the gluten free flour blend. Whisk quickly to mix it in.
Step 2: Turn down the cooking temperature to low and allow to simmer for 3 more minutes. Whisk to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan. Please turn off the stove and move the pan off the burner so it cools slightly.
Step 3: Add the flour blend, baking powder, and salt to a large
👀 Sandi Says: If you don’t have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and grate it with a large cheese grater.
Add the cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut in the cold butter.
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Step 4: Mix the milk or non-dairy milk and lemon juice into a batter. This is the texture of my batter using Cup4Cup flour. Some flour blends are starchier than others, which may affect the batter’s softness.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquid.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set the rack to the middle position.
Step 6: Cut your apples thinly on a cutting board with a sharp knife. Add them to a large bowl. Do you need to peel the apples to make a cobbler? This is totally optional. I leave the peels on for added fiber. The peels soften during baking.
Step 7: Layer the sliced apples on the bottom of an 8×8 prepared baking dish. Pour the caramel sauce on top of the apples. (If you prefer, mix the apples into the caramel sauce. It turns out the same either way.)
Step 8: Drop the gluten free biscuit topping over the apples and caramel. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and coarse sugar (optional.)
Step 9: Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes. When it is done baking, your apples will be soft. If you notice your biscuit topping is cooking too quickly, cover the cobbler with foil as it bakes for the last 10-12 minutes.
Serve this gluten free apple cobbler warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream. If you are an apple pie fan, check out my easy Gluten-Free Apple Pie recipe.
Delicious Flavor Variations:
- Add in some berries like blueberries or blackberries.
- Use this homemade caramel apple pie filling with my best Gluten-Free Pie Crust for a delicious caramel apple pie.
- Add in a gluten free apple crumble topping. You can use the crumb recipe in my Gluten-Free Apple Crumb Bars recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions:
There are so many apple varieties that taste delicious in a cobbler. Tart apples like Pink Lady and Granny Smith are the best for cobbler and other baked recipes. Fuji and Honeycrisp apples also taste great in this recipe. Tart apples help offset the sweet flavor of the cobbler.
This cobbler recipe is easy to make dairy-free. Use dairy-free butter or vegan butter and non-dairy milk. So Delicious has a lot of great dairy-free ice cream options.
This gluten-free apple cobbler recipe is easy to make ahead. You can cook the apples and store them in the refrigerator. You can also add the cobbler topping and bake later.
This homemade gluten free apple cobbler will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Store your apple cobbler in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More Gluten-Free Apple Recipes:
- The best Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
- Easy Gluten-Free Apple Fritters (Air Fried or Fried in Oil!)
- Foolproof Gluten-Free Apple Cake
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Apple Scones
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Easy Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar dark or light
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cup gluten free flour blend divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder aluminum-free
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk regular milk is also fine
- 5 cups apples
- ⅛ teaspoon salt You can use less.
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Instructions
- Make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan, add 1 cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter. The melted butter adds to the creaminess of this cobbler.
- Bring the mixture to a boil on medium-high heat, and slowly add 1/4 cup of the gluten free flour blend. Whisk quickly to mix it in.
- Reduce the cooking temperature to low and simmer for three more minutes. Whisk to prevent it from burning on the bottom of the pan. Turn off the stove and move the pan off the burner, so it cools slightly.
- In a large bowl, add the 1 cup of flour blend, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon salt and whisk to blend.
- Add the ¾ cup non-dairy milk and 2 teaspoons lemon juice and mix it into a batter. This is the texture of my batter using Cup4Cup flour. Some flour blends are starchier than others, which may affect the batter's softness. You need to add more liquid if your dough is really firm.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set the oven rack to the middle position.
- Slice 5 cups apples thinly. Add them to a large bowl. I leave the peels on for added fiber, but you can remove them if you like. The peels soften during baking.
- Layer the sliced apples on the bottom of an 8×8 prepared baking dish. Pour the caramel sauce on top of the apples.
- Drop the gluten free biscuit topping over the apples and caramel. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and coarse sugar (optional.)
- Bake at 350º F for 40-45 minutes. When it is done baking, your apples will be soft. If you notice your biscuit topping is cooking too quickly, you can cover the cobbler with foil as it bakes for the last 10-12 minutes.
Notes
- I used Cup4Cup gluten free flour blend to make this cobbler. You can use another brand if you like.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add one teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter. Use dairy-free milk.
- This apple cobbler will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
how much salt? I don’t see the measurement…
It is up to you, a dash to a max of 1/8 teaspoon.
Good flavor but biscuits came out hard as a rock.
Hi Sue, what gluten free flour blend did you use? It sounds like there was either too much flour or you used a starchy blend.
Delicious flavors, the sauce so yummy. I used two sweet apples and two tart. For the biscuit topping I used Namaste GF flour. ‘ Cooked up hard
and not so good. I’ll use a crisp topping next time. Oh yes, the vanilla icecream saved the day.
Hi Cheryl, Unfortunately, you used a flour blend I haven’t tested. It is really hard because every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. It sounds like you needed to add more liquid to the biscuit topping. I hope you try it again sometime with more liquids.
My husband and I both loved this apple cobbler. We topped it with vanilla ice cream. Yum!
I am so glad everyone loved this recipe. Thank you for coming back to let everyone know this is yummy :-).
When do you use the lemon juice?
Hi Becca, Thank you for your note and for picking that up. The lemon juice gets added to the wet ingredients of the crust mixture. I just edited it. Thank you!
How much of the butter is melted and how much is used cold?
Hi Jean, one tablespoon goes in the pan and four tablespoons in the biscuit mixture