This incredible gluten free apple cobbler is full of juicy apples, a buttery caramel, and a fluffy biscuit topping. Every bite is full of cinnamon apple flavors! You will love making this simple dessert all year long! This recipe will be a huge hit, and nobody will know it is gluten free!

A serving of apple cobbler on a small white plate. It is topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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 crispness you can only get during the fall.

If you are looking for the perfect apple desserts 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:

  1. 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.
  2. You can use the caramel apple filling in any recipe that calls for apple pie filling.
  3. It tastes incredibly plain, but add some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and you elevate this dessert to a new level of yumminess.
  4. You can make this recipe ahead to save time.
  5. The gluten free cobbler topping has a great soft texture.
  6. If you are baking for a crowd, this easy recipe is easy to adjust to make a big 9×13 dish full of cobbler.

Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the apple cobbler ingredients.
  • Gluten Free Flour Blend – I used 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 – Please use unsalted butter. If you are dairy-free, use dairy-free butter.
  • Baking Powder – I always recommend using aluminum-free baking powder.
  • Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract if you can.
  • Lemon Juice – Feel free to use fresh or bottled lemon juice.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Whisking the caramel sauce in a pan.

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 ¼ 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.

Using a pastry blender to cut in cold butter.

Step 3: Add the flour blend, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend.

Step 4: Add the cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut in the cold butter.

This photo shows what the batter will look like.

Step 4: Add the milk or non-dairy milk and 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.

HINT: If your batter is runny, you will use a flour blend that doesn’t absorb liquid as much…in this case, add more of your flour.

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set the rack to the middle position.

Sliced Pink Lady Apples on a white cutting board.

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.

Apple cobbler in an 8x8 pan ready to bake.

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.

The top view of a bowl of gluten free apple cobbler next to the dish of cobbler.

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.

Recipe Tips and FAQ:

What apples are best for cobblers?

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.

How do you store apple cobbler?

Store your apple cobbler in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

How long will gluten free apple cobbler last?

This homemade gluten free apple cobbler will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Can you make this gluten free apple cobbler dairy-free?

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.

A serving of gluten free apple cobbler in a bowl.

More Gluten Free Apple Recipes:

Love This Recipe?

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Include which flour blend you used. This helps others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!

A serving of apple cobbler on a small white plate. It is topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The Best Gluten Free Apple Cobbler

Sandi Gaertner
A delicious gluten free apple cobbler with caramel apple flavors.
4.87 from 15 votes
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 servings
Calories 287 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

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
  • â…› 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
  • â…› teaspoon salt You can use less.

Instructions
 

  • In a saucepan, add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, water, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon of the 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 ¼ 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, baking powder, and salt and whisk to blend.
  • Add 4 tablespoons of the cold butter and use a pastry cutter to cut in the cold butter.
  • Add the milk or non-dairy milk and 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.
  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set the oven rack to the middle position.
  • Slice your 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

  1. I used Cup4Cup gluten free flour blend to make this cobbler. You can use another brand if you like.
  2. Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add one teaspoon.
  3. To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter. Use dairy-free milk.
  4. 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, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 21mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 4gSugar: 37gVitamin A: 298IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 1mg
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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.

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Recipe Rating




16 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    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.

    1. 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.

  2. 5 stars
    I love how you use a thickened caramel sauce for the apples. What a delicious and warming recipe, and fall is right around the corner!