How to Make The Best Gluten Free Fruit Crisp

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Easy gluten free fruit crisp with oat crumble topping, fresh berries or peaches, and simple pantry ingredients. A flexible summer dessert with balanced sweetness and crisp texture.

If you’re like me, you decide you want to make something and you search recipes for hours until you find *just* the right one. If you’re looking for the perfect gluten free fruit crisp recipe, STOP RIGHT HERE. This is it. I promise you. This is the only fruit crisp recipe you’ll need. The topping is perfect, the fruit to topping ratio is perfect, and you probably have the major ingredients on hand.

I usually use this as a berry crisp recipe, but peaches and stone fruits would be excellent too.

A bright and delicious summer gluten free fruit crisp is the perfect end to a BBQ meal with friends, a day by the lake, or to brighten your mood whenever. I recently made this recipe using berries for a 4th of July BBQ, and it was a huge hit! Even more so for breakfast the following morning 🙂

You can make this gluten free fruit crisp with berries, peaches, plums, or just about any summer fruit. I typically use a combo of blueberries and strawberries or raspberries, but peaches or a peach-apricot or peach-plum combo would also be perfect. It’s really about this delicious topping: Made with oats and oat flour (or gluten free flour), brown sugar, and butter, the topping crisps up perfectly over bubbling fruit and is delectable with vanilla ice cream or yogurt.

The best part about this gluten free fruit crisp is that you don’t need any fancy gluten free flours. All you need is oats and a food processor or blender to make oat flour. You can use gluten free flour or almond flour if you want for the flour portion, but it’s super delicious with the oat flour crumble topping. Make sure you memorize this recipe (it’s so easy that once you’ve made it a couple times you’ll remember it by heart) so you can make it anytime, anywhere, like that summer beach vacation house.

What You Need to Make Gluten Free Fruit Crisp

• a 9×9 baking pan/dish or an 11x 7 pyrex dish or enamel pan.
• Butter for coating the dish
• 2 pounds of fresh fruit. I recommend a combo of fresh summer berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries) or ripe peaches. Yummmm.
• Oats, both for the crumble and flour. You could also use gluten free flour or almond flour.
• Brown sugar and regular sugar or granulated monk fruit (like this) for a lower sugar version
• Vanilla and cinnamon
• A stick of butter
• Sea salt
• Lemon (optional)
• You can also use cornstarch or coconut flour to thicken the fruit mixture, but it’s not required. I do recommend cornstarch though for texture.

How to Make The Best Gluten Free Fruit Crisp

First off, gather your ingredients. You’ll need to rinse and chop your 2 pounds of fruit into bite-sized pieces. If you have peaches, you may want to skin them, but I find them delightful with the skin left on. Add fruit to a bowl.

Toss fruit with 1/2 cup sugar or granulated monk fruit for sugar free; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 1 teaspoon lemon zest; and 2 tablespoons cornstarch or coconut flour. You could also leave these out; they’re just thickeners for the filling.

Set fruit mixture aside.

Next, you’ll need to make your oat flour. Make sure you use certified gluten free oats. Take one cup of the oats and put them in a food processor (I have this one which is great) or high speed blender and process until the oats form a flour. This takes 1-3 minutes or so. Or, as mentioned, you can use a gluten free flour blend (I like this one) or almond flour like this one.

Make the crumble topping: In a bowl, mix together the oat flour, the remaining 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 – 3/4 cup packed brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. 3/4 cup brown sugar will give you a sweeter topping, but I like to cut the sugar a bit and use 1/2 cup for the topping. Stir until combined. Drizzle the butter and vanilla over the oat mixture and stir again. The mixture will be a bit lumpy.

Butter your baking dish and spread the fruit mixture evenly in the dish. Then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit mixture. Bake at 350F for about 30-35 minutes, until fruit mixture is bubbly and top is golden brown and firm. Let it cool a bit and serve warm enough to melt the ice cream. You can also use Coconut Bliss dairy free ice cream.

It’ll keep in the fridge for a week or so, but I promise it won’t last that long. Excellent cold with plain or vanilla yogurt for breakfast, or you can warm it in the oven or microwave for leftovers.

The next morning’s breakfast

Mary Vance (Certified Nutrition Consultant)

The Best Gluten Free Fruit Crisp

5 from 1 vote

Easy and delicious gluten free fruit crisp that can be made with any summer fruit.

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Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients

  

For the Filling

• 2 pounds fresh fruit such as berries or stone fruit like peaches
• ½ cup sugar or granulated monkfruit for sugar free
• 2 tbsp cornstarch or coconut flour or gluten free flour, for thickening, optional
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest

For the Topping

• 2 cups gluten free oats, divided
• ½-¾ cups brown sugar, packed
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 stick butter, melted & cooled. (8 tbsp)

Equipment

• 11x7 enamel baking dish or a 9X9 baking pan

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and position rack in the middle.
2. Butter your baking dish.

Make Fruit Filling

1. wash and chop fruit into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl.
2. Toss fruit with ½ cup sugar, lemon juice and zest, and optional cornstarch.
3. Pour fruit into baking dish and spread evenly.

Make the Topping

1. process 1 cup of the oats into a flour in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 cup oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, and stir until combined.
3. Drizzle the butter and vanilla over the oat mixture and stir to combine.
4. Scatter crisp topping evenly over the fruit mixture.
5. Bake the crisp until the fruit is bubbling and the top is golden brown and firm, 30-35 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool a bit before serving with ice cream. Enjoy!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What fruits work best in a gluten free fruit crisp?

Berries such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries bake evenly and release natural juices that create a flavorful filling. Stone fruits like peaches, plums, and apricots also caramelize well. Using ripe seasonal fruit improves sweetness, texture, and overall balance.

Do I need special gluten free flour for this recipe?

No specialty flour blend is required. Blending certified gluten free oats into oat flour creates a simple and affordable topping. Almond flour or packaged gluten free flour can work, but oat based crumble provides better texture, structure, and traditional crisp flavor.

Why is cornstarch used in the fruit filling?

Cornstarch thickens the fruit juices during baking, preventing a watery filling. As heat activates it, the starch binds liquid and creates a spoonable consistency. Coconut flour or arrowroot powder can also work, but a thickener improves structure and presentation.

Can this fruit crisp be made ahead of time?

Yes, this crisp stores well in the refrigerator for several days. After cooling, cover and chill. It can be reheated in the oven to restore crisp texture or warmed gently in the microwave. Leftovers also work well for breakfast with yogurt or nut butter.

Is this recipe suitable for lower sugar diets?

The recipe can be adjusted by reducing brown sugar or using monk fruit sweetener. Ripe fruit provides natural sweetness, especially in peak season. Lowering added sugar still allows the oat topping to brown properly while maintaining flavor and texture balance.

Why does Mary recommend oat based crisp toppings?

Mary prefers oat based toppings because certified gluten free oats are accessible, affordable, and easy to digest for many people. Oats create a golden crumble without complex flour blends, making the recipe reliable and simple for everyday baking.

What makes this fruit crisp a dependable go to dessert?

This recipe is flexible and forgiving, with a balanced fruit to crumble ratio and pantry friendly ingredients. It adapts to different fruits and sweetness levels without sacrificing texture. That versatility makes it ideal for gatherings, seasonal desserts, or quick weeknight baking.

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