When Fall rolls in, my baking side comes out. Apple crisp. Apple pies. Apple cobbler. Every year we trek out to the local Orchard and help ourselves to the endless rows of apple trees. The tradition brings back fond memories of climbing the apple trees as a kid in my Grandad’s own orchard. We fill our bag to the brim until it’s almost too heavy to carry, snacking on a few apples along the way.

But this year is different. This year I have SIBO. This year I’m a fodmapper. No more apples. Or flour. Just go put a damper on my fall baking dreams.

So this is my revolt: Original Apple Crisp Recipe + Super Easy Gluten-free Flour Substitute = Ridiculously Yummy. Not gonna lie, I might even like this better than the original. Shh, don’t tell.

The best part about this recipe is that it only requires one flour, no additional ingredients, and you probably already have what you need in your cupboard. Oats, my friends. I mean, honestly. Who wants to buy 4 kinds of flours, all those starches, and xanthan gum when you can literally make this recipe out of the stuff in your Quaker box?  It’s gluten-free, not rocket science so let’s give our baking selves a break.

Unfortunately, this recipe is not low-fodmap (due to apples) BUT for my fodmapper friends, this would still be delicious with another kind of fruit! Mixed blueberries and raspberries would be amazing. Cranberries? I might just need to make multiple batches so I can try out all the options!

Ingredients

• 1 c oat flour (or blend gluten-free old fashioned oats)
• 1.5 c sugar (you could get away with 1 cup if you prefer)
• 1 tsp baking powder (click here for my corn-free version)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, unbeaten
• 1/3 c butter, melted
• cinnamon (for sprinkling)
• 6 medium apples, sliced (macintosh is our favorite!)

Directions

Place gluten-free old fashioned oats in a food processor and blend until it resembles a flour-like consistency. Measure flour out to equal 1 cup.

Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and egg to a bowl and mix together until crumbly.

Layer sliced apples in a 8×11 (or 9×13) baking dish, alternating with sprinkled cinnamon over each layer of apples (sort of like lasagna). You’ll want to crowd the apples more on the ends and less in the middle. Continue with the apple/cinnamon layering until you reach the top of the dish. Optional: If you want there to be less caramelized syrup at the bottom, sprinkle a thin layer of the flour/sugar mixture when you’re halfway up the baking dish before continuing the apple/cinnamon layers to the top. 

Sprinkle the flour/sugar mixture over top of the apples. Drizzle melted butter all over and top it off with some sprinkled cinnamon. Bake at 350 F for 30-40 minutes until the top begins to brown and the liquid starts to bubble. When done, let it sit for 5-10 minutes to help solidify. Serve with a glass of dairy-free milk or lactose-free ice cream! Or eat some leftovers for breakfast because, you know, it has oats. 🙂