This gluten free apple cobbler is perfect for Thanksgiving! The cinnamon apples are soaked in brown sugar before baking, and the buttermilk biscuit topping complements it all perfectly.
It's no secret, I LOVE a good cobbler. It's honestly such an easy dessert and ends up being a hit every single time I make it. Everyone always comes back for seconds (and even thirds!).
For some reason, all of the cobblers I've made thus far have utilized summer fruit. So I wanted to come up with one that I could serve up for Thanksgiving. It was kind of a no-brainer: I needed a gluten free apple cobbler recipe.
This recipe is basically an adaptation of my peach cobbler simply because that one is foolproof. I knew it would serve as the perfect base for me to work with. I swapped the peaches for apples, added some more fall flavor, and the end result was magical!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- That filling! It tastes just like apple pie filling. We've got the apples, the brown sugar, the cinnamon... all the good stuff.
- And the topping! Buttermilk biscuits. Simple, yet delicious.
- This all really comes together so quickly. You won't even need a mixer. Perfect if you are already busy cooking up a big Thanksgiving meal.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Apples: I used Honeycrisp apples but you can use any kind you like! Granny Smith would be delicious, or you can use a mix of both. You will need large apples.
- Brown sugar: I recommend light brown sugar in the filling but you can use dark brown if that's what you have.
- Gluten free flour: My favorite gluten free flour blend is Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. If you use a different blend, make sure it contains xanthan gum. You should be able to substitute AP flour if you are not following a gluten free diet.
- Buttermilk: If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own. Just mix ¾ cup whole milk with 2 ¼ teaspoons of white vinegar. Let it sit for 5 minutes before adding to your dough.
Step by Step Instructions
STEP ONE: To make my gluten free apple cobbler, we'll start with the apple filling. Toss the apple slices into a medium bowl, and add in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir it all up until apples are completely coated. Set aside for now.
STEP TWO: Let's move onto the topping! Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
STEP THREE: Add the cubed butter and cut it in using a pastry blender.
STEP FOUR: Finally, add the buttermilk and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough comes together.
STEP FIVE: Now it's time to put it all together. Pour the apple filling into a 9x13 pan. Grab handfuls of dough, flatten slightly, and then arrange all over the top of the filling. You might have some gaps, that's totally ok! It's not meant to cover the whole thing -- just most of it.
STEP SIX: Bake on 350ºF for about 45 minutes. The biscuit topping should be slightly golden. For best results, serve immediately 🙂 you can add a drizzle of caramel sauce, or a scoop of ice cream... or enjoy as is!
Expert Tips
- I always start with the filling simply because I find that it tastes so much better when the apples have had some time to sit in the brown sugar and cinnamon. They just soak up all of that goodness while you are making your topping.
- As always, I recommend using a scale to weigh your flour. This will ensure accuracy, as too much flour will really mess with the texture of your biscuits.
- Speaking of the biscuits, you really want to use COLD butter and COLD buttermilk. It's the key to flaky, buttery biscuits.
- If you don't have a pastry blender, you can use two knives to cut the butter into the dry ingredients. I'd recommend against using your hands only because your hands will inadvertently warm up the cold ingredients, which we don't want here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Apple cobbler is topped with a biscuit topping, while apple crisp is topped with more of a streusel topping (usually made with oats).
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
You should be able to substitute your favorite non-dairy butter. You will also need to make your own buttermilk using non-dairy milk. I have not tested this myself.
Did you try my gluten free apple cobbler? Leave me a comment below or tag me on Instagram @justastastyblog and #justastastyblog! And don't forget to subscribe to get new recipes directly in your inbox.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Apple Cobbler
Ingredients
- 7-8 large apples peeled and thinly sliced
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Topping
- 2 cups (296g) gluten free flour blend
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter cold and cut into cubes
- ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.7-8 large apples, ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.2 cups (296g) gluten free flour blend, ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until a crumby mixture forms. Add the buttermilk to the dry mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until dough forms.6 tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk
- Pour the apple filling into the prepared pan. Top with handfuls of slightly flattened dough. Continue until all of the dough is used up and covers the filling (though you will have some gaps). Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is slightly golden in color.
Notes
- While any apples would work, I recommend Honeycrisp or Granny Smith.
Tasha says
Hi, I don’t need to be gluten-free. What other kind of flower could I use? Thank you!
Taleen Benson says
You should be able to use regular all-purpose flour. Let me know how it goes!