Apple Crisp With Easy Caramel Sauce

Fall is in the air and there’s no sweeter way to celebrate then with Caramel Apple Crisp with Easy Caramel Sauce! This easy yet impressive gluten free dessert recipe takes the Classic Apple Crisp we all know and love, and laces it with an easy homemade caramel sauce. You know what we call that? An upgrade!

Watch How to Make It!

Caramel Apple Crisp

I don’t know a single person who doesn’t love apple crisp. Cinnamon-spiced apples blanketed under crisp topping then baked until golden brown and bubbly are high on the list of best comfort foods of all time. Add homemade, 4-ingredient caramel sauce and this fall-inspired dessert is going to send you into overdrive.

The inspiration for this dessert came from a recipe for Caramel Apple Bars that I made every fall when I lived in Minneapolis in my 20s. Probably because the average temperature there is somewhere around negative 75 from October through May and I needed something warm to hunker down with. Anyway, it got filed away in a 3-ring binder and hadn’t see the light of day in nearly a decade when I recently unearthed it from a dark cupboard.

I attempted to make it with all gluten free ingredients and it was complete miss. This recipe however, is a total win. Pencil it into your fall, gluten free dessert plans ASAP!

Step 1: Make the Homemade Caramel Sauce

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat add 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup half & half, 4 Tablespoons butter, and a dash of salt.

Cook the sauce while stirring gently until thickened, 10-12 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract. Set the caramel sauce aside to cool slightly. Feel free to make the caramel sauce up to 5 days ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator then warm in the microwave for 30 seconds or so before using.

Step 2: Make the Crisp Topping

To a large mixing bowl add 3/4 cup certified gluten-free old fashioned oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup gluten-free flour baking blend, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, and 6 Tablespoons butter then use your fingertips to combine and set aside.

Step 3: Make the Apple Filling

Peel and slice 4 Granny Smith Apples then toss with 1 Tablespoon gluten-free flour baking blend and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a large mixing bowl until coated. You can use whatever apples you have on hand, but I like tart Granny Smith Apples for baking because they cut the sweetness of the caramel sauce, and always hold up well in the oven.

Transfer the apples to a nonstick-sprayed baking dish then drizzle 1/2 the Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce on top (about 1/2 cup.)

Step 4: Bake

Sprinkle the crisp topping on top then bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the caramel sauce is bubbly.

Tip: If the crisp topping starts to brown too early, gently place a sheet of foil on top and keep baking — no need to crimp it or anything.

Let the crisp cool for 20 minutes to an hour then scoop into dishes, drizzle the reserved caramel sauce on top, and devour. Since the caramel sauce is sweet, I backed off on the sugar in the crisp topping, so this dessert isn’t tooth-achingly sweet. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a DESSERT, but the crunchy, roasty nuts and oats really balance out all the flavors. If you went to the apple orchard recently, or have plans to go this weekend, be certain to save some of your pickings for this fabulous fall treat!