Easy & Healthy Gluten-Free Apple Tart Recipe: A Family Tradition Reimagined
This Gluten-Free Apple Tart recipe captures all the comforting flavors of a classic apple pie, but with significantly less fuss! It comes together remarkably quickly, and you won’t even need a special tart pan – a regular old baking sheet will do the trick. Prepare to impress your family and friends with this simple yet elegant dessert. This recipe contains affiliate links for products I’m obsessed with, making it easier for you to find my favorite ingredients.
This post is proudly sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and recipe creations are 100% mine, reflecting my genuine love for their high-quality products. Thank you for supporting the brands that play a vital role in making Confessions of a Fit Foodie possible.
Growing up, some of my fondest memories were centered around food, particularly during visits to my grandparent’s home in the Poconos. My grandma Helen had a remarkable way of making every visit feel like a special occasion, always preparing everyone’s favorite dinners and, of course, their most cherished desserts. Among her culinary masterpieces, her Apple Tart stood out as an absolute favorite – a simple yet profoundly delicious treat that I still adore to this day.
Because her apple tart was so straightforward and elegant in its simplicity, Grandma Helen would often whip it up quickly in the afternoon before dinner. I can still vividly recall the enchanting aroma of baked apples and cinnamon that would lovingly fill the kitchen, mingling with the sounds of laughter as we played board games together. Sometimes, we would enjoy a warm slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, letting the warmth melt into the creamy goodness. Other times, we’d patiently wait for it to cool, savoring it with a glass of cold milk just before bed. And leftovers? If there ever were any (which was rare!), they were always the most delightful breakfast.
I still possess her original recipe, or rather, a cherished photo of it. It’s a snapshot of her beautiful handwriting, blue cursive meticulously penned on two yellow post-it notes. Coming across it recently stirred a flood of sweet memories, inspiring me to recreate this beloved apple tart for my own family, sharing a piece of my heritage with them.
My son’s gluten and dairy intolerances meant that a direct replication of my grandmother’s recipe wasn’t possible. This presented a wonderful opportunity to adapt her classic, making it healthier by incorporating more fiber and reducing refined sugar, without compromising on taste or texture. I reached for two of my absolute favorite Bob’s Red Mill products: their Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats and their Super Fine Almond Flour. With these fantastic ingredients in hand, I enlisted my two children as my official (and very enthusiastic) taste testers.
The final recipe, while undeniably different from the original, evoked an identical sensory experience. The aroma filling our kitchen was the precise smell of my childhood visits to my grandparents – a truly magical moment. More importantly, my entire family absolutely adored it, devouring the whole tart in a single evening. This reimagined gluten-free and dairy-free apple tart truly honored my grandmother’s legacy while meeting the dietary needs of my family.
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What is an Apple Tart? Simplicity Meets Deliciousness
At its heart, an Apple Tart is a delightful dessert very similar to an apple pie, but with a few key differences that make it much quicker and simpler to prepare. The main distinction is its single, flat crust beneath the apples, eliminating the need for a top crust or intricate lattice work. This design significantly reduces prep time, making it an ideal choice for busy bakers or when you desire a homemade treat without the extensive effort of a traditional pie.
While you can certainly bake an apple tart in a specialized tart pan, which offers a beautiful fluted edge, my grandmother always championed practicality. She preferred using a simple pizza pan or a standard baking sheet. This approach highlights one of the best aspects of this recipe: you don’t need any special equipment to create a stunning and delicious dessert!
A traditional apple tart typically features a flaky pastry crust. For this healthier, gluten-free, and dairy-free rendition, I’ve created a unique crust. It’s a variation of my proven gluten-free pie crust from my Pumpkin Pie recipe, but with a special twist. I’ve used a blend of both oat flour and almond flour to significantly boost the protein and fiber content, transforming it into a more wholesome dessert. This crust is surprisingly easy to work with – it rolls out beautifully and comes together quickly with the help of a food processor. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by making homemade crusts, this recipe is definitely a fantastic one to try and will build your confidence!
Gluten-Free Apple Tart Crust Ingredients: The Foundation of Flavor
Creating a delicious, easy-to-work-with, and foolproof tart crust requires just a few simple, high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a vital role in achieving the perfect texture and flavor for our Gluten-Free Apple Tart:
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats – These are, hands down, my favorite for their exceptional quality and minimal processing. I prefer to blend these whole oats in my food processor first to create fresh oat flour, ensuring a fine consistency that integrates perfectly into the dough. While Bob’s Red Mill also offers pre-made Oat Flour, I always have their Old Fashioned Oats on hand, making this a convenient option. Using oats adds a wonderful, subtle nutty flavor and significantly boosts the fiber content of the crust.
- Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour – This is another staple in my gluten-free kitchen. Its superfine texture is crucial for achieving a tender, delicate crust that doesn’t feel heavy or dense. Almond flour also adds a rich flavor and a good dose of protein, making this dessert more satisfying. I incorporate it into a wide range of recipes, from indulgent GF Chocolate Cake to refreshing Berry Crisp.
- Egg – The egg acts as a binder, helping to hold the gluten-free flours together, and also contributes some richness to the crust. This allows us to use less fat from butter or coconut oil while still achieving a great texture. For those following a vegan diet or managing an egg allergy, you can successfully omit the egg and simply double the amount of coconut oil.
- Coconut Oil – This is our star fat for a dairy-free crust. Melted coconut oil adds a lovely subtle sweetness and unique flavor that complements the apples beautifully, while also helping to create a tender, almost flaky texture. If coconut oil isn’t available or preferred, you can easily swap it out for butter, though I personally find the coconut oil version yields the best flavor and texture for this specific tart.
- Maple Syrup – A touch of pure maple syrup is added to lightly sweeten the crust, enhancing the overall flavor without relying on refined sugars. Its natural sweetness pairs wonderfully with the oat and almond flours, and of course, with the apple filling.
- Salt – Just a quarter teaspoon of salt is vital for balancing the flavors, preventing the crust from tasting bland and bringing out the natural sweetness of the other ingredients.
Once you’ve quickly pulsed the crust ingredients together in your food processor until a cohesive dough forms, the next step is effortlessly simple. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper until you achieve a rustic, yet charming, rectangle. Don’t worry about perfection here; a little unevenness adds to its homemade appeal. If you prefer a tidier look, it’s perfectly fine to gently trim the sides a bit to create a more defined shape. The parchment paper makes the rolling process incredibly easy and prevents sticking, which can often be a challenge with gluten-free doughs.
And just like that, your beautifully prepared, gluten-free tart crust is done! It’s truly that simple and requires minimal effort. Now, we move on to the star of the show: the apples, ready to be transformed into a warm, spiced topping.
What Kind of Apples are Best for Apple Tart? Selecting Your Perfect Fruit
Choosing the right apples is crucial for a successful apple tart. You want varieties that will maintain their shape and offer a good balance of flavor when subjected to the heat of the oven. Soft, mushy apples will simply disappear into a bland sauce, and overly sweet apples can make the tart cloying. My absolute favorite apples to use for baking are Honeycrisp, known for their delightful crispness and perfectly balanced sweet-tart flavor that holds up beautifully during baking.
However, several other varieties also work exceptionally well. Gala apples provide a milder sweetness, Fuji offers a crisp texture with a sweet profile, and Granny Smith apples are excellent if you prefer a more tart, tangy flavor that cuts through the sweetness of the crust and maple syrup. Sometimes, a mix of two different types, like a Honeycrisp and a Granny Smith, can create a wonderful depth of flavor and texture in your tart. The key is to select firm apples that won’t turn to mush, ensuring distinct, flavorful apple slices in every bite.
Ingredients for Apple Tart Topping: Simple and Flavorful
Creating a truly delicious and aromatic baked apple topping for your tart requires only five simple yet powerful ingredients. These components work in harmony to bring out the best in the apples and complement the wholesome crust:
- Apples – The foundation of our tart! As discussed, choosing the right type is key for flavor and texture. Thinly slicing them ensures they cook evenly and become tender without losing their shape.
- Coconut Oil – A small amount of melted coconut oil in the topping helps to coat the apples, encouraging them to soften and slightly caramelize during baking. It also adds a touch of richness and helps distribute the spices evenly.
- Cinnamon – The quintessential spice for apples! Cinnamon adds warmth, depth, and that unmistakable comforting aroma that defines classic apple desserts. It’s essential for creating that nostalgic apple pie flavor.
- Maple Syrup – Our natural sweetener of choice for the apple topping. Maple syrup provides a delicate, earthy sweetness that enhances the natural flavors of the apples without being overly sugary. It also contributes to a lovely glaze as the tart bakes.
- Lemon Juice (optional) – While optional, a dash of lemon juice can make a significant difference. It brightens the flavor of the apples, preventing them from tasting flat, and also helps to prevent them from browning too quickly, maintaining their fresh appearance.
Once you’ve thinly sliced your chosen apples, simply toss them in a bowl with the maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and cinnamon. Ensure every slice is well-coated to infuse them with flavor. Then, artfully fan your seasoned apple slices out over your prepared crust. Don’t forget to drizzle all the delicious juice accumulated in the mixing bowl over the top of the apples; this liquid will create a wonderful, natural sauce as it bakes.
Bake for approximately 35 minutes, or until you observe the edges of your crust beginning to turn a beautiful golden brown and the apples have softened to a perfect tender consistency. The enticing aroma filling your kitchen will be your first clue that something truly special is baking!
Isn’t she pretty? The golden crust and tender, spiced apples create a truly inviting visual. I think my grandma Helen would absolutely be proud of this healthier, yet equally delicious, rendition of her beloved tart!
And just because this tart recipe is so incredibly quick and easy doesn’t mean it’s not suitable for your holiday spread! In fact, its rustic elegance makes it a beautiful, festive-looking dessert that will undoubtedly impress your guests. It offers all the comforting flavors of the season without the usual holiday baking stress.
Is this Apple Tart Dairy Free? Absolutely!
Yes, this Apple Tart is completely dairy-free, making it an excellent choice for anyone avoiding dairy in their diet due to allergies, intolerances, or personal preference. We’ve thoughtfully crafted this recipe to use wholesome alternatives. Instead of butter or other dairy products, we rely on coconut oil and an egg to provide the necessary richness and fat for both the crust and the apple topping. This ensures a tender, flavorful tart that everyone can enjoy, without compromising on taste or texture. You won’t miss the dairy one bit!
Want to Make this Apple Tart Ahead of Time?
Absolutely, go for it! This Gluten-Free Apple Tart is incredibly forgiving and can certainly be made in advance, making it a perfect dessert for entertaining or meal prepping. After it has fully cooled, simply wrap it well in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to maintain its freshness. Then, store it in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When you’re ready to serve, you can bring it to room temperature for a quick and easy dessert, or gently warm it in a moderate oven (around 300°F/150°C) for about 10-15 minutes until it’s heated through and the crust is crisp again. This makes holiday planning or weeknight cravings a breeze!
Does this Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Apple Tart Freeze Well?
Yes, it freezes beautifully! This makes it an ideal dessert to prepare in larger batches or to save for future cravings. To freeze, first ensure the tart has completely cooled. Then, wrap it securely in several layers of parchment paper or plastic wrap, and place it in a freezer-safe ziplock bag or a reusable Stasher bag. You can even cut the tart into individual portion-sized pieces before freezing, allowing you to grab just one slice whenever you desire a quick, wholesome treat that fits perfectly into your meal plan. To warm from frozen, place the tart (or individual slices) in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the crust is heated through and slightly crispy. Enjoy a taste of homemade goodness anytime!
Need a Little Extra Sweetness? Creative Serving Suggestions!
While this Gluten-Free Apple Tart is wonderfully satisfying and lightly sweetened just as it is, with its delicious baked apple flavor, sometimes a little extra touch can elevate the experience. For those who enjoy a richer dessert, consider topping it with some homemade coconut whipped cream, or a dollop of store-bought Coco Whip (you can find more details on both options in this post). Another fantastic idea is to prepare the luscious Coconut Drizzle from my popular Apple Crisp recipe to pour over the warm tart. Alternatively, a simple dusting of powdered sugar adds an elegant finish, or a scoop of your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream creates a classic warm-and-cold pairing. My family, however, finds it utterly perfect and devours it just as it is, appreciating its balanced flavors and wholesome appeal.
More Delicious Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Desserts to Enjoy:
If you loved this apple tart, you’ll be thrilled to discover more delightful gluten-free and dairy-free dessert options from my kitchen:
- Pumpkin Pie [Gluten-free | Dairy-free | 21 Day Fix]
- Berry Crisp [Gluten-free | Dairy Free]
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Instant Pot Brown Rice Pudding
- Edible Cookie Dough
- Samoas Cookie Bars
- Caramel Apple Dip | Caramel Apple Nachos
- Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
Thank you Bob’s Red Mill for generously sponsoring this post. It truly means so much to me to partner with brands that I genuinely love and incorporate into my kitchen every single day!
Gluten-Free Apple Tart
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Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the apple topping:
- 3-4 Honeycrisp or apples of your choice thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon maple syrup divided
- 2 teaspoons + 1 teaspoon melted coconut oil divided
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice optional
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175°C). In your food processor, add the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Oats and pulse until you achieve a fine oat flour. Be sure to scrape down the sides of your food processor to incorporate all the remaining oat pieces. Once the oat flour is ready, add in the remaining crust ingredients (almond flour, egg, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and salt) and pulse until a cohesive dough ball forms.
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Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rectangular crust, about 1/4 inch thick. If desired, you can gently trim the edges to create a more perfect rectangle. Carefully transfer the bottom sheet of parchment paper with the rolled-out dough onto a baking sheet.
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Next, in a medium bowl, combine your thinly sliced apples with 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, 2 teaspoons of melted coconut oil, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and the optional ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. Toss gently until the apples are evenly coated.
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Artfully arrange the seasoned apple slices in an even layer on top of the prepared crust. Be sure to drizzle any accumulated juice from the mixing bowl over the apples.
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Bake the tart for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove the tart from the oven and gently brush the apples with the remaining 1 teaspoon of maple syrup and 1 teaspoon of melted coconut oil. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown around the edges and the apples are beautifully tender.
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Allow the tart to cool slightly on the baking sheet before carefully cutting into servings and enjoying. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
WW link for personal points: Gluten-Free Apple Tart
Nutrition