Gluten Free Apple Cobbler with Biscuit Topping
This gluten free apple cobbler has a layer of tender cinnamon-spiced apples covered with a soft, buttery biscuit topping and a crisp cinnamon-sugar finish. The biscuit batter is made with thick yogurt and lemon juice for a buttermilk-like texture, while cold grated butter gives it richness without needing eggs.
I make mine dairy free using plant-based butter and thick coconut yogurt, but regular butter and yogurt work too. It’s an easy fall apple dessert when you want something warm and homemade without rolling a pie crust or preparing a separate crumble topping.
Why You’ll Like This Apple Cobbler
- Soft biscuit topping: tender inside with a lightly caramelized cinnamon-sugar surface.
- Lots of apples: thin slices cook evenly and create a soft, juicy filling.
- No pie crust: everything goes straight into one 9-inch baking dish.
- Gluten and dairy free: made with my gluten-free flour blend, dairy-free butter and coconut yogurt.
- No eggs needed: the yogurt mixture provides moisture and tenderness.
- Perfect for fall: cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom complement fresh apples without overpowering them.
What Makes This an Apple Cobbler?
Apple cobbler is different from an apple crisp or crumble mainly because of the topping.
A cobbler has a soft biscuit or dough topping that bakes over the fruit. A crisp usually has a loose, crunchy topping made with ingredients such as oats, flour, nuts, sugar and butter.
And unlike my gluten free apple pie with crumb topping, this cobbler doesn’t have a bottom crust. The apples go directly into the baking dish and the biscuit mixture is spooned over them.
That makes it a little less fussy than pie while still giving you that warm baked-apple-and-pastry combination.
Ingredients For Making This Recipe
Apple Filling
- Apples: Slice them thinly and evenly with a mandoline so they soften during baking without needing to be precooked.
- Sugar: Use regular sugar or your preferred granulated sweetener.
- Lemon juice: Adds some brightness to the sweet apples and helps prevent browning while you prepare the topping.
- Arrowroot powder: This catches the juice released by the apples as they bake so the filling isn’t watery.
- Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom): I like using more cinnamon with smaller amounts of nutmeg and cardamom for a warm but balanced flavor.
Gluten Free Biscuit Topping
- Gluten-free flour: I use my homemade gluten-free flour blend.
- Sugar: I like to use unrefined granulated sweeteners.
- Baking powder + baking soda: These help the topping rise and become light rather than dense.
- Cold butter: I use dairy-free butter. Grating it while cold makes it easy to distribute throughout the flour.
The “Buttermilk” Mixture
Instead of regular buttermilk, I combine:
- thick dairy-free yogurt
- water
- lemon juice
- vanilla
The thick yogurt gives the biscuit topping body and tenderness, while the lemon adds acidity that works with the baking soda. I use a thick Greek-style coconut yogurt, rather than a thin plant-based yogurt.
The Most Important Part: Biscuit Batter Consistency
This is especially important when baking gluten free.
Different gluten-free flour blends absorb liquid differently, so use the measurements as your starting point, but look at the consistency of the batter before adding it to the apples.
It should be:
- soft
- moist
- easy to scoop
- thick enough to sit on top of the apples
- soft enough to spread slightly as it bakes
It should not be runny like cake batter, but it also shouldn’t be a stiff dough that needs to be rolled or cut.
If your flour absorbs more liquid, add a small splash of water. If your mixture looks much too loose, add a little more flour.
That visual cue is more important than forcing every gluten-free flour blend into exactly the same liquid measurement.
How to Make Gluten Free Apple Cobbler
1. Prepare the apples
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Thinly slice 7 medium apples with a mandoline.
- Place the apples in a large bowl and add the lemon juice, suagr, spices and the starchy flour (arrowroot).
- Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
- Spread them evenly across the bottom of a 9-inch square glass baking dish.
Then gather the ingredients for the gluten free biscuit topping (see image above).
2. Mix the dry biscuit ingredients with cold butter
In another bowl combine: gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda pinch of salt. Mix well.
- Grate 5 tablespoons cold butter directly into the flour mixture.
- Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter into the flour until it is distributed throughout the mixture.
- You don’t need to completely blend it in. Small pieces of cold butter help give the baked topping a softer, richer texture.
4. Make the dairy-free “buttermilk”
- In a cup or small bowl combine: thick yogurt, water, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Stir until smooth.
5. Make the biscuit batter
- Pour the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until combined.
- Check the consistency before continuing. The batter should be soft and scoopable rather than pourable.
- Avoid excessive mixing once the flour and liquid have come together.
6. Top the apples and finish with a cinnamon-sugar sprinkle
- Spoon portions of the biscuit batter over the apple layer. You can gently spread it, but it doesn’t need to completely seal the fruit. A slightly uneven surface gives cobbler its rustic look.
- Mix: coarse raw sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the biscuit topping. The coarse sugar melts and caramelizes slightly as the cobbler bakes, leaving little crisp, sweet spots across the surface.
7. Bake
Bake at 350°F for 35–40 minutes, or until:
- the apple filling is bubbling around the edges,
- the biscuit topping is cooked through,
- and the surface is lightly golden.
Let the cobbler cool for at least 15–20 minutes before serving. The apple juices will continue to thicken as it cools.
Best Apples for Cobbler
Firm apples that hold some structure during baking work especially well.
Good choices include:
- Granny Smith
- Honeycrisp
- Pink Lady
- Braeburn
- Golden Delicious
I especially like combining a sweeter apple with a more tart variety. It gives the filling better flavor without relying only on sugar for contrast.
Because the apples in this recipe are sliced quite thin, you don’t need to precook them.
Can I Use a Different Gluten-Free Flour?
Yes, but the amount of liquid may need adjusting. Gluten-free flour blends vary considerably in starch content and absorbency. Instead of automatically adding extra flour or water, mix the topping first and judge it by texture.
You’re looking for a soft drop-biscuit consistency.
- If it’s stiff and dry, add water about a tablespoon at a time.
- If it’s thin enough to pour, add a little more gluten-free flour.
Dairy-Free Options
I make this cobbler with:
- dairy-free firm butter
- thick Greek-style coconut yogurt
Regular butter and thick dairy yogurt can be substituted in the same recipe if dairy isn’t an issue.
Avoid very thin yogurt unless you reduce some of the water, since it can make the topping too loose.
Serving Ideas
Apple cobbler is best when it’s still slightly warm.
Serve it plain or add:
- vanilla ice cream or dairy-free vanilla ice cream
- coconut whipped cream
- a light drizzle of caramel sauce
For another more fancy fall dessert, my apple crepe cake with caramel sauce layers thin crepes with cinnamon apples and caramel.
Storage and Reheating
Once completely cool, cover the baking dish or transfer the cobbler to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the best biscuit texture, warm leftovers in the oven rather than the microwave. The oven helps revive the top while keeping the apple filling warm and soft.
Individual servings can also be reheated in the microwave when you’re short on time, although the topping will be softer.
Before You Go…
If you try this homemade apple cobbler with fresh apples and biscuit crust, leave a comment below and a star ★★★★★ rating if you enjoyed it. Your feedback not only helps other readers, but also helps me continue testing and creating recipes
Gluten Free Apple Cobbler with Biscuit Topping
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 7 medium apples - thinly sliced with a mandoline
- ½ cup granulated sugar - or preferred granulated sweetener
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅓ tsp ground cardamom
Biscuit Topping
- 1⅓ cups gluten-free flour blend - I used this gluten free flour mix
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 5 tbsp cold butter - grated (dairy-free if needed)
Yogurt Mixture (To Mimic Buttermilk)
- ⅓ cup thick Greek-style yogurt - I used thick dairy-free coconut yogurt
- ½ cup + 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tbsp coarse raw sugar - I used whole can sugar
- ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare apples: Thinly slice the apples with a mandoline. Toss with sugar, lemon juice, arrowroot, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
- Fill baking dish: Spread the apple mixture evenly in a 9-inch square glass baking dish.
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
- Add butter: Grate the cold butter into the flour mixture. Gently work it into the flour with your fingertips until evenly distributed.
- Mix liquids: In a separate cup, combine yogurt, water, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. This will replicate the buttermilk texture and flavor.
- Make topping: Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. The batter should be soft and scoopable, but not runny. Adjust with a little water or flour if your particular gluten-free blend absorbs differently.
- Top apples: Spoon the biscuit mixture evenly over the apples and gently spread where needed.
- Add cinnamon sugar: Combine coarse sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the surface.
- Bake: Bake for 40 minutes, until the apples are bubbling and the biscuit topping is cooked through and lightly golden.
- Cool: Let stand for 15–20 minutes before serving so the filling can thicken slightly.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Apple Cobbler FAQs
Apple cobbler has a biscuit or dough-style topping. Apple crisp uses a crumbly topping, usually made with ingredients such as oats, flour, sugar and butter.
If you’re looking for that crunchy oat style instead, try my apple plum crisp with oats and walnuts.
Grating the cold butter helps distribute it quickly and evenly through the gluten-free flour without overworking the mixture. It also leaves small cold pieces throughout the batter, which helps the topping bake up tender rather than dense.
That mixture is meant to mimic the moisture and acidity of buttermilk. The thick yogurt adds body and tenderness, while the lemon juice provides acidity that works with the baking soda and gives the topping a softer texture.
Not for this recipe. Slicing them thinly with a mandoline allows the apples to soften while the cobbler bakes. You don’t need to peel either, its up to you.
It can be baked ahead and reheated, although the biscuit topping has the best texture on the day it’s made.
More Apple Recipes to Try
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