Happy weekend! I hope you’re enjoying this beautiful fall weather. Long walks and picnics feel perfect right now, but if you’re in the mood to bake, I have a simple, impressive project for you: a gluten-free apple tart with an easy almond-oat crust. Don’t let the photos intimidate you — the process is straightforward and forgiving.
I’m not a fan of fiddly butter-based pie crusts, so I developed this tart crust for convenience and reliability. It uses almond flour and oat flour combined with melted butter or coconut oil, a touch of maple syrup, and a pinch of salt. There’s no kneading, rolling, or complicated technique: press the dough into the pan, poke the base with a fork, and bake. The result is a tender, nutty crust that holds together nicely and slices cleanly.
If you haven’t used almond or oat flour before, they’re simply flours made from ground almonds and oats. I used a super-fine almond flour for a smoother dough, and I made oat flour at home by blending oats until fine, though you can buy oat flour if you prefer. The apple topping takes a little attention — slicing the apples thinly gives the best presentation — but it’s well worth the effort. You can arrange the slices in a decorative pattern or simply fan them across the crust.
The finished tart looks elegant and tastes of sweet apples and warm maple with a subtly nutty crust. It’s easily made dairy-free and vegan by swapping coconut oil for butter. Below are the ingredients and step-by-step instructions to make one 9-inch tart, enough for 6 to 8 slices.
Gluten-Free Apple Tart
- Author: Kathryne Taylor
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 tart
4.7 from 49 reviews
This apple tart features an easy almond-and-oat crust. It’s naturally gluten free and can be made vegan by using coconut oil in place of butter. Recipe makes one 9-inch tart, about 6–8 slices.
Ingredients
Almond-oat crust
- 1 cup (135 grams) firmly packed almond flour
- 1 cup (90 grams) oat flour* (certified gluten-free if needed)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Apple filling
- 2 large Honeycrisp or 3 medium Granny Smith apples (about 1¼ pounds)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup, divided
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for dusting if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-inch tart pan (even if nonstick). In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, oat flour, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter or coconut oil and the maple syrup, stirring until the mixture is evenly moistened.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared tart pan. Press it firmly and evenly across the base, then press it up the sides so the height is consistent. Prick the base several times with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the crust feels set and the edges just begin to turn golden. Set aside.
- While the crust bakes, peel (or leave the peel on for more color) and thinly slice the apples to about 1/8-inch thickness. Place the slices in a bowl with 1 tablespoon maple syrup, the lemon juice, and the cinnamon. Toss to coat evenly.
- Arrange the apple slices on the baked crust, overlapping them tightly. Save any remaining maple syrup and juices in the bowl for brushing later.
- Bake the tart for 25 minutes. Remove it and gently brush the apples with the reserved maple-lemon mixture, pressing slices down slightly if needed. Return to the oven and bake another 15–20 minutes, until the apples are tender and the crust is deeply golden. While still hot, brush the apples with the remaining 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
- Cool the tart at least 15 minutes before slicing. Dust with a little extra cinnamon if you like. If using a tart pan with a removable bottom, remove the sides before slicing. Use a sharp knife to cut even wedges and serve.
Notes
*To make oat flour: Place at least 1 cup old-fashioned or quick oats in a blender or food processor and blend until finely ground.
To make dairy-free/vegan: Substitute coconut oil for butter.
If you enjoy this: Try other apple recipes like apple muffins or homemade applesauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided by an online calculator is an estimate and not a substitute for professional advice.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Gluten free
This post was created in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. I received compensation for my participation, and all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K.