Pineapple Mango Gluten Free Crisp

This Pineapple Mango Gluten Free Crisp is a tropical fruit dessert that is easy, bright, and perfectly portioned for two.  Coconut sugar provides caramel sweetness, and the gluten free crisp topping is made with almond flour and oats.  A small batch dessert that is great for spring, Easter, or summer!

Pineapple Mango Gluten Free Crisp

I guess this weekend is the start of Spring.  Seems like yesterday I was watching Hallmark Christmas Movies.  But I love the change in the seasons.  It means light, bright, and juicy fruit desserts are about to dominate my food blog.  And this easy, small batch recipe for Pineapple Mango Gluten Free Crisp is my way of welcoming the new season!

As the name implies, pineapple and mango are the spotlight in this dessert.  Though, it does take on a tropical twist with the addition of toasted coconut in the crisp topping.  And while I have another crisp recipe on the blog – the Biscoff Apple Crisp – this particular recipe is my favorite of the two.  For the following reasons:

• Bright and Juicy Fruit – When you think of pineapple and mango, do you immediately think of the fruit juices running down your hands as you eat it?  That is what this recipe is like, without the mess on your hands!
• Fruit Flavored Caramel Syrup – If that is actually a thing!  But it is the perfect description for what happens when the juicy fruits get baked.  
• Crisp Topping with Flavor – No offense to other crisp toppings.  However, the coconut, almond flour, and coconut sugar in this crisp topping all feature ingredients that have a distinctly delicious flavor.

Small Batch, Gluten Free, and naturally sweetened Dessert

Yes, this dessert features all of those adjectives.  And yes, this dessert is equally (if not more) delicious than its traditional counterparts.  The great thing about good gluten free baking is that you would have a hard time telling it was gluten free.  And that is what I aim to do with all of my gluten free recipes.

• Small Batch – This recipe makes enough for two people.  4 if you want to portion smaller servings.  However, this is one small batch recipe that is easily doubled to accommodate more.
• Gluten Free – The recipe features almond flour and oats in the crisp topping.  Additionally, to thicken the filling, we use tapioca flour.
• Naturally Sweetened – Yes, there is still sugar in the recipe in the form of coconut sugar.  However, coconut sugar is not refined like regular granulated sugar.  Because of that, coconut sugar is considered a natural sweetener.  Much like honey or maple syrup.

What You Need To Make Pineapple Mango Gluten Free Crisp

Ingredients

• Pineapple – Canned pineapple works great, though you could certainly use a fresh pineapple!  I recommend pineapple chunks so you have nice, bite size pieces.
• Pineapple Juice – We use a little of the juice from the can to add to the filling.  
• Mango – I used frozen mango chunks, and did not thaw them.  Though you can use fresh mango (great it if is in season!) cut into bite size chunks.
• Coconut Sugar – This is a refined sugar free dessert thanks to the coconut sugar.  It gives the filling and the topping a rich, caramelly flavor (just like brown sugar would).
• Tapioca Flour – The tapioca acts as a thickener in the filling.  You can swap it out with cornstarch if you prefer.
• Almond Flour – I recommend blanched almond flour for the crisp topping.
• Rolled Oats – To keep the recipe gluten free, look for rolled oats that are specifically called out as being gluten free.  While oats are naturally gluten free, some may be processed in facilities where cross contamination can occur.
  • I also recommend rolled oats for their size and texture.
• Unsalted Butter – The butter can be room temp (cool) or even still cold.  It will get worked into the mixture to make a cookie dough-like texture.
• Shredded Coconut – Use any shredded coconut you prefer – sweetened or unsweetened.  I do recommend toasting the coconut flake though.  It gives a nice crunchy texture to the coconut.

Baking Equipment

• mixing bowls
• small baking dishes – I have outlined the baking dishes I recommend in the Notes section of the recipe.  Because this is such a versatile dessert, you can use whatever small, oven-proof baking dish you like.

Tips For Making Gluten Free Pineapple Mango Crisp

Ingredient Tips

• Canned pineapple works great – I like easy recipes, so let’s keep the ingredients easy.  You can use a fresh pineapple and cut it into chunks, though canned pineapple chunks work just as good.
• Use pineapple chunks – We want bite size pieces of pineapple in the crisp.  So I recommend chunks versus tidbits or crushed.
• Reserve a little juice for the filling – A little of the pineapple juice from the can will make the filling extra syrupy.   
• The mango can be fresh or frozen – I used frozen mango chunks because it is easier.  And I didn’t thaw the mango.  Though fresh mango would work just as well.
• Use rolled oats for the crisp topping – I recommend rolled oats versus quick or steel cut because rolled oats are larger in size (vs. quick), and have a good texture when baked (vs. steel cut).    
• Look for gluten free labeled rolled oats – Oats are naturally gluten free, but some brands may be exposed to cross-contamination when processing.   I like to use Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Oats.

Baking Tips

• Toast the coconut – Yes, the coconut will get toasted while it is baking, but some of the coconut that is not on the surface will still be soft in texture.  I like the crispy texture and flavor of toasted coconut, so I toasted it before adding it to the crisp topping.
  • To toast the coconut beforehand – Sprinkle evenly on a baking sheet and put in the oven while it is preheating.  It will start to get golden around 5 to 7 minutes.  Just keep an eye on it as it can burn quickly.
• Cover the crisps if the top starts to brown too quickly – If you notice the crisp topping baking faster than the filling, loosely cover with aluminum foil until done baking too keep it from burning.
• Adjust the recipe as you like – This Pineapple Mango Crisp recipe is extremely versatile.  You can swap out the fruit in the filling, double (or even triple) the recipe to make more servings, and/or use whatever baking dish(es) you have on hand.  There are not hard-fast rules with this recipe, so make it your own!

Common Question For Making Pineapple Mango Gluten Free crisp

More Tropical Fruit Desserts

• Small Batch Pineapple Dole Whip
• Mango Grapefruit Cream Dessert
• Peach and Citrus Refresher
• Pineapple Mango Icebox Cake
• Creamy Pina Colada Ice Cream (Dairy-Free)