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My easy vegan apple crisp is the perfect fall dessert that is gluten free, and ready in just under an hour! I make it with a sweet cinnamon apple filling and a crunchy nut and oat topping that makes my house smell amazing and has the whole family coming back for more.
Apples are one of my favorite fruits to bake with during fall and winter! They’re naturally sweet and taste so good with cinnamon, just like in my family’s favorite healthy baked cinnamon apples, and this vegan apple crisp recipe.
Apple crisp is a classic recipe that I want to eat it any time of the year! It’s got that warm, sweet apple-spiced filling reminiscent of this vegan apple cobbler, but baked with an irresistible crunchy nut and oat topping that leaves my family drooling from the smell.
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While apple picking is a traditional fall activity, I love that I can enjoy apples all year round! Between the warm apple compote and the delicious smells that fill my kitchen when it’s baking, this is a great recipe I find myself returning to again and again! Plus, it’s such a simple recipe to make with healthy ingredients, such as oats, nuts, spices, apples, and just a small amount of sugar, that each serving has around 200 calories, meaning I can enjoy a bowl topped with my vegan ice cream and not even feel guilty. Ha!
Compared to making an apple pie, where I have to faff around with rolling and cutting out pastry and cooking the apples, this gluten-free vegan apple crisp recipe removes all of that. I just mix all the apple filling ingredients together, spread it out in a baking dish, and top with the crunchy oat and nut topping. The oven does all the work, and I just pretend I’m cooking. Ha! 40 minutes later, I open the oven door, and the smell works its way around the house, and before I know it, the whole family is at the table and waiting for an irresistible slice of warm apple crisp.
My apple crisp must have some hidden superpower because I’ve never known my whole family to be quiet for so long… Honestly, though, the juicy spiced apple filling and the crunchy nut topping are such an amazing combo and far better than anything you can buy in the grocery store. It’s made with pantry staples, easily adaptable to suit all dietary requirements, and perfect for special occasions, game day, or even in the summertime, served with ice cream. Yum!
🥘 Ingredients
I make my easy vegan apple crumble with wholesome ingredients that I usually already have in my pantry:
Filling Ingredients
Apples: I use a combination of Gala apples and Fuji apples, peeled and cut into 1/4 – 1/2 inch cubes. Cutting the apples into a mix of small and larger pieces will add variety to the texture of this crisp. I like cubing the apples vs. cutting them into apple slices, as I find that gives the filling a better texture.
Brown Sugar: I prefer to use brown sugar over white sugar, as it adds sweetness to the natural sweetness of the fruit in this vegan apple dessert.
Cinnamon & Nutmeg: I think ground cinnamon and nutmeg are the perfect fall spices to add warm, comforting flavors to the apple mixture.
Cornstarch: This is my vegan baking superstar for thickening soups and desserts. Just a small amount here will prevent the apple mixture from turning into a soup.
Lemon Juice: I add the juice of one lemon to add the perfect citrus note and prevent the apples from browning.
Salt: To bring out the sweetness in this easy vegan apple crisp recipe, I add a sprinkle of salt.
Topping Ingredients
Brown Sugar: I use brown sugar because it has a sweet molasses flavor, perfect for combining with apples.
Rolled Oats: Gluten-free oats are the key to this vegan crumble topping! I like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats. You could use quick oats as well, since we’re grinding them up.
Baking Powder: I add just a spoonful to help the topping have a bit of lift that is crisp but tender.
Vanilla Extract: I think all baked goods need a few drops of vanilla!
Chopped Pecans or Walnuts: Nuts add more texture and crispiness to the topping. I use a combination of chopped pecans and chopped walnuts for a nice mix of flavors.
Coconut Oil: This ingredient helps to hold the topping together without melted butter.
Substitutions
Apples: This healthy vegan apple crumble recipe would be delicious with Granny Smith apples or Honeycrisp apples, but can be made with any variety of apples. I recommend tart apples with firm flesh for baking.
Arrowroot Powder: As a 1:1 substitute, I use arrowroot powder when I don’t have cornstarch on hand. Arrowroot will thicken the apple mixture and is gluten-free.
Vegan Butter: Substitute the coconut oil for melted vegan butter. I recommend Earth Balance vegan butter.
🔪 How To Make
I really enjoy making this vegan apple crisp because it is so easy and comes together in just a few simple steps:
Spray Baking Dish: I preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Make Apple Filling: In a medium bowl, I toss the apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt, and cornstarch. Then, I add one tablespoon of the sugar to the apples and toss well to coat.
Blend Oats: Next, I blend 1 1/4 cups of the oats in a food processor or high-speed blender until the oats resemble flour.
Make The Streusel Topping: I add the oat flour to a large bowl and mix with the remaining oats, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, nuts, and melted coconut oil.
Place Apples In Baking Dish: Next, I dump the apple layer into the baking dish and spread it around evenly with a spatula.
Add Crumble Topping: To finish, I top the apple mixture with the oat crumble mix and evenly spread it over the apples.
Bake: Now, I just bake it in the preheated oven for 40 minutes until the topping becomes golden brown. Then, I let it cool slightly before serving with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream!
My #1 Secret Tip for making this vegan apple crisp recipe is adding the lemon juice to the cut apples immediately, as it will help keep them from browning as you prepare the other ingredients and topping. Do not forget this step!
Other Tips To Keep In Mind:
- Use oat flour if you don’t have a blender. I use a food processor or high-speed blender to blend part of the oats for the topping, but you can use 1 cup of oat flour in place of the blended oats if you don’t have a blender.
- Serve warm. This vegan gluten-free apple crisp is best served warm, so I always plan to make it just before serving or reheating it for a few minutes in the oven.
- Melt coconut oil. I always melt the coconut oil before combining it with the other crisp ingredients. Melted coconut oil will mix easily with the dry ingredients for a topping that is tender and crisp without butter.
- Double the recipe during apple season. There are always lots of apples in my pantry, so I tend to make two or more apple crisps and freeze them for later. This vegan apple bake can be frozen before or after baking.
📖 Variations
I have made a few variations of this vegan apple crisp to add different flavors and textures. Here are a few of my favorites:
Almond Apple: I use 1/2 cup of almond flour and only 2 cups of rolled oats, almond extract instead of vanilla extract, and chopped almonds instead of the other nuts.
Coconut Crumble: Instead of nuts, I use unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut in the topping and replace the brown sugar with coconut sugar.
Pear and Apple Combo: I use half apples and half pears for a mixed fruit crumble! The best pears to use for baking are Bosc, D’Anjou, Bartlett, Forelle, and Concorde pears.
🍽 Serving Suggestions
In my house, we love to serve this vegan apple crisp topped with ice cream or sauces. The hot and cold sensation is so yummy, and I find the best combination is this caramel nice cream that I make with JUST 4 ingredients in 15 minutes flat, with a drizzle of vegan caramel sauce. I prepare both of these recipes in 30 minutes while the apple crisp is baking!
However, my kids are complete chocolate lovers and go bananas over this chocolate-flavored tofu ice cream that is 100% plant-based and healthy. They scoop it over their slice of apple crisp and pour (not drizzle) my homemade vegan chocolate sauce over the top for the most indulgent dessert you have ever seen.
🧊 Storage Directions
Storing: I transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezing: I freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer container for up to 2 months. Cool the crisp completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container before freezing. When I want to eat leftovers, I defrost them in the fridge overnight. Unbaked apple crisp can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Reheating: To reheat this vegan gluten-free crisp, i simply place the leftovers onto a baking dish in a preheated oven at 350° Fahrenheit and bake until the top is crisp and the apples are hot. Alternatively, you can microwave any leftovers in a microwave-safe bowl for 1-2 minutes until hot.
❓Recipe FAQs
I recommend peeling the apples first, because the apples will cook down more. If you want a heartier dessert with a little more texture, leave the apple skin on or use a combination of peeled and unpeeled apples.
In my experience, it is because too much oil or fat has been incorporated into the topping. For the best apple crisp, be careful not to use too much fat, and using a thickener such as cornstarch is also essential! The cornstarch acts both as a binder and absorbs some of the juice the apples release when they are cooked.
If you find that your apple crisp is starting to burn after 20 minutes, it is because the temperature is too high in the oven. Low and slow is the best way to cook this. A trick I use for burning during baked goods is to loosely cover the baking dish with aluminium foil. This will shield the dish from direct heat while still cooking it.
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📋 Recipe Card
Vegan Apple Crisp
My easy vegan apple crisp is the perfect fall dessert that is gluten free, and ready in just under an hour! I make it with a sweet cinnamon apple filling and a crunchy nut and oat topping that makes my house smell amazing and has the whole family coming back for more.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 206.6kcal
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl, toss the apples with cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon, salt, and cornstarch. Add one tablespoon of the sugar to the apples. Toss to coat.
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Pour 1¼ cups of old fashioned oats into a blender and blend until finely ground. Add the blended flour to a large bowl and mix with remaining oats, brown sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, nuts, and melted coconut oil.
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Add the apples to the baking dish and top with the oat mixture.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
- My #1 Secret Tip for making this vegan apple crisp recipe is adding the lemon juice to the cut apples immediately, as it will help keep them from browning as you prepare the other ingredients and topping. Do not forget this step!
- Use oat flour if you don’t have a blender. I use a food processor or high-speed blender to blend part of the oats for the topping, but you can use 1 cup of oat flour in place of the blended oats if you don’t have a blender.
- Serve warm. This vegan gluten-free apple crisp is best served warm, so I always plan to make it just before serving or reheating it for a few minutes in the oven.
- Melt coconut oil. I always melt the coconut oil before combining it with the other crisp ingredients. Melted coconut oil will mix easily with the dry ingredients for a topping that is tender and crisp without butter.
- Double the recipe during apple season. There are always lots of apples in my pantry, so I tend to make two or more apple crisps and freeze them for later. This vegan apple bake can be frozen before or after baking.
Calories: 206.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.4g | Protein: 2.7g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6.3g | Sodium: 17.8mg | Potassium: 116.4mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 14.6g
