The Best Vegan Apple Crisp

I know what you’re thinking. The best apple crisp, really?

Friends, I know this is a big claim, but I’ve had a lot of apple crisps in my life and know this one tops them all! I have a discerning palette when it comes to dessert, trust me.

I cannot wait to share this recipe with you. It’s perfect for fall and winter and will make you so many friends if you bring it along to holiday gatherings. Let’s get to it!

This recipe is simple, requiring just 1 bowl to prepare and simple ingredients you likely have right now. Since September, I’ve had a bowl of apples lying around constantly, which is a little dangerous now that I have this recipe on hand.

Think apple crisp once a week. Yeah, that’s probably going to happen all winter long.

This isn’t the healthiest apple crisp, but it does have some pretty amazing things going for it.

For one, it’s naturally sweetened with muscovado and coconut sugar. It’s also vegan butter-free, and uses coconut oil (or olive oil) instead.

It’s also gluten-free optional when you use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the unbleached all purpose.

The filling is perfect. Apples are generously coated with coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and fresh ginger. Apple juice adds extra sweetness and helps cook the apples to tender perfection, while arrowroot and cornstarch help create a thick, caramel-like sauce.

The topping is amazing as well with plenty of texture from rolled oats, almond meal, and chopped pecans. Muscovado and coconut sugar add sweetness, while cinnamon adds warmth and autumnal flavor.

Friends, this truly is the best vegan apple crisp! It’s:

Tender
Warm
Comforting
Perfectly sweet
Subtly spiced
Perfect for fall + the holidays
& Insanely delicious

I made this for the first time for a group of friends and everyone was silent as we savored those first few bites. Imagine tender, perfectly sweet apples in a caramel-like sauce, under perfectly crisp, pecan-oat topping. I can barely describe how delicious it is. You absolutely must experience it for yourself!

One friend, who considers himself an apple crisp aficionado, admitted that this version was better than his mom’s famous recipe. That’s a high compliment if you ask me.

If you give this crisp a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. Cheers, friends!

The Best Vegan Apple Crisp

The best vegan apple crisp, naturally sweetened and made in 1 bowl! Tender, caramelized apples under a crispy pecan-oat topping. Fall dessert perfection.

Author Minimalist Baker

Print SAVE SAVED

4.88 from 271 votes

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Course Dessert

Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly 1 month

Does it keep? 3 Days

Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

FILLING

• 8 medium-large apples (half tart (like granny smith), half sweet (like honey crisp) // organic when possible)
• 1 lemon, juiced (1 lemon yields ~ 2 Tbsp or 30 ml)
• 2/3 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic cane sugar)
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 Tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch (for thickening)
• 1/4 cup fresh apple juice (or water)
• 3/4 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional // or sub 1/2 tsp ground ginger per 3/4 tsp fresh)
• 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)

TOPPING

• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour*
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (or sub organic cane sugar)
• 1/2 cup muscovado sugar (or sub organic brown sugar)
• 1/2 cup pecans (roughly chopped)
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or olive oil (or mix the two 1/2, 1/2)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C).
• Peel apples, quarter, remove cores, and use a paring knife to thinly slice lengthwise (see photo).
• Add to a large mixing bowl and top with remaining filling ingredients. Toss to combine. Add to a 9×13-inch (or similar size) baking dish (adjust pan size if altering number of servings).
• Rinse and wipe out your mixing bowl and add all topping ingredients. Stir to combine, then use fingers to break down any clumps of sugar. Pour over apples in an even layer.
• Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour (uncovered) or until the filling is bubbly, the apples are very fork tender (especially in the center of the dish), and the topping is deep golden brown.
• Let rest at least 30 minutes before serving. This is delicious with coconut whipped cream or vanilla bean coconut ice cream.
• Best when fresh, though leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days, or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven until warmed through.

Video

Notes

*To keep this recipe gluten-free, ensure your oats are gluten free and sub the unbleached all-purpose for a gluten-free flour blend, such as my DIY gluten-free blend or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without additional toppings.
*Recipe adapted from Food 52.

Nutrition (1 of 12 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 383 Carbohydrates: 63 g Protein: 3.4 g Fat: 15.4 g Saturated Fat: 8.1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 55 mg Potassium: 297 mg Fiber: 6.5 g Sugar: 44.5 g Vitamin A: 103 IU Vitamin C: 10 mg Calcium: 39.7 mg Iron: 1.1 mg