Vegan Apple Crisp Recipe

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This vegan apple crisp recipe is an ode to Autumn. It's packed with sweet, juicy baked apples. And the crunchy topping is made from oats, brown sugar and spices. Finally, homemade caramel sauce adds a whole new layer of cozy decadence. This tastes great for breakfast, or top it with vanilla ice cream for dessert!

There are a variety of crisp recipes in the world. Most involve fruit on the bottom with a sweet crumbly mixture on top. As it bakes in the oven, the fruit softens and the topping forms a crunchy coating.

This vegan apple crisp recipe uses rolled oats and flour to form the structure of the topping. Brown sugar is used to sweeten and caramelize the apples a bit as they bake. Melted coconut oil binds the topping together, and a generous drizzle of caramel sauce completes this cozy dish.

Why You Should Make This Recipe

• It only requires a handful ingredients that are likely already in your kitchen!
• Warm spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg put you in the mood for Autumn.
• This vegan apple crisp recipe is healthy enough to eat for breakfast. Or add a scoop of ice cream and now you've got a decadent dessert!
• This recipe can easily be doubled and brought to your next gathering with friends & family as a crowd-pleasing dessert.

Ingredients

• Apples - You can use any variety of apples to make an apple crisp, but I prefer firm, sweet varieties like Braeburn and Honeycrisp
• Ground cinnamon - Adds a comforting, cozy flavor
• Ground cloves - Adds a warm spiced flavor
• Ground nutmeg - Adds a nutty flavor reminiscent of Fall
• Rolled oats - You can use quick-cooking oats in a pinch, but rolled oats are larger and create a better apple crumble topping
• Brown sugar - If you only have white sugar, mix that with a tablespoon of molasses
• All-purpose flour - Helps form the structure of the topping
• Salt - Enhances all the other flavors
• Coconut oil - Provides essential fat to make the topping crispy instead of dry
• Caramel sauce - This is an optional (but highly recommended) topping; use my vegan caramel sauce recipe if you're making it from scratch

Best Apples for Baking

The best apple varieties for baking are firm apples that won't break down into mush in the oven. Granny Smith, Jonagold, Honey Crisp, Braeburn, Pink Lady and Golden Delicious are just a few. Green apples like Granny Smith are more tart. If you don't have a major sweet tooth, you can use Granny Smith apples to balance the sweetness. But I think Honey Crisp are the best apples for an apple crisp, since they're sweet yet juicy. When they bake in the oven, they become really soft and delicious.

Apple and Pear Recipes

Apples and pears often ripen around the same time, at the beginning of Autumn.

To enjoy more apples, try homemade chunky apple sauce, crispy apple chips, apple and hazelnut baked oatmeal, apple streusel bread, apple hand pies, German baked apples, apple strudel, mini apple strudel, and German apple pie.

And for some sweet pear recipes, try poached pears or a pear galette.

How to Make Vegan Apple Crisp

Prepare the oven and baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish with a little coconut oil.

Make the topping: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together rolled oats, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, salt, and melted coconut oil. Set aside.

Slice the apples: Wash and slice the apples as thin as possible. No need to peel them.

Season the apples: Toss the apple slices in a large mixing bowl with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

Assemble the apple crisp: Pour the apples into the greased baking dish. Sprinkle the oat topping so it evenly covers the apples.

Bake and enjoy: Bake in the oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Drizzle with the optional (but recommended!) caramel sauce, and let cool for 10 minutes. Enjoy!!

Storing Your Apple Crisp

I usually keep any leftovers in the baking dish and cover it with plastic cling wrap or aluminum foil. Store in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.

You can reheat leftovers in an oven turned on it's lowest heat for 5 to 10 minutes. But I usually just zap it in the microwave for a minute. It does just fine. 😜

Recipe FAQ

What is the difference between an apple crisp and an apple crumble?
They can be used interchangeably. But typically an apple crumble doesn't include any oats in the topping, and may include nuts instead.

Why is my apple crisp topping not crispy?
Fat from the melted coconut oil is what makes the topping crispy as it bakes. If you don't add enough fat into your topping, it will be dry and powdery instead of crispy.

How do you tell if an apple crisp is done?
If the crisp topping is evenly golden brown and the apples are easily pierced with a fork, it's ready to come out of the oven.

Should apple crisp be covered when baking?
You don't need to cover your apple crisp as it's baking in the oven. But if you notice that the topping is turning brown before the apples have softened, cover your crisp to prevent the top from burning while it finishes baking.