Hey dessert fans! We've got a wonderfully easy apple crisp recipe for you today! This gluten-free vegan apple crisp is the perfect dessert for fall that everyone can enjoy. Just 8 ingredients and under 15 minutes of prep time.
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We're big fans of this easy apple crisp and we think you'll love it too! It's always such a crowd pleaser and easy to make.
The rich and crisp topping goes perfectly over the juicy and tender apple filling.
This recipe is:
- Vegan and dairy-free
- Gluten-free
- Simple
- Crunchy & crisp
- Buttery
- Quick to prepare
- And perfect for fall!
Ingredient tips
This easy vegan apple crisp recipe has just 8 simple ingredients!
Oat flour - This helps to bind the yummy streusel topping. Be sure to use certified gluten-free flour if necessary. See the substitutions section for how to easily make your own flour from oats.
Vegan butter - Use a stick or block type of butter with around 80% fat content for best results. We like Flora Plant Butter.
Brown sugar - We like to use brown sugar because it has molasses which brings a dark, more caramelly flavor. Not all US sugar is vegan, choose organic or vegan-certified to be sure.
Oats - We use old-fashioned or rolled oats. Check yours are GF certified if needed. Quick cook oats can also be used, but steel-cut oats are not suitable.
Sliced almonds - These add extra texture and rich flavor. You can also use other chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
Apples - Are you wondering what types of apples are best for apple crisp? A crisp, tart variety that holds up well when baked is ideal, such as Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples, or Braeburn apples. But you can really use any type of apples! We personally love to use a mix of varieties when we've been apple picking.
Lemon juice - Just a squeeze helps to balance the flavor and stop the apples from browning.
And of, course some cinnamon for good measure!
Step by step pictures
Here's how to make this classic dessert! The full detailed recipe and quantities are in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1 - Combine oat flour, brown sugar, vegan butter, oats, and almonds.
Step 2 - Using your hands or a pastry cutter, mix until you have a rough mixture with no loose flour.
Step 3 - Dice apples and place them in a baking dish with sugar and cinnamon.
Step 4 - Cover the apples with the oat crumble topping.
Step 5 - Bake at 350℉ / 180℃ for 40-50 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Top tip! We use a deep 8 x 8 inch baking dish for this recipe. You can double the recipe (use the adjustable buttons in the recipe card to easily scale the ingredients) and bake it in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Substitutions and variations
Add more spices: You can add extra warm spices such as ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg or ginger. Cardamom is also brilliant with apples.
You can also add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon in the topping too if you like it extra cinnamony.
Oat flour: Don't have any oat flour? It's easy to make your own at home quickly and cheaply.
Place old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats in a blender or food processor and process until you have a fine and powdery mixture.
If some larger bits remain, sift them out before using.
Refined sugar-free: You can swap brown sugar for coconut sugar as a less processed alternative. The texture of the topping will be slightly different.
In the filling, you can also use a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup, or simply leave it out if you prefer things less sweet.
Nut free: Replace the almonds with sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds, or an extra ½ cup of oats.
Check your vegan butter ingredients too, as some contain nuts.
Serving
We adore this crisp served warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
A drizzle of vegan caramel sauce is also amazing for extra indulgence!
It's also delicious cold as a quick snack (or even for breakfast!)
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can freeze apple crisp before or after baking.
To freeze an unbaked crisp, assemble it as instructed (I like to do this in a freezer friendly dish with a lid). When ready to bake, thaw it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight and then bake following the recipe instructions.
To freeze a crisp that’s already been baked, let it cool to room temperature, then cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and then bake in 350℉ / 180℃ oven until heated through (around 20 minutes).
You can also make a big batch of crisp topping, and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Whenever you have some fruit that needs using up, you can quickly and easily whip up a crisp!
FAQs
Crisp and crumble are names that are frequently used interchangeably. However, a conventional crumble topping is made of only flour, sugar, and butter. A crisp topping, on the other hand, usually contains oats and is more varied in texture.
Oats are naturally gluten-free but may come into contact with gluten during production. Make sure to use gluten-free certified oats for those with allergies or celiac disease. A small portion of celiacs are also sensitive to the protein in oats, in which case all oat products should be avoided. More information at gluten.org.
More ideas
We hope you enjoy this gluten-free dessert recipe! This easy apple crisp is featured in 40+ Best Vegan Gluten-Free Desserts for Everyone to Enjoy! - check it out now.
We also adapted this recipe to make a yummy Vegan Peach Crisp with Pecans!
More delicious vegan apple desserts you'll love:
Recipe
Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
Crisp topping
- ¾ cup (72 g) oat flour certified gluten-free
- ¾ cup (60 g) oats rolled or old-fashioned, certified gluten-free
- ½ cup (110 g) vegan butter diced
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (50 g) sliced almonds
Apple filling
- 6 medium apples about 600g / 5 cups chopped
- 2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Make crisp topping in a large mixing bowl. Add the oat flour, oats, diced vegan butter, sugar and sliced almonds. Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or your hands, combine until you have a rough mixture with no loose flour. It's ok to have some small chunks of butter in the crisp mixture.¾ cup oat flour, ¾ cup oats, ½ cup vegan butter, ½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup sliced almonds
- Prepare apples. Peel if desired, then core and chop them. Dice the apples for a more chunky and bite-sized texture or slice thinly for a softer texture.6 medium apples
- Make apple filling in a bowl, or directly in your baking dish, by combining chopped apples, sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon.2 tbsp light brown sugar, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon
- Assemble in a deep 8 x 8 inch (20cm) baking dish. Spread the chopped apples over the base and then evenly scatter the crisp topping over them.
- Bake at 350℉ / 180℃ for 40-50 minutes, until the top is crisp and golden and the apple mixture is bubbling.
- Serve warm and enjoy, with or without a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Apples
Are you wondering what types of apples are best for apple crisp? A crisp, tart variety that holds up well when baked, such as Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples, or Braeburn apples is ideal, but you can really use any type of apples! We personally love to use a mix of varieties when we've been apple picking.Dish size
We use a deep 8 x 8 inch 2 quart or 2L baking dish for this recipe. A 7 x 11 inch dish will also work. You can also double the recipe (use the adjustable buttons in the recipe card to easily scale the ingredients) and bake it in a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish.Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Leave a commentI hope you loved this recipe! Leave a ★★★★★ rating and share your ideas in the comments! Vicky x 
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