This is the best Vegan Apple Crisp ever! Packed with sweet and tender apples and baked with a buttery, crispy oat topping, it’s perfect for serving with dairy-free vanilla ice cream and a caramel drizzle in fall.
Going apple picking? 🍎 Use up those freshly picked apples in my Apple Upside Down Cake, in this Apple Fritter Bread, or in these Vegan Apple Muffins!
This is hands down the most incredible Vegan Apple Crisp. It’s an old-fashioned fall comfort food and such a crowd-pleasing dessert, just like the one grandma used to make. Along with my Vegan Apple Pie, it’s one of our family’s Thanksgiving staples.
I tested and retested this recipe until it was absolute perfection (don’t even get me started on the number of apples I went through). It took me a long time to discover the secrets to the best apple crisp with a golden, crispy oat topping, but the result was so worth it. I hope you love this dessert as much as I do!
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“This apple crisp transported me to another realm. It sounds dramatic but I would 100% recommend this recipe, especially with the caramel sauce!” – Ann
Why you’ll love this vegan apple crisp
- The best fall dessert – Warm, spiced apples with a buttery, golden oat crumble on top make this the coziest autumn treat.
- Easier than apple pie – Apple crisp has all the cozy flavors of apple pie but is so much easier to make.
- Crowd-pleasing – Everyone at Thanksgiving loves a warm scoop of apple crisp! Especially when I pair it with dairy-free ice cream and caramel sauce.
How to make vegan apple crisp
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Peel, core, and chop the apples into small pieces. Place them in a large bowl.
Chop the apples very small and thin
The smaller the pieces, the better, in my opinion. If you chop them too big, they will never get tender in the oven.
In a medium bowl, whisk the vegan butter and flour together. Slowly mix in the water, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until smooth.
Pour the flour mixture into the bowl with the apples and mix to combine. Dump the apples into a casserole dish.
To make the crisp topping, whisk the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Work in the vegan butter with your fingers. Sprinkle the oat topping over the apples in the dish.
Bake the apple crisp until the top is golden brown, the apples are tender, and the edges are bubbling.
Scoop the warm apple crisp into bowls and top with a scoop of this Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream and a drizzle of my Vegan Caramel. Enjoy!
Serve with toppings
For the most amazing apple crisp, serve it hot from the oven with something sweet or cozy on top, like toasted walnuts or pecans, a dollop of vegan whipped cream, a pinch of cinnamon, a scoop of my easy No-Churn Dairy-Free Ice Cream, or a drizzle of my Salted Caramel Sauce.
The first time I tried it with vanilla ice cream and caramel, I knew there was no going back!
Frequently asked questions
I like Granny Smith apples best because they’re crisp, tart, and not too sweet. Honeycrisp apples are also great, but I’d recommend reducing the brown sugar a bit since they taste sweeter.
Sure! For gluten-free vegan apple crisp, use certified gluten-free rolled oats and substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour for the regular flour. I don’t recommend using almond flour or coconut flour.
I wouldn’t recommend this, actually. The brown sugar sweetens and adds moisture to the apple crisp, and maple syrup (or any other sweetener, really) wouldn’t quite work the same.
If you don’t want to make my easy Vegan Butter recipe, you could use an equal amount of coconut oil instead.
Sure! Just bake the crisp in a square 8-inch baking pan instead. Around the holidays, when I’m baking non-stop, I’ll sometimes divide the full batch into two smaller pans so I can bake one and store the other in the fridge for later.
Yes, you can make the apple crisp a few hours in advance. I’d suggest assembling it in the baking dish as normal and keeping it covered and in the fridge until you’re ready to bake.
You can’t beat hot apple crisp from the oven. It’s warm, gooey, and still crispy! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 to 2 days, but the topping won’t be as crispy.
I haven’t tried freezing the leftover apple crisp, but it should keep for about 1 month. The apples will likely get quite mushy after freezing, though.
Vegan Apple Crisp
Ingredients
For the apple filling:
- 6 large apples (about 4 lbs), peeled, cored and chopped small
- 1/3 cup vegan butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the topping:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly spray a 9 X 13 casserole dish with oil.
For the apple filling
- Peel, core and chop the apples into thin, small pieces. This will help them get tender in the oven! Place the apples in a large bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted vegan butter with the 3 tablespoons of flour, then add the water, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and mix until smooth.
- Pour the mixture over the apples and mix well to coat. Dump the apples into the casserole dish and spread evenly. Set aside and prepare the topping.
For the topping
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt to combine.
- Using clean fingers or a pastry cutter, work the softened vegan butter or coconut oil into the flour mixture until well combined. Sprinkle evenly over the apples in the dish.
To bake
- Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the apples are tender. It should be bubbling, especially on the sides.
- Serve warm with a scoop of non-dairy vanilla ice cream and vegan caramel, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Granny Smith are by far my favorite apple to use in crispy, but you can use others if needed. Try to choose a crispy baking apple that is not too sweet, or adjust the added sugar.
- If you don’t like very sweet desserts, feel free to cut back on the sugar both in the filling and the topping. You could probably cut them both in half if needed.
- For gluten free, try a gluten free flour and make sure to use gluten free certified rolled oats.
I have made a lot of apple crisp in my day (I’m a 66-year-old vegan) but this was definitely the best! Just the right balance of apples and topping and sweetness and spice. My husband and I both loved it!
Hi Michelle. I feel so honored, and my heart is so warmed by your feedback! I am thrilled that you and your husband loved the apple crisp recipe! Thank you for reaching out to me with your encouraging words and glowing review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
This was soooo good! I just made this with my ten year old daughter, and my seven year old son, and we had a blast making this! I also recommend using your hands instead of a whisk, to mix all of the topping ingredients. It clumps so much better.
Hi Mckenzie. Sounds like a very fun baking session with your son and your daughter! I love reading about that! Thank you for taking time to share your recipe experience, idea, as well as your stellar review with me! Wishing you lots more fun and happy cooking experiences with your children!
Can you use coconut oil instead of vegan butter? Really would love to try this recipe❤️
Sure, you can use coconut oil here. Hope you love it!
Would I be able to bake this in advance? For example, baking it on a Saturday to be consumed on a Sunday. Or can I assemble it on a Saturday and then bake it on a Sunday?
Yes, you can really do either. If you want to serve it warm, either reheat it in the oven until warm, or you can assemble it a day ahead, then bake before serving. Enjoy!
Hi so I will be using 3 honey crisp and 3 Granny Smith apples so how much sugar can I use for the topping and the apple filling?
I would use the same amount of sugar myself, but you can cut the sugar in half if you want.
I made this tonight with my 9 year old son who is really enjoying baking lately. This was such an easy, but absolutely delicious dessert! We used honey crisp apples
Hi Samantha. Have fun to make an apple crisp baking memory with your son! I’m so glad that you guys enjoyed the apple crisp! Thank you for your awesome review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Hi Samantha. How fun to make a baking memory with your son! That is so great that he’s enjoying baking! I’m thrilled that you both loved the apple crisp! Wishing you lots of happy cooking and baking!
Soooo delicious! I reduced the sugar to about half as mentioned in the notes, then added in about a teaspoon of caramel extract into the apple/slurry mixture to boost the flavor a bit. I also layered on a couple handfuls of chopped walnuts before I put on the topping. So, not quite as written of course, but I have yet to go wrong with any of the recipes on this site — thank you!!
Hi Sam. I appreciate you taking time to share your recipe experience and ideas, as well as your awesome review! I’m so glad you enjoyed the apple crisp, and appreciate your support! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Absolutely delicious. It’s my repeat recipe when I have family dinners.
Thank you!
You bet, Crystal! I’m so glad that you and your family are enjoying the apple crisp recipe! I appreciate your awesome review! Happy cooking!
Your recipes are so consistently delicious, and this is another great one that is appreciated by vegans and omnivores alike. Thank you for all you put into them and to help spread interest in trying vegan food!
Hi Karen. Thank you for sharing your encouraging and wonderful feedback with me! I appreciate your recipe love and support! I love creating these recipes, and it is so fabulous to read that you are loving my recipes! I’m glad you are enjoying the apple crisp! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Would coconut flour work instead of all purpose
I’m not sure that it would, probably not. Coconut flour is quite different to bake with unfortunately.
We just had your apple crisp! Delicious!
Thank you! The only thing I did differently was use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice. (No lemons in the house). 2 tbsp.
Appreciate all your recipes, thank you again!
You are welcome, Louise! I appreciate you using my recipes! How awesome the apple crisp was a hit! Thank you for taking time to share your encouraging comments and recipe experience! Wishing you happy cooking!
Made this last night and it was delicious! I cut the recipe in half as a trial before making it for Christmas Eve. It’s a winner!
This was so good!