The BEST Vegan Apple Crisp (Easy Fall Dessert!)

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!

overhead view of a bowl of vegan apple crisp topped with caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

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.

overhead view of a hand using a pink spatula to stir chopped apples in a large bowl.

overhead view of the crumbly oat topping for vegan apple crisp in a large bowl.

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.

overhead view of an unbaked vegan apple crisp in a large casserole dish.

overhead view of baked vegan apple crisp in a large casserole dish.

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!

overhead view of wooden spoon scooping vegan apple crisp from a large casserole dish.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of apples are best for apple crisp?

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.

Can it be made gluten-free?

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.

Can I make apple crisp with maple syrup instead of brown sugar?

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.

I don’t have vegan butter. What can I use instead?

If you don’t want to make my easy Vegan Butter recipe, you could use an equal amount of coconut oil instead.

Can I cut the recipe in half?

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.

Can I make apple crisp ahead of time?

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.

How do I store the leftovers?

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.