A classic dessert gets a plant-based makeover with this apple crisp with maple syrup recipe. Maple syrup is a delicious way to naturally sweeten this dessert. Serve with a scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream!
Although chocolate recipes will always have my heart, I can’t turn down a healthy apple crisp recipe like this one! Our family went apple picking a couple of weeks ago and had a few extra apples on hand so this homemade apple crisp was the perfect way to use them up. This easy apple crisp is delicious enough to have a spot at your Thanksgiving table.
I’m thinking this vegan apple crisp would the be perfect dessert to pair with a hearty soup recipe like this crockpot vegan minestrone or my favorite one pot red lentil pumpkin soup. Got extra apples? Try them in this easy kale apple walnut salad!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- A simple and classic apple dessert recipe that you can now share with your vegan friends!
- Easy to make ahead if you want to prep it in advance. Store the filling and crisp topping separately in the fridge and then combine when ready to bake.
- This recipe has less sugar than a lot of other apple crisp recipes so that the natural sweetness in the apples can shine.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Apples: use a firm/crisp variety of apples for the filling – I like pink lady or Honeycrisp apples.
- Oats: old fashioned oats create a crisp/chewy topping for this yummy vegan apple crisp.
- Pure Maple Syrup: maple syrup is a delicious addition to apple crisp. We love the flavor combo of maple and apples and think you will too!
- Brown Sugar: just a little bit is used to sweeten the crunchy oat topping and helps it hold together when baked. You can use coconut sugar if you prefer.
- Coconut Oil OR Vegan Butter: adds moisture and structure to the crisp topping. I’ve used both coconut oil and vegan butter interchangeably in this recipe with good results. This is my favorite vegan butter.
- Cinnamon: the quintessential spice to pair with apples.
- Lemon Juice: a little bit of lemon juice helps balance out the sweetness in the filling.
Variations
- Make it Gluten Free: use gluten free certified oats and replace the flour in the filling and topping with a gluten-free all-purpose flour or almond flour.
- Make it Vegan: use a vegan butter for the crumb topping to make a vegan version of this recipe.
- Make it Nut Free: simply omit the nuts in the crisp topping.
- Bourbon Apple Crisp: For a fun twist, add 1-2 ounces of bourbon to the filling layer before baking. The alcohol cooks off in the oven, but adds a subtle bourbon flavor that is delicious!
- Apple Cranberry Crisp: Reduce the apples in the filling to 4 apples and add 1 cup of fresh or frozen cranberries to the filling of this delicious apple crisp before baking.
How to Make Maple Apple Crisp
STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
STEP 2: Peel and slice your apples. Add the sliced apples to a large bowl stir in the maple syrup, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt. Transfer the apple mixture to an 8″ x 8″ glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes while you prepare the crisp topping.
STEP 3: In a medium bowl, add the oats, brown sugar, flour, coconut oil (or butter) cinnamon, walnuts, and salt. Mix together with a fork or crumble together with your hands. You want to evenly distribute the oil/butter throughout.
STEP 4: Pull the apple layer out of the oven and sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake for another 35-40 minutes or until apples are soft when pierced with a sharp paring knife and the crumb topping is golden brown. Allow to cool on the counter for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Make Ahead and Storage
- Make Ahead: Make apple filling and place in bowl or container with a lid and store in the fridge. Make the topping and store separately in the fridge. When ready to make the crisp, follow baking directions in recipe.
- Fridge: Wrap cooled crisp with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Apple crisp will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, pop it into the microwave for a couple of minutes until warm.
- Freezer: Allow crisp to cool completely and then cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to airtight containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both dishes feature a layer of apples on the bottom but the topping for an apple crisp often has oats and nuts in addition to butter, flour and sugar. An apple crumble topping often does not have any oats or nuts.
Use apple varieties that are firm-crisp and a little bit tart. We like to use slightly tart apples like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Gala apples for apple crisp.
You don’t have to peel the apples before baking apple crisp. However, after making it both ways – I found that the filling is more saucy and apples more tender when you take the time to peel them before baking.
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Apple Crisp with Maple Syrup
Ingredients
For the Apple Layer:
- 6 apples, peeled and sliced
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Dash of sea salt
For the Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or vegan butter
- 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Dash of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the apple layer ingredients and toss to coat. Transfer to an 8"x8" baking dish. Shake pan to spread apples into an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine all of the crumb topping ingredients. Use your fingers to break up the coconut oil/butter and spread through mixture until crumbly. Evenly pour topping over the top of the apples.
- Bake for another 35-40 minutes or until topping is browned and you can easily poke through the apple filling with a knife. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- If crisp topping starts to get too dark before the apples are cooked through, cover with aluminum foil for the last few minutes of baking.
- Make Ahead: Make apple filling and place in bowl or container with a lid and store in the fridge. Make the topping and store separately in the fridge. When ready to make the crisp, follow baking directions in recipe.
- Fridge: Wrap cooled crisp with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Apple crisp will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, pop it into the microwave for a couple of minutes until warm.
- Freezer: Allow crisp to cool completely and then cover tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to airtight containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
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