Vegan Apple Crisp

This post is sponsored by Sprouts. As always, all opinions, thoughts and recipes are my own.

A vegan Apple Crisp is the perfect sweet treat for breakfast or dessert for the holidays! This festive breakfast crisp, sweetened with maple syrup, features tart apples and pomegranate arils. With a simple, gluten free crumble topping, this crisp is sure to become a favorite! Makes 8 servings.

Love a vegan baked good? Don’t miss Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, Vegan Peanut Butter Espresso Cookies and Hazelnut and Pecan Baked Oatmeal.

A stack of plates holds a serving of Vegan Apple Crisp with Pomegranates on a dark blue background with the serving dish behind it

A few years back, I offered a Thanksgiving brunch menu, including all kinds of items like Thanksgiving Turkey Biscuits and Gravy, Thanksgiving Brunch Salad and this delightful gluten free and vegan apple crisp that was supposed to be a sweet breakfast/brunch treat.

Hi. Have we talked about how much I enjoy hosting brunch at home, especially a holiday brunch?

However, I’m really into the idea of this Vegan Apple Crisp also being a dessert for obvious reasons.

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    Why I love this recipe

    While we aren’t vegans in our household, we have friends who are.

    I always like to keep my friends and family in mind as we prepare for the holidays. Whenever I host an event — whether it’s a holiday meal, a homegate, an impromptu dinner — I want to ensure there’s something for everyone who attends, whether or not we abide by their diet.

    That’s why you can find so many vegan and dairy free recipes on my site — because I want to be considerate of my guests.

    This Vegan Apple Crisp recipe is simple and oh-so-delicious for everyone, whether or not they’re vegan, eating a lower sugar or gluten free diet.

    The apples are crisp and tart. The pomegranate arils add pops of brightness. The lemon and orange juices add some acidic sweetness, and when paired with the maple syrup? Dreamy.

    Top with a crunchy crisp topping, and this brunch or dessert centerpiece is absolutely golden.

    Other desserts that are perfect for sharing in the fall and winter: Praline Pumpkin Upside Down Cake | Mini Apple Spice Rum Cakes | Apple Crumble

    Close up of a serving of apple crisp with pomegranates on a stack of white plates

    What you’ll need to make this recipe:

    The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

    Let’s talk ingredients!

    In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

    Here’s what you need to grab from the grocery store:

    • Granny Smith apples — we want an extra tart apple for this crisp! These green apples are my favorite for baked goods.
    • Pomegranate arils — these are pomegranate seeds, and you can find them in the refrigerated section at the grocery store.
    • Citrus — we use a combination of lemon juice and orange juice, both freshly squeezed, with the apple mixture.
    • Pure maple syrup — spring for the real stuff and don’t get the “maple flavored” syrup. It’s not the same, and you want the real deal since it’s the only sweetener we’re using.
    • Old-fashioned rolled oats — these are the base of our crisp. I do not recommend using instant oats because their texture will make the end result different.
    • Chopped pecans — I love the crunch these bring to the topping. You could easily replace them with chopped walnuts or almonds or skip them altogether if you have a nut allergy.
    • Ground cinnamon — this adds a hint of warmth to our crisp topping. You could also add a shake or two of ground nutmeg, if you like that.
    • Kosher salt — medium grain kosher salt is my go-to for cooking and baking these days. You could use a similarly sized sea salt.
    • Coconut oil — this is the fat that gets our gluten-free crisp to crisp up and holds it together!
    A collage of four images showing how to mix the ingredients and make the crisp

    How to make a Vegan Apple Crisp

    Prepare the Apple Crisp Filling

    Preheat the oven, and spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

    Peel the apples, and chop them. These don’t have to be exact or perfect, but I generally try to remove the whole peel and chop them into ¼” thick slices.

    Place the apple slices in a bowl. Add the pomegranate arils, too, and then toss with a rubber spatula until combined.

    Pour the orange juice, maple syrup and lemon juice over the fruit. Gently toss with a rubber spatula until the fruit has been coated in the liquids.

    Some of the liquid will pool at the bottom of the bowl, and that’s OK. We just want to make sure the fruit is coated so that the apples don’t begin to brown.

    Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish, and set aside.

    Make The Apple Crisp Topping

    In another large bowl, measure out the rolled oats, chopped pecans, ground cinnamon and salt. Toss until combined with the rubber spatula.

    In a smaller bowl, measure out the maple syrup and the coconut oil. (If your coconut oil is in a solid form, melt a little bit of it in a bowl in the microwave, then measure accordingly.)

    Pour in the maple syrup and coconut oil on top of the crisp ingredients, and stir. This mixture will be pretty wet.

    Use your fingers to pick up small pieces of the topping, and sprinkle it over the prepared apple-pomegranate mixture. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon on top when you’re done.

    Bake the Apple Crisp

    Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven, and bake uncovered on the middle rack.

    Raise the temperature to 375°F, and bake for an additional 15 to crisp up the topping before removing from the oven.

    Let cool slightly before serving.

    If serving for breakfast, serve with your favorite vegan yogurt. If serving as a dessert, give guests the option of adding their favorite vegan vanilla ice cream as a topping.

    Overhead of a white plate of Vegan Apple Crisp on a patterned red napkin with apples and the baking dish on dark blue

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

    What better way than to celebrate any fall or winter holiday than by gathering the people you love, serving them a delicious dinner and then finishing with a gorgeous Vegan Apple Crisp?

    Truly, this homemade apple crisp is the perfect dessert for any kind of cooler weather gathering, and you can make it easier on yourself, too!

    • Bake it in advance. While I don’t recommend letting this hang out in the fridge for days, you can easily bake it earlier in the day so you don’t have to be baking it when you’re hosting. I’d remove it after you do the bake at 350°F so that the portion at 375°F can be done when guests arrive.
    • Warm it up in the oven before dessert. If you bake the crisp in advance, simply preheat the oven to 375°F 30-45 minutes before you plan to eat dessert, and place the crisp in the preheated oven. This will warm up the apples but also help the topping crisp up.
    • Let guests decide their favorite topping for the Vegan Apple Crisp. You can easily have vegan yogurt, ice cream and whipped cream on hand if anyone is interested in having that added to their dessert.
    The crisp in a baking dish on a polka dot white towel on a dark blue table with colorful red drinks in the background

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What type of coconut oil should I use?

    You can use refined or unrefined coconut oil. If you don’t like the taste of coconut, I suggest purchasing refined coconut oil because it’s processed more and has a milder coconut flavor.

    What type of maple syrup should I use?

    So long as it’s pure, you can use whatever you’ve got on hand. 🙂 Just don’t use the maple-flavored stuff. It’ll shortchange this Vegan Apple Crisp recipe so much.

    Close up of the Vegan Apple Crisp in a blue baking dish with the ingredients in jars behind it

    What to serve alongside this Vegan Apple Crisp:

    If you’re serving a vegan brunch, check out these following recipes:

    If you’re serving a vegan dinner and serving this Vegan Apple Crisp as dessert, check out the following dishes:

    Close up of a serving of apple crisp with pomegranates on a stack of white plates with the text vegan apple crisp

    Now who’s ready for a big serving of this family-style vegan treat?

    Scroll on down to learn how to make this Vegan Apple Crisp at home and wow guests with its deliciousness!

    It’s so tasty that they won’t even notice there’s no added sugar or gluten!

    A stack of plates holds a serving of Vegan Apple Crisp with Pomegranates on a dark blue background with the serving dish behind it

    Vegan Breakfast Apple Crisp

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Add natural sweetness to breakfast or brunch by baking a Vegan Breakfast Apple Crisp this holiday season! This festive breakfast crisp, sweetened only with pure maple syrup, features tart apples and pomegranate arils. The fruits’ sweetness is offset with acidity from lemon and orange juice. Topped with a simple, gluten free crumble made from rolled oats, pecans, coconut oil, maple syrup and spices, this crisp is sure to become a favorite! 
    4.72 from 7 votes
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 215 kcal
    Prep Time 30 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    Crisp

    • 7 ½ cups Granny Smith apples peeled and sliced (about 8 apples)
    • ½ cup pomegranate arils
    • 2 tablespoons orange juice freshly squeezed
    • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
    • 1 lemon juiced

    Topping

    • ¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
    • ½ cup pecans chopped
    • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
    • 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    Preheat the Oven + Prepare the Filling

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a large baking dish with nonstick cooking spray, and set aside.
    • In a large glass bowl, combine the sliced apples and the pomegranate arils. Toss with a rubber spatula until mixed.x
    • Pour the orange juice, maple syrup and lemon juice over the mixture.
    • Stir until every piece of fruit has been coated.
    • Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish, and set aside.

    Make the Topping

    • In another large glass bowl, measure out the old-fashioned rolled, chopped pecans ground cinnamon and salt. Using a rubber spatula, toss until combined.
    • Pour in the maple syrup and coconut oil, stirring until every piece of oatmeal and nut has been coated. (It should be pretty wet.)
    • Using your fingers, pick up small pieces of the topping. Sprinkle the topping over the prepared apple-pomegranate mixture.
    • Top with additional cinnamon.

    Bake the Crisp

    • Transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven, and bake uncovered on the middle rack for 45 minutes.
    • Raise the temperature to 375°F, and bake for an additional 15 to crisp up the topping.
    • Remove from the oven, and let cool before serving!

    Notes

    For this recipe to be TRULY gluten free, purchase gluten free rolled oats. (They will be clearly marked.)

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 215kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 70mgFiber: 5gSugar: 21g
    Keyword Christmas recipe, holiday recipe, Thanksgiving recipe, vegan breakfast, vegan recipe
    Course Breakfast & Brunch
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    7 Comments

    1. What a great recipe!!! I will be sharing with all my Vegan friends, who are always looking for yummy recipes!! Thanks for sharing!!!

    2. What a great recipe!!! I will be sharing with all my Vegan friends, who are always looking for yummy recipes!! Thanks for sharing!!!

    4.72 from 7 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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