Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

November 23, 2021

•

Shanika | Orchids + Sweet Tea

This sweet-tart Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp has juicy apples and ruby red cranberries for a festive holiday dessert.

Jump to Recipe

Home > Recipes > Dessert > Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

This recipe for Apple Cranberry Crisp is full of seasonal flavors from Granny Smiths, fresh cranberries, brown sugar, warming spices, and coconut cream. It's a dairy-free + vegan holiday dessert that's sure to turn heads (with a gluten-free option!)

Small handled bowls of Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links via Amazon for products that I wholeheartedly love.

I'm so in love with crisp desserts and this one is no different. I couldn't imagine not having this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp because it's such a delicious combo and I love the sweet-tart flavors. Plus, you can't go wrong with such an easy recipe where the oven does most of work once everything is assembled.

There are so many delicious ways to use seasonal produce for holiday desserts. From Maple Pumpkin Pie to Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bites, the warming spices of fall and winter just work when it comes to sweets. But if you're vegan, gluten-free, or serving anyone who has a dietary preference, you're going to want to make this vegan apple cranberry crisp. It has plenty of warming spiced flavor with a crumbly and buttery oat topping. Everyone, vegan or not, will be asking for seconds of this holiday treat!

And if you're seriously into apple crisps, then this Salted Caramel Apple Crisp is one to try as well. Plus, this Caramel Apple Pear Crisp is truly one for the books!

How to Make Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

I love creating foods and sweets with a healthy twist without compromising flavor. If you’ve tried some of my other work, you’ll know that I’m always rooting for real, organic stuff as ingredients. I’m also always trying to come up with dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan versions of your favorite recipes! This Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp is one of them.

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make the best vegan apple-cranberry crisp:

Apples. I love using Gala + Granny Smith apples or you can use a firm, sweeter apples like Honeycrisp, etc. for best results.
Cranberries. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.
Cane Sugar. Make sure it’s organic for vegan.
Arrowroot starch. This is a great gluten-free thickener.
Spices (Cinnamon, Allspice + Nutmeg). for warming fall flavor.
Salt. to balance out the sweetness of apples and sugar.
Maple syrup. Make sure you're using the real thing, not imitation pancake syrup.
Vanilla. Another important flavor boost to this crisp.
Coconut Milk. You can use either full-fat canned coconut milk or cream.

How to Make the Apple Crisp Topping with Oatmeal

In a bowl, add the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg stirring until combined. Add the melted butter and using a spatula, mix until combined and 'crumbly-like'. That simple.

And here are the ingredient notes for the oat crisp topping:

Rolled oats. If necessary, look for gluten-free oats.
All-purpose flour. I use organic flour from Bob's Red Mill.
Brown sugar. This adds a caramelized flavor.
Spices. I use cinnamon and nutmeg for the crisp topping.
Vegan butter. No need to have the butter at room temperature. You can take it right out the fridge if needed because you’ll be partially melting it for the topping.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

It's very easy to whip together and uses minimal staple ingredients.
Ready in less than 1 hour and WORTH THE WAIT.
Warm and comforting sweetness, tartness, + spices with every bite.
Comes with a gluten-free option for those with a gluten sensitivity.
Perfectly sliced apples + whole cranberries that are ultra tender and soft when baked.
Nicely crisp topping made from brown sugar + oats.
Makes for the perfect sweet treat for the entire family, regardless of dietary choice!

Can I Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Crisp?

Absolutely. If you'd like to make this dessert gluten-free, simply swap the all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. And be sure to use gluten-free certified rolled oats for the topping.

SHOP MY FAVORITE BAKEWARE ITEMS AND ACCESSORIES!

Here, I’ve curated a list of bakeware essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baking treats, especially with this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp. Everything from my fave mini cocottes, baking sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!

Tips for Making Apple Cranberry Crisp

Here are my best tips for making sure this crisp comes out perfectly:

Cut the apples into similar-sized chunks so they cook evenly. If they're cut too small, the filling may turn to mush. And be sure to peel your apples first to avoid any odd texture.
I recommend greasing the baking dish so your crisp is easy to scoop out and clean up is no big deal.
You can make the oatmeal crumble for the top of your crisp with a pastry blender or with a big fork. The key is to make a crumbly mixture. You want some larger pieces and some smaller.
Be sure to let the crisp cool for five to ten minutes at a minimum before serving. This helps the pie cool and absorb some of the excess liquid in the baking dish.

Best Types of Apples for this Crisp

Even though this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp is based on using Gala + Granny Smith apples, you can also switch things up and add a slightly new flare in their flavor profile by adding any of the following apples for a bit more sweetness or tart:

Honeycrisp
Fuji
Pink Lady
Golden Delicious
Braeburn
and more!

Benefits of Oats!?

If you aren’t familiar, oats are super nutritious! They include a great source of carbs, fiber (the soluble kind!), protein, and fat. In addition, they are loaded with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant.

Other great benefits:

They can help to lower cholesterol.
Improves Blood Sugar levels.
May help with losing weight.
Great alternative for skincare.
Helps to relieve constipation.

Serving Apple Crisp

For the most simplest, but tasty way---I like to scoop my apple cranberry crisp in a bowl and top it with my favorite dairy-free ice cream or coconut whipped cream, but you can enjoy it by itself. Of course, you can always change things up with your breakfast by serving a few scoops of apple crisp atop your favorite yogurt (dairy-free or not) as a yogurt bowl.

Storing Leftovers

If you have leftover crisp, keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. It makes a delicious breakfast! You can eat the crisp cold or pop it into the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.

You could also make the entire crisp the day ahead of time for the holidays. Cover the dish and leave it on the counter for a few hours. Then reheat the crisp in a 375°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until warm.

More Delicious Desserts for the Holidays

MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?

If you make this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp, tag @orchidsnsweettea_ on Instagram and hashtag it #orchidsandsweettea!

Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp

November 23, 2021 •

By Shanika

5 from 1 vote

This sweet-tart Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp has juicy apples and ruby red cranberries for a festive holiday dessert.

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55

Serves: servings

Units:

US Customary|Metric

Pin It Print It

Ingredients

FILLING:

3 organic apples, peeled + sliced (I like to use Granny Smith + Gala apples)
4 cups organic whole cranberries, fresh or frozen
¼ cup Arrowroot starch (See Notes!)
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Pinch of sea salt
2 Tbsps pure maple syrup
1 cup full-fat coconut cream or milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

OATMEAL TOPPING:

1 cup thick-cut Rolled oats, organic
½ cup organic brown sugar
¼ cup organic all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 Tbsps vegan butter, partially melted

Instructions

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a medium baking dish (or mini cocottes) with vegan butter.
In a large bowl, add the sliced apples, cranberries, sugar, arrowroot, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut cream/milk, stirring everything together until combined and the apples are completely coated. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:

In a bowl, add the flour, oats, brown sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, stirring until combined. Add the partially melted butter and using a spatula, mix until combined and 'crumbly-like'.

ASSEMBLY:

Spoon the coated apple-cranberry filling into the bottom of your greased standard square baking dish or evenly in mini cocottes and top with topping mixture. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until apple filling becomes bubbly and topping is golden brown.
Once fully baked, remove from oven and let it cool for 5 minutes or so. Serve warm and enjoy with a scoop of your favorite dairy-free ice cream or Cocowhip!
Bon Appetit!

Tips & Tricks

STORAGE: Best if served on the same day of making crisp. If made ahead of time (a few hours before serving), simply re-warm in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Leftovers should be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
APPLES:Best apples to use for this crisp are: Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, Fuji, etc. See Post for more info!
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION:To make this crisp GF, simply substitute the flour with GF All-Purpose flour or 1-to-1 GF Baking Flour, which Bob's Red Mill has a great one! Ensure that other ingredients are GF-friendly. Also, ensure that the rolled oats are certified-GF.
EQUIPMENT: Here, I’ve curated a list of bakeware essentials that I use to achieve my favorite baking treats, especially with this Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp. Everything from my fave mini cocottes, baking sheets, parchment paper, mixing bowls, and more. SEE THEM HERE!