Easy Vegan Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

Easy Vegan Old Fashioned Apple Crisp 🍎 A simply sweet & scrumptious vegan version of a classic apple dessert made even tastier with a splash of orange juice, a sprinkle of tart cranberries and a crispy caramelized oat topping. Oh my, it's easier than pie!

As soon as the outdoor temperatures start to cool down, I get into baking mode. With the coming of fall, it always seems that one of the first recipes I like to prepare is this one - my Easy Vegan Old Fashioned Apple Crisp.

What it is about cold weather that puts us in the mood to bake? Maybe it's the idea of a hot oven heating the kitchen or more likely, a latent primitive instinct to consume extra calories in order to survive through the winter months. I know that's a stretch, but the wonderful aroma of applesauce pumpkin bread or applesauce cake is just so cozy and comforting. Whatever it is, the idea of creating an apple crisp sounds like a perfectly appropriate and wonderful thing to do tonight. I'll think about working off those calories tomorrow.

I love making apple crisps. They're like short-cut versions of French or Dutch apple pies, but better. Whereas the European pies have simple streusel toppings and solid bottom crusts (which is a lot more work), apple crisps are all about the crisp. A basic streusel topping is made from a combination of flour, sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Apple crisp topping is made with similar ingredients but also includes rolled oats. Hence, the 'crisp'.

🍎 How to make the easiest & best vegan apple crisp ever!

It all starts with the apples!

I love to combine a variety of apples when I make an apple crisp.  Granny Smith, Fuji, and Honeycrisp are some of my favorites. If you don't have one, I suggest getting yourself a really good veggie peeler. It can make removing the apple skins so much easier and the entire process a lot faster.

Ingredients

• Apples - two or three varieties (I like to use a combination of sweet and tart apples, such as Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples)
• Brown sugar - vegan
• Flour - all purpose
• Oatmeal - old fashioned, rough cut, or quick cook (not steel cut)
• Cinnamon - ground
• Nutmeg - ground
• Vegan butter - your choice
• Orange juice - fresh or bottled
• Cranberries - fresh or dried

🍏 Variations

One of the things I love about this easy vegan old fashioned apple crisp recipe is how simple it is to substitute or add ingredients as needed. For instance:

• Replace all-purpose flour with gluten-free if needed (I like Bob's Red Mill)
• Replace brown sugar with date, coconut, or raw sugar, maple syrup or vegan honey
• Replace old fashioned oatmeal with rough-cut or quick cook
• Replace cinnamon and nutmeg with pumpkin pie spice
• Replace cranberries with dried cherries or raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350℉/180℃

2. Peel & dice apples and place inside a buttered baking dish.

3. Add cranberries and combine with apples. Drizzle with orange juice.

4. Combine butter, flour, oats and spices into a crumbly mixture. Sprinkle crumble evenly over the apples and cranberries.

5. Bake at 350ºF/180℃ for 40 minutes until crumble topping is golden brown and you can see the apples are bubbling.

6. Place on a rack and allow to sit for 10- 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy while warm or cold.

I love the caramelized crispy oat topping! The addition of dried cranberries & orange juice add a fresh tart citrusy flavor. The sweetness of the apples and brown sugar are just the right balance.