Apple Cranberry Crisp (Vegan)
This Apple Cranberry Crisp is the perfect dessert for holidays!! It takes only 15 minutes of prep time, and you can prep it ahead of time. It’s a delicious mix of sweet apples, tangy cranberries and tastes incredible with ice cream!
You guys know that I am a lover of holidays, and this gets this crisp gets me in the holiday mood every time I make it! It works so perfectly for every single holiday – Thanksgiving, Christmas, and any and every time you need a perfect dessert for a crowd. I love that you can customise it to your liking!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It comes together pretty quickly in only 15 minutes.
- Perfect for the holidays – This can easily serve a crowd for a quick and easy holiday dessert.
- You can easily make this gluten-free if needed.
Ingredients notes
- old fashioned oats – these give the topping a nice texture while also keeping it affordable. See expert tips on possible swaps.
- flour – you can use pretty much any flour – a gluten free flour mix, regular all purpose flour, or even spelt flour
- sugar – any sugar works great here too, I love using cane sugar! I recommend a granulated and not liquid sugar here.
- vegan butter – any brand of vegan butter could work. You can use salted or unsalted. If using unsalted, be sure to sprinkle some sea salt into the crisp topping too. You can also use margarine or shortening. You can also use coconut oil since it solidifies. Just ensure it’s cold! This helps it to create the right texture for the crisp topping.
- apples – Red Delicious, Gala and Cameo are my favourite kinds to use here. You can also use any kind of green apple, but if you do, you may want to increase the sugar a little bit since the cranberries are also tart. I do recommend peeling these because the skins will affect the texture of the filling otherwise.
- cranberries – don’t use dried cranberries! Use fresh, or frozen then thawed cranberries
- lime or lemon juice – you can also use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- maple syrup – you can also use any liquid sweetener (such as Lakanto), or agave here
Step by Step Instructions
For full measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card! There is important information here for the recipe here first.
- First, mix your chopped apples, thawed cranberries and lime juice in a bowl to combine. Sprinkle the flour, cinnamon, coconut sugar and the maple syrup over them and mix to combine. This mixture not only adds flavour, but also the flour adds hold.
- Pour everything into a greased casserole dish (I use a 2 QT. dish) and spread or shake to lay evenly.
- In another Bowl, mix all the crisp topping ingredients except the vegan butter. Add the (cold) vegan butter and use your fingers to crumble it into the flour oats mixture until everything is moist and the butter is evenly distributed.
- Sprinkle the crisp over the fruits. Try to sprinkle it evenly over. If you want everything covered and it isn’t, just make some more!
- Bake for 45 minutes until the crisp is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling and smells delicious.
- Allow to cool for at least 5 to 10 minutes, then serve immediately with some ice cream and sauce from the crisp.
FAQ and Expert Tips to make this the perfect recipe
You can use make crisp ahead of time! Make the filling and you can cover it and let it sit for up to 2 days. Before baking, mix together the crisp topping, sprinkle over, then bake and enjoy!
You can use regular all purpose flour if you’re not gluten free, it works the same.
I don’t recommend swapping the oats. It thickens the topping and gives it that traditional texture. If you have an allergy however, you can for finely crushed nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) which will give it a similar crunch and hold.
For the best results, use fresh apples that are juicy, crunchy and bright in colour and flavour. You don’t want to use apples that are going bad. I love using Red Delicious, Gala and Cameo apples here. You can also use any green apple variety, but taste the filling slightly before baking to see if you might want to add a little bit more sugar since it will be two tart fruits.
You can use either! Just ensure they’re nice and plump, and not dried cranberries, which will not give you desired texture.
While the filing is nice and thick and saucy, you can even stir in some cornstarch slurry to get it even thicker. Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water vigorously until thin and there are no clumps, then stir into the filling before baking.
You can store this in the original casserole dish with a slip on covered in the fridge, or cut it up and store in glass Tupperware containers, or even in foil.
Yes you can freeze this crisp! Thaw overnight, then reheat by toasting in your oven at 350F for about 15 minutes to 20 minutes until hot and bubbly again. You can freeze this up to one month.
Reheat the same way you would when thawing from freezing; by toasting in your oven at 350F for about 15 minutes to 20 minutes until hot and bubbly again. You can even turn on the “broil” setting on low for about 3 to 5 minutes to get the top crispy again.
This will last you in your fridge for at least 4 days!
More Apple Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make these Vegan Apple Cranberry Crisp, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Apple Cranberry Crisp (Vegan)
Ingredients
Apple Cranberry Filling
- 6 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 2 cups cranberries
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, or lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour mix
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons sugar, coconut, cane or brown sugar works
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
Crisp Topping
- ¾ cup old fashioned oats
- ¾ cup all purpose flour, or gluten free flour mix
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar, coconut, cane or brown sugar works
- 6 tablespoons salted vegan butter, cold, cut into chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C.
- In a bowl, mix the apples and cranberries and lime juice in a bowl to combine. Sprinkle the flour, cinnamon, coconut sugar and the maple syrup over them and mix to combine. Pour into a greased casserole dish (I use a 2 QT. dish) and spread or shake to lay evenly.
- In another bowl, mix all the crisp topping ingredients except the vegan butter. Add the vegan butter chunks in and use your fingers (or fork, or masher) to crumble it into the flour oats mixture until everything is moist and the butter is evenly distributed. It should look crumbly. Sprinkle the topping over the fruits.
- Bake for 45 minutes on the middle rack until the crisp is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling and smells delicious.
- Allow to cool slightly, then scoop out and serve immediately with some ice cream and sauce from the crisp. Enjoy!!
Notes
FAQ and Expert Tips to make this the perfect recipe
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Could I use regular all purpose flour as I don’t have gluten free or quinoa flour.
Hey L,
Yes you can!
Thanks so much B and I hope you enjoy!!
Instead of the oats, can I use pecans or similar? Do the oats thicken the topping or do something else to the structure of the dish?
Hey Amanda,
You can definitely use pecans! The oats do kind of thicken but the pecans would too (I just used oats since they’re GF and affordable for everyone)! I hope that helps!
This is delicious! I’ve made it several times and have even subbed blackberries for the cranberries and both ways worked out great! Thank you for sharing this Jessica!
Thanks so much Bridget! We’re so happy that you enjoyed our recipe.