Author: With tender spiced apples and a buttery topping, this easy vegan apple crumble is the best dessert to enjoy during the cooler months and when apples are in season. It's simple to make, can be made ahead of time, and is always a crowd-pleaser. Be sure to bookmark this recipe because you'll want to come back to it year after year!
If you are anything like me, then the crisp, sweet, oaty, crumble is the absolute best part of any apple crumble. So this vegan apple crumble recipe doesn't skimp! I use about a 50/50 ratio of juicy apple filling to buttery oat topping, which means you get plenty of crispy, chewy crumble in every bite. My other little trick is pumpkin pie spice. Combined with extra cinnamon, it gives the topping the BEST warm and cozy flavor without having to empty out your spice rack. Trust me, this one's a game-changer!
What Makes This Vegan Apple Crumble a Fall Favorite
- SO much crumble: The topping to apple ratio is on point for crispy topping lovers!
- Easy to make: Crumbles are infinitely easier to make than pies. No crust to mess with!
- Perfectly spiced: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice give every bite that cozy fall flavor.
- Holiday perfection: Like classic vegan apple pie, this recipe is an easy crowd-pleaser for Thanksgiving and other fall get-togethers.
Ingredients for Vegan Apple Crumble
- Granny Smith apples: Tart Granny Smith apples balance the sweet crumble topping and don't turn to mush when baking. Other crisp apple varieties, like Honeycrisp, would work too.
- White sugar: Sweetens the apples and helps thicken the juices that bake off.
- All-purpose flour: To thicken the juices in the apple filling and form the base of the crumble topping. A 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be substituted if needed.
- Lemon juice: Adds brightness and balances the sweetness.
- Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice: I love using my DIY pumpkin pie spice.
- Brown sugar: Gives the crumble topping a deeper, caramel-like flavor.
- Baking powder: Adds a lightness to the topping texture.
- Rolled oats: The oats make the topping hearty, chewy, and crisp.
- Vegan butter: Store-bought or homemade vegan butter.
How to Make a Vegan Apple Crumble
- Prepare the Apples: Peel and core the apples, then cut them into ¾-inch chunks. Spread them in a baking dish. Sprinkle the white sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon over the apples, then toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Make the Crumble: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the rolled oats and melted vegan butter and mix well.
- Add the Topping: Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples. As you go, use your hands to squeeze some of the mixture into larger clumps. Bake uncovered at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Cool and Serve: Let the apple crumble rest for about 10 minutes before digging in. Serve it warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream!
Tips and Variations
- Want more apples? I love the 50/50 filling-to-topping ratio, but you can increase the filling if you're an apple person. Use 3 pounds apples, ¾ cup white sugar, 1½ tablespoons flour, 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon. You may need a larger baking dish and an additional 5 to 10 minutes of baking time.
- Make it gluten-free: Use a good-quality 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend and certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Try other fruit: You can swap the apples for pears, peaches, berries, or a combination of fruits. If your fruit is particularly sweet, you may want to reduce the sugar slightly.
- Don't skip the clumps: When adding the topping, squeeze some of the crumble together with your fingers. This creates those big, buttery, crispy pieces, AKA the best part!
Serving Suggestions
Top your vegan apple crumble with:
If you try this vegan apple crumble, let us know by leaving a comment and rating it. I'd love to see what you made. Share your creation in the It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken Community (this is where we're all hanging out now!) or tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
Easy Vegan Apple Crumble
Tender and sweet apples with a crunchy crumbly buttery topping and warming spices! This easy vegan apple crumble is the best dessert to enjoy during the cooler months and when apples are in season. It's simple to make, can be made ahead of time, and is always a crowd-pleaser.
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the Apples:
- 2 lbs granny smith apples (6 - 7 apples), measured before peeling and coring (see step 2 for prep )
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, (use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Crumble:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, (use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, if preferred)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup rolled oats, (gluten-free if preferred)
- ½ cup melted vegan butter
- vegan vanilla ice cream, (optional for serving)
Instructions
For the apples:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Peel and core the apples and cut them into chunks about ¾ inch in size. Spread the apples in a 6-cup (1.4 liters) baking dish. Sprinkle the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and cinnamon over the apples and toss to coat the apples evenly.
For the crumble:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and baking powder. Add the oats and melted vegan butter and mix well.
- Use your hands to sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the apples, and as you sprinkle, squeeze clumps of the crumble mixture together to make larger crumble pieces (yum)!
- Bake uncovered for 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown and the apples are tender when pierced with a knife. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with vegan vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
Extra apple filling: this recipe is about 50% apple filling and 50% crumble topping which I think is the perfect balance! If you prefer more apple filling, increase the quantities to: 3 lbs apples, ¾ cup white sugar, 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, and ¾ teaspoon cinnamon. When baking you may need a slightly bigger baking dish and an extra 5 - 10 minutes longer in the oven to cook through the apples.
Make Ahead/ Freezer-friendly:
- Make ahead unbaked: assemble the apple crumble and then cover. Store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, uncover and bake. It may need a couple of extra minutes in the oven if baking from cold.
- Make ahead fully baked: allow the apple crumble to cool then store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave, or reheat the entire crumble in the oven at 350°F (180°C) until heated through, about 15 minutes).
- Freeze: you can freeze unbaked crumble or fully baked and cooled crumble. Cover the crumble tightly, then freeze for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw completely before baking or reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving not including ice cream (recipe makes 6 servings) | Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 51g | Vitamin A: 803IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2mg
Stephanie says
Absolutely delicious! I didn't have enough apples, so I added some blackberries. This recipe is easy to make and so yummy. The family loved it too!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Stephanie! I love the addition of blackberries—that sounds absolutely delicious! So happy your family enjoyed it. 😊
Linda says
So delicious and easy to make. I didn’t have any pumpkin spice so I added a little extra cinnamon and then added ginger and nutmeg — so similar to pumpkin spice.
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
That sounds delicious, Linda! 😊
Charlotte says
This was incredible, made it for dessert on Christmas Day and I got loads of compliments on it too. I made ahead the day before, stored in the fridge unbaked, and then cooked up on the day. Easy to follow recipe and a crowd pleaser. I would definitely make this again
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Charlotte! That’s awesome to hear and I love that you made it ahead too 🙌 So glad it was a hit and thank you for sharing!
John says
Apple crisp?! I’ve NEVER heard it called that here in England. We love a good crumble, and that’s exactly what we call it!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi John! Yes it has different names - crips, crumble, or cobbler, based on the ingredients used I believe. 🙂
Megi says
Hi! I know I made this recipe of yours a few years ago and it was incredible. I’d like to make it tomorrow however I don’t have vegan butter can I use coconut oil? If so, how much and how would I substitute it? And I have some red apples not green. Hoping it will be ok, I think so!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Megi, using vegan butter would be best for the best flavor and texture. In a pinch you can substitute equal amounts coconut oil, but note that the end result will be less flavorful and may be a bit greasy. For the apples it depends on which kind of red apple you have. Apples that hold up well when baking tend to have higher starch content and lower water content, that's why Granny Smith is the best. Enjoy!
Mia says
Can this recipe be put into an prebaked pie shell and made into an open apple pie?
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Hi Mia, I haven't tested it myself, but yes, I think you can turn this recipe into an open apple pie by using a pre-baked pie shell! Spoon the apple filling and crumble topping into the shell, and bake as directed. To avoid burning the crust, I recommend covering the edges with foil or a pie crust shield before baking, removing it during the last 10 minutes to let the edges brown lightly. Enjoy your apple crumble pie!
Dave Cartier says
This was delicious. Very easy to make with ingredients that likely are already in your pantry. Will definitely be making this again! Thanks so much for all the goodness you put out.
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Fantastic! We're happy to hear it!
Vicki Karschner says
This looks amazing but I am cutting back on oils. Would Almond Butter or Applesauce be a good substitute for the vegan butter?
Thanks!
Jess @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
We haven't tested that but applesauce may work. You could also try some maple syrup in place of brown sugar so that the crumble topping has a wet ingredient to replace the vegan butter.
Vicki Karschner says
Thank you! I will certainly try these.
Gail says
This is the best apple crumble I’ve ever made! I did not have Granny Smith apples - I think I used Macintosh - I made it exactly as written - the melted butter is so much easier than “cutting it into the flour” wow wow wow - the pumpkin spice in the topping gives it so much flavor - nice touch Sam !!!!
Sam Turnbull @ It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken says
Yay!! So thrilled you loved it so much, Gail 🙂
Lauren says
Do you think I could make one serving of this?
Jess @ IDTLC Support says
Hi Lauren! There is an adjustment on the serving size above the ingredients, and you can - or + to reduce or increase the portions. That should help you decrease for your intended size. You could likely do smaller portions in a muffin pan.
SwashB says
I don’t bother taking the extra time to peel the apples. They are just fine when washed and sliced with the skins on.
Sam Turnbull says
Perfect!
Michelle says
Well Sam, you've done it again!! I've been making apple crisp for 40+ years and it was always .... good ..... but this one is GREAT!!!! Just the right combination of ingredients and the addition of pumpkin pie spice. WOW!!!
Sam Turnbull says
YAY! Thank you so much Michelle!! 🙂