This recipe for apple crumble without oats is healthy, vegan and easy to make, with cranberries and no butter. It's the perfect fall dessert! It's made with simple ingredients, comes together quickly, and is always a hit! It's great for a busy weeknight dessert or weekend treat!
This crisp is packed with juicy apples and tart cranberries and topped with a crumbly topping that's lightly sweetened with molasses. Serve it warm from the oven, topped with vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an extra special treat!
If you like recipes with a crumble topping, you will also like my Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and my Apple Crumble Pie with Oats.
Jump To
- Why you'll love this vegan apple crisp with cranberries:
- Ingredients for this apple crumble
- Instructions
- Substitutes/Variations for this cranberry apple crumble
- Expert Tips
- Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- Serving Suggestions for this cranberry apple crumble
- More recipes like this:
- Easy Apple Crisp Without Oats
- Expert Tips
Why you'll love this vegan apple crisp with cranberries:
- It's healthy and easy to make
- The recipe is made with simple ingredients
- It can be ready in under an hour
It's loved even by those that aren't following a vegan lifestyle. The crumble is made with a vegan margarine (I like Earth Balance) and is totally delicious with the soft and sweet apples and tart cranberries.
I made this yesterday afternoon for Thanksgiving. Our vegan friends from Portugal were joining us for our very Italian Thanksgiving (there were almost 20 of us again!!). I'll try to come back and share some photos.
Ingredients for this apple crumble
- Apples: I use this recipe with a variety of apples, depending on what I have on hand or what looks good at the store.
- Ground Cinnamon: It adds warmth and depth of flavor to the crisp. You could also use pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon.
- Cranberries: This is my favorite fall fruit and they add a tartness that contrasts well with the sweetness of the apples.
- Margarine: If you don't use butter, this is the perfect substitute.
- Granulated Sugar: This is for the crumble topping, which is an essential ingredient.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is what thickens the sauce and helps to bind the ingredients together
- Blackstrap Molasses: I made my own brown sugar for the topping using granulated sugar and some molasses. The flavor is fantastic!
Instructions
- Gather ingredients.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash the cranberries (if using fresh) and eliminate any bruised or mushy ones.
- In a medium sized saucepan, cook the apples, sugar and cinnamon over medium heat until the apples begin to soften (approximately 10 minutes).
- Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and Earth Balance margarine (or butter) in a bowl.
- Fold the cranberries into the apple filling.
- Spoon the apple filling into a deep baking dish or pie plate. Top with the crumble mix.
- Bake for about 30-45 minutes, until topping looks crunchy.
Substitutes/Variations for this cranberry apple crumble
- If you're not a fan of cranberries, you could use raspberries or blueberries instead.
- If you don't have margarine on hand, you could use regular butter in its place.
- If you're not a fan of molasses, you could use honey or maple syrup in its place.
- Change up your spice- add a little nutmeg or cloves to the apples for extra flavor
Expert Tips
- Use Granny Smith Apples -I've tried other types of apples before, but I always come back to these. They're crisp and not too sweet-in my opinion, the perfect apple for anything related to crisps! Honey crisps are pretty good as well, although I would reduce the sugar a bit because they tend to be sweeter apples..
- Slice your apples thinly and small, so they become much more tender when baked. If not done properly, you will have chunks of raw apples which is not the desired outcome.
- Serve warm . If you want to enjoy your leftovers with all the fixings still in tact, reheat them without the topping.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
- To make ahead, assemble the cranberry apple crumble and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. This is a great option for meal prep or when hosting guests.
- Leftover cranberry apple crumble can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. To reheat, place in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
- For longer storage, the cranberry apple crumble can be frozen. After baking and cooling, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and aluminum foil before placing in the freezer. When ready to eat, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes.
Serving Suggestions for this cranberry apple crumble
- Serve with Vanilla Ice Cream: A classic pairing for any warm apple dessert is a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. The creamy coldness of the ice cream complements the warm and crunchy crumble perfectly.
- Add Some Caramel Sauce: For a decadent touch, drizzle some caramel sauce over the cranberry apple crumble before serving. The combination of sweet and tangy flavors will elevate the dish to another level.
- Top with Whipped Cream: If ice cream isn't your thing, try topping your cranberry apple crumble with homemade whipped cream.
Recipe FAQ's
Not exactly…
A crisp and a crumble are not the same thing, but if it wasn't for their topping, they would be the same thing.
A crisp topping is made with a combination of flour, sugar and butter.
A crumble is a baked dish of fresh fruit (berries, apples, plums, etc.) that is topped with an oat-based streusel. A crisp is just like a crumble-but some say crisps never have oats, and some say they do! I made my crisp without oats. Feel free to add oats to your topping.
You can use just about any kind of an apple for baking an apple crisp. Crisp and tart apple varieties work better than the sweeter varieties.
You could try Granny Smith, Empire or Honey Crisp. You could even mix together all three apple varieties.
There are 6 cups of apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (which is about 6-8 apples-use a combination of sweet and tart baking apples).
The secret to a crunchy crumble topping is using cold butter and not over-mixing the ingredients. Cold butter helps create little pockets of air in the topping, resulting in a crisp texture when baked. Additionally, it's important to not mix the topping too much as this can cause it to become dense and lose its crunchiness. Some recipes also recommend adding crushed nuts or using quick oats instead of rolled oats for a crunchier texture.
The part of this post is original text from 11/11.
My dear dad passed away a little more than a year after I wrote this. I miss him very much. He was such a part of my baking and cooking.
Even though he was very sick and could barely eat, he loved to sample my baked goodies and other dishes. He always gave me tips and really great compliments. This was maybe one of the last things I baked for him and wrote about.
In the last few weeks, my dad has been dropping some not too subtle apple pie hints. Hints like, "I miss your apple pie." He's recently also exclaimed, "Look at these gorgeous apples you found at the fruit market! Perfect for an apple pie."
The other day he reminded me it's been months since I made him an apple crumble. I can't say no to my sweet pops. He wanted me to give him a baking lesson. He helped me cut the apples and make the crumble. He says he will give this recipe a try one day.
He left with his portion and was totally thrilled. I get him to visit us a little more often if there's the promise of freshly baked apple dessert.
I made a mini one for my dad. He requested for his to be made without any cranberries.
More recipes like this:
- Easy Apple Bundt Cake
- Easy Cinnamon Apple Crisp
- Apple Cider Donut Cake
- Easy Apple Crumble Pie with Oats
- BEST Easy Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping
*Originally published on November 2018. Updated text and photos November 2022 .
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Easy Apple Crisp Without Oats
Equipment
Ingredients
Filling
Crumble Topping:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsps ground cinnamon
- 6 tbsps Earth Balance margarine cut into pieces (or regular butter)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar I made my own using white sugar and blackstrap molasses
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Wash the cranberries (if using fresh) and eliminate any bruised or mushy ones.
- In a medium sized saucepan, cook the apples, sugar and cinnamon over medium heat until the apples begin to soften (approximately 10 minutes).
- Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and Earth Balance margarine (or butter) in a bowl. Blend with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
- Fold the cranberries into the apple filling.
- Spoon the apple filling into a deep baking dish or pie plate. Top with the crumble mix.
- Bake for about 30-45 minutes, until topping looks crunchy. You want the fruit to start to bubble. If the topping starts to brown too much, cover with foil until complete. *Bake with foil under the baking dish to catch any spills. Take care when removing from the oven as the fruit will bubble and will be very hot.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Use Granny Smith Apples -I've tried other types of apples before, but I always come back to these. They're crisp and not too sweet-in my opinion, the perfect apple for anything related to crisps! Honey crisps are pretty good as well, although I would reduce the sugar a bit because they tend to be sweeter apples..
- Slice your apples thinly and small, so they become much more tender when baked. If not done properly, you will have chunks of raw apples which is not the desired outcome.
- Serve warm . If you want to enjoy your leftovers with all the fixings still in tact, reheat them without the topping.
The combination of apples and cranberries pairs so well with the crumble topping. Perfect dessert for fall evenings.
I love the addition of cranberries to this apple dessert! I'll have to add this one to the Thanksgiving menu!
This crumble is so good!! I love this recipe.
I don't like the texture of oats so this recipe was perfect for me. The topping is amazing and I love the addition of cranberries
Just LOVE love this crumble. I will be making again this Thanksgiving for dessert!!!!
This is absolutely droolworthy! I can't wait to give this a try!
Oh this looks sooo good. I love that you're sharing this with your dad. Sweet as can be. Love sharing the swap with you.
Yes, my Dad's hints are equally "subtle" - I just returned from Serbia where I indulged my parents' smallest culinary whims (cannot say that I did not enjoy their competition for my favors:)
Both you in Florida and I in California do not experience the frigid winds of the north, but this dessert is perfect for this season. And I love the addition of cranberries!
Lora,
I would truly give anything to have the chance to make this with my father.. I am so happy that not only you have the opportunity but you are taking full advantage of it! This truly is a perfect dish to make together!!