Easy Apple Crumble Without Oats

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.

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

1. Gather ingredients.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
3. Wash the cranberries (if using fresh) and eliminate any bruised or mushy ones.
4. In a medium sized saucepan, cook the apples, sugar and cinnamon over medium heat until the apples begin to soften (approximately 10 minutes).
5. Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and Earth Balance margarine (or butter) in a bowl.
6. Fold the cranberries into the apple filling.
7. Spoon the apple filling into a deep baking dish or pie plate. Top with the crumble mix.
8. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Top with Whipped Cream: If ice cream isn't your thing, try topping your cranberry apple crumble with homemade whipped cream.

Recipe FAQ's

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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5 from 5 vote

Easy Apple Crisp Without Oats

This recipe for vegan apple crisp without oats is healthy and easy to make, with cranberries and no butter. It's the perfect fall dessert made with sweet apples and tart cranberries. The crumble topping just may be the best part!! Enjoy with a scoop of your favorite vegan ice-cream.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: apples, crisp, vegan

Servings: 5

Calories: 213kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

• Medium Saucepan

Ingredients

Filling

• 6 large tart apples peeled, cored and diced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup cranberries fresh or frozen

Crumble Topping:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon
• 6 tbsps Earth Balance margarine cut into pieces (or regular butter)
• 1/3 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 5g | Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 16IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

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