This healthy vegan apple crisp recipe is easy to make with a handful of ingredients and features a delicious, gluten-free date and almond crumble.

Grain-Free healthy vegan apple crisp in a white baking dish with a serving spoon.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy vegan apple crisp.

  • Apples. You can use any kind of apple you want. You’ll need 5 medium-sized peeled apples.
  • Cornstarch. Cornstarch helps the apple mixture thicken up a bit. You can use arrowroot powder as an alternative.
  • Maple Syrup. Maple syrup adds a little extra sweetness to the apple mixture. It can be substituted with raw honey, coconut sugar, Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener for a sugar-free option, agave or any granulated sugar of choice.
  • Fresh lemon juice. The acidity of the lemon brightens up the flavour of the apples.
  • Raw almonds. The crust is made from a simple blend of almonds and dates. The almonds can be subbed with pecans or walnuts for a different flavour.
  • Dates. You’ll need 1 cup of tightly packed, soft, pitted dates. Soft dates are important so the crust mixture hold together. If you only have dry dates, I’d suggest soaking them in hot water for 10 minutes before using, however, for best results, use soft, fresh medjool or deglect noor dates.
  • Coconut oil. This helps the crust bake up into a nice thick layer.
  • Cinnamon. Cinnamon is always a welcome pairing with apples and also goes well with the almonds and dates.
5 apples on a cutting board with an apple peeler.
Apple crisp mixture for coating apples in a bowl with a spoon.
Chopped and peeled apples in a baking dish.
Grain-free apple crisp crust ingredients in a food processor.
Date and almond crust over chopped and peeled apples in a baking dish.
Grain-free vegan apple crisp being scooped out of a white baking dish.

Equipment Needed

You’ll need a couple pieces of basic kitchen equipment to make this recipe:

  • Food processor or high-speed blender. You’ll need a food processor or blender to make the crust for this recipe. Both work great!
  • Peeler. You’ll need a vegetable peeler or apple peeler to prepare the apples.
  • Pairing knife. A Pairing knife is handy to peel the apples. If you have an apple corer, that makes life a little easier too!
Two plates of grain-free healthy vegan apple crisp.

I hope you enjoy this simple, vegan apple crisp. It’s wonderful in the Fall when apples are in season but makes a lovely dessert anytime of year.

Your home will smell incredible and it’s healthy enough to enjoy on the daily. Or you can top with a huge scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream and call it a day. Comfort food made for fall.

Loving this simple, vegan dessert? You might like these too:

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Grain-free vegan apple crisp being scooped out of a white baking dish.

Grain-Free Healthy Apple Crisp

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  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Vegan, Gluten-Free
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Description

This grain-free apple crisp features a thick crust made from almonds and dates that’s the perfect cover for delicious, soft and fragrant, sweet baked apples.


Ingredients


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  2. Place the sliced apples in a baking dish.
  3. Mix the cornstarch, maple syrup and lemon juice in a small bowl and then pour over the apples and mix well. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  4. Break down the almonds in a food processor or blender until they form a coarse flour, add the dates, coconut oil and cinnamon and mix until it forms a dough.
  5. Press the dough over the apples, covering well.
  6. Bake for 35 minutes.
  7. Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered or in a sealed container.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/6th of recipe
  • Calories: 382
  • Sugar: 38 g
  • Sodium: 3 mg
  • Fat: 19 g
  • Carbohydrates: 51 g
  • Fiber: 9 g
  • Protein: 7 g

Originally Posted: September 24, 2014 | Updated: June 4, 2019