Cranberry Apple Crisp (vegan)

Cranberry apple crisp, with warming cinnamon and crumbly oatmeal topping, is everything a hearty autumn dessert should be!

There is something so comforting about crisps and cobblers during the cool weather seasons, don’t you agree? They’re easy to make, and a fuss-free way to warm the house with delicious scents.

When making this recipe, be sure to keep in mind not all apples are equal. The moisture amount and texture of an apple can make or break a recipe! For baking, choose apples that holds their shape, yet still soften when cooked. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, and Braeburn apples are all great baking apples.

Cranberries add a mouth-puckering tartness that offsets the sweetness of the apples and sugar in this crisp recipe. Use fresh cranberries if you have them, however, frozen cranberries will also do just fine!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• For The Oat Topping
• Method
• Tips & Notes
• Substitutions
• Recipe

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.

Ingredients

For The Cranberry Apple Filling

• Apples
• Fresh cranberries
• Lemon juice
• Raw organic cane sugar
• Whole wheat flour

For The Oat Topping

• Large flake oats
• Brown sugar
• Whole wheat flour
• Cinnamon
• Salt
• Solid coconut oil

Method

Preheat the oven and have a round or square baking dish ready.

Start by making the oat topping. Combine the oats, brown sugar, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

Stir the oat mixture together until well combined. Add the solid coconut oil to the bowl of oats.

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Using your hands, a fork, or a pastry blender, work the coconut oil into the dry ingredients.

Continue to mix the oat topping until the mixture is crumbly, and the coconut oil is well distributed. Set aside.

Place the chopped apples, cranberries, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Give everything a good stir to combine.

Add the cane sugar and flour to the fruit.

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Stir the apples and cranberries with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the fruit is well coated in sugar and flour.

Pour the apple-cranberry mixture into the baking dish. Spread the fruit in an even layer inside the dish.

Scatter all of the oat topping over the top of the apples and cranberries.

Place the cranberry apple crisp in the preheated oven and bake until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Serve the crisp warm, either plain, or topped with ice cream or whipped cream.

Tips & Notes

Fresh or frozen cranberries will work here, however, frozen berries may affect the moisture content and overall baking time for this recipe. Frozen fruit takes longer to heat in the oven and releases more juice when baked.

Be sure to use solid coconut oil as the texture will keep the oat topping chunky and crumbly, similar to butter.

Substitutions

Instant oats can be substituted for large flake, however, the texture will be different.

Use white sugar in place of cane sugar if you like.

All-purpose flour or spelt flour are good substitutes for whole wheat.

You can substitute most gluten-free flour blends 1:1 in this recipe. If using gluten-free flour, make the oat topping and let it sit in the bowl, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes before placing it on the apples and cranberries. Resting helps reduce grittiness.

You can substitute an equal amount of dairy or non-dairy butter for the coconut oil if you prefer.

Most other berries will work in place of cranberries! Consider reducing the sugar amount if you do so. You can also make this recipe using only apples for a classic apple crisp.

Homemade pumpkin spice or homemade chai spice are nice alternatives to cinnamon.

More Hearty Autumn Baking Recipes

Hazelnut Pear Crisp With Chocolate

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Loaf

Pumpkin & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Apple Walnut Crumble Cake

Recipe