This apple crisp without oats has a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping and a lightly spiced, tender apple filling. It is perfect for a breakfast or dessert to impress. Plus, this apple crisp recipe contains only simple base ingredients and is gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, and can be also made refined sugar-free for a healthy version!
It’s officially getting into the colder fall/winter months, which means that it’s once again time for delicious warm spices and lots of tasty apple desserts. Apples are one of my all-time favorite ‘go-to’s’ for refreshing, delicious, and comforting desserts. Not to mention that there’s honestly nothing better during the colder months than the scent of cinnamon and apple filling the kitchen.
While it’s a classic, ‘everyone’s grandma has their own version’ dish, there are still ways to tweak it- including with this apple crisp version.
Delicious & Easy Apple Crisp With No Oats
Best of all, this vegan apple crisp is without oats and is furthermore made up mainly of pantry staples and is so quick and easy to pull together. The streusel topping takes just minutes to prepare and chill. Meanwhile, the apple filling takes only a few minutes more. Then it’s as simple as popping it in the oven and waiting to dig into the delicious, crispy, gooey apple goodness.
By using coconut or brown sugar, this recipe takes on a delicious toffee-like flavor too. Though there are also options to make a completely refined sugar-free apple crisp – check out my recipe notes for suggestions. You can also mix up the apple variety – with a mixture of sweet/tart – for more depth of flavor.
Crisp vs. Crumble vs. Cobbler
Technically, the main difference between a crisp and a crumble is often seen as the fact that a crisp usually contains oats (which ‘crisp’ up as they cook) and a crumble does not- and instead has a streusel topping (making this technically a vegan apple crumble).
A crumble topping is often ‘clumpier’ than a crisp, too- though this isn’t always the case. In comparison, A cobbler is more like a biscuit topping, sometimes even dough, which is placed in large pieces over the filling and resembles a cobbled pathway.
However, over the years, crisp and crumble have become synonymous and are used interchangeably- especially within the United States, which is why I’ve labeled this specifically as an apple crisp without oats.
By omitting the oats, you’re also able to achieve a lighter topping, which is excellent for following hearty meals like this Broccoli Quinoa Casserole. However, it still maintains all the crispiness and flavor for a delicious apple crisp; no oats required!
Here are the ingredients for the apple filling:
These are the vegan crumble topping ingredients:
How To Make Apple Crisp Without Oats
Step 1: Prepare the Streusel Topping
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a spoon or a whisk.
Then add the softened coconut oil or vegan butter. Using a spoon or your fingertips, rub the oil/butter into the dry mixture until small crumbles form. Place the bowl into the fridge while you prepare the apple filling.
Preheat the oven to 375F/190C and grease an 8×11-inch (20×28 cm) baking dish (or similar size- aim for shallow and wide for crispiest topping results) with vegan butter or oil.
Step 2: Prepare the Apple Filling
Peel, core, and slice the apples. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, and set aside (see pictures further below).
In a small bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch (or flour of choice), cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, & cardamom (optional). Stir with a spoon/ whisk. Then, add maple syrup, water, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and stir.
Pour the mixture over the sliced apples and stir to coat them evenly, then spread into an even layer.
Then, remove the streusel mixture from the refrigerator and sprinkle it over the apples.
Step 3: Bake & Serve
Bake in the oven until the streusel topping is golden brown and the apples are fork-tender, about 40-45 minutes.
Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before you serve the apple crumble.
Enjoy this vegan apple crisp with dairy-free vanilla ice cream, vanilla sauce/custard, whipped coconut cream, or caramel sauce.
For the full ingredients list, ingredient measurements, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.
How to Make Ahead & Store
To make the vegan apple crisp ahead of time:
Prepare the topping and filling separately and leave them to chill in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake the dessert, add the topping and bake. This can be done a day in advance (the lemon juice will help keep the apples from browning).
To store the apple crumble:
Store any leftovers on the counter (cool temperature) for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for between 4-5 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or oven until warmed through.
This apple crumble without oats (cooked or uncooked) is also freezer-friendly in an airtight container for between 3-4 months. However, it will slightly affect the crispness of the topping. I let it thaw on the counter and then reheat for about 7-10 minutes.
Useful Recipe Notes & Variations
- Flour: I used GF flour for a gluten-free apple crisp (90 g rice flour + 30 g tapioca flour, but you can use a store-bought GF all-purpose flour blend or regular wheat flour (if you are not gluten-free) for the crumble topping.
- Which Apples? Use your favorite baking/cooking apples, for example, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonathon, or Braeburn. You could use two tart apples (e.g., Granny Smith) and two sweeter apples (e.g., Honeycrisp, Gala, or Braeburn). Note that softer apples will break down into a kind of fluff consistency rather than hold their shape. Please note that you might need to add more sugar if using only tart apples too.
- You can leave the apples unpeeled if preferred. You often can’t even tell they’re there – but get the added fiber and nutrients from the skin for a more healthy apple crisp.
- Liquid sweetener: You can use any liquid sweetener of choice, e.g., maple syrup, agave syrup, rice malt syrup, etc.
- For a sugar-free apple crisp, you can use a sugar-free sweetener (i.e., Erythritol, etc.). This will be a healthy apple crisp, though sugar also helps to tenderize, so texture may vary slightly.
- Optional add-ins: Feel free to add chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc. for an even crispier topping. I also like adding raisins or dried cranberries to the filling or combining baking pears and apples.
- If you use brown sugar, make to use a brand that is vegan. Several brown sugar brands (especially non-organic ones) contain/use bone char in the processing.
Related Recipes
More vegan apple dessert recipes (also great for Christmas) can be found here:
- Apple Cinnamon Crepes
- Vegan Apple Pie with Streusel
- Vegan Apple Muffins with Streusel
- Apple Cinnamon Rolls
- Plum and Apple Crumble
- Caramel Apple Cheesecake
- Vegan Coffee Cake with Cinnamon Streusel
If you try this no oats apple crisp recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.

Apple Crisp Without Oats
Ingredients
Apple Filling:
- 4 large (1000 g) apples peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (*see notes)
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or flour of choice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of nutmeg, salt, and cardamom (optional)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/8 cup (30 ml) water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Streusel Topping:
- 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour I used gluten-free (*see notes)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup (60 g) coconut oil or vegan butter, softened (almost melted)
- Chopped nuts of choice (optional, see notes)
Instructions
- Watch the video in the post for easy visual instructions.
Topping:
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a spoon or a whisk. Then add the softened coconut oil or vegan butter. Using a spoon or your fingertips, rub the oil/butter into the dry mixture, until small crumbles form. Add more flour if the mixture is too wet. Place the bowl into the fridge, while you prepare the apple filling.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease an 8x11 inch (20x28 cm) baking dish (or similar size) with vegan butter or oil.
Filling:
- Peel, core, and slice the apples. Transfer the apples to the prepared baking dish, set aside.
- In a small/medium bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch (or flour of choice), cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cardamom (if using). Stir with a spoon or a whisk. Also add maple syrup, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and stir again.
- Pour the mixture over the sliced apples and stir to coat them evenly, then spread into an even layer.
- Remove the streusel mixture from the refrigerator and sprinkle it over the apples. You can also add finely chopped nuts of choice (optional).
- Bake in the oven until the streusel topping is golden brown and the apples are fork-tender, about 40-45 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before you serve the apple crisp. Enjoy with dairy-free vanilla ice cream, vanilla sauce, or caramel sauce.
Notes
Video Of The Recipe
- Flour: I used gluten-free flour (90 g rice flour + 30 g tapioca flour, but you can use a store-bought GF all-purpose flour blend or regular wheat flour (if you are not gluten-free).
- Apples: Use your favorite baking/cooking apples, for example, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Braeburn. You could use two tarts apples (e.g. Granny Smith) and two sweeter apples (e.g. Honeycrisp, Gala, or Braeburn). Please note that you might need to add more sugar if using only tart apples.
- Liquid sweetener: You can use any liquid sweetener of choice, e.g. maple syrup, agave syrup, rice malt syrup, etc.
- Optional add-ins: Feel free to add chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, almonds, etc. for a crispier crumble topping. I also like adding raisins or dried cranberries to the apple filling.
- The recipe for the caramel sauce can be found in the recipe notes of these Apple Cinnamon Crepes.
- Check the step-by-step photos and helpful tips in the blog post above.
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
Wow, wow, WOW!
I’m just eating this after lunch.
This is one of the best desserts I’ve made.
Thank you!
Awesome! So glad you liked it, Mirta. 🙂
This is by far the BEST apple crisp I have ever had!!! Very decadent!!..I’ve never been a fan of oats in the strudel topping ..so I for one was very thrilled I found your oat-free version..I feel very blessed to have stumbled across your amazing recipes..Thank you for all your hard work!!
You are so welcome, CJ! I am glad it turned out delicious. 🙂
For the streusel topping, is it possible to substitute the coconut oil with coconut butter or will the topping not bake correctly? Hoping to make it this weekend ! ! !
That should be fine, as long as the coconut butter is slightly runny (and you might need a little more). 🙂
Looks yummy!! You mentioned you made yours gluten-free. What type of rice flour did you use (ex. brown rice, white rice, etc)? Thanks and excited to make this!
Hey Lisa, I used white rice flour, but brown should work too. 🙂
Husband loves this – coupled with (almond milk) custard, he says it tastes “choclatey”. I can see where he’s coming from. I used light brown sugar.
Fab recipe.
So glad to hear, Annette! 🙂
Hi,
Great recipie! Can the streusel be made with almond flour?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Shira, I never tried using solely almond flour (I used a mix in this vegan apple pie). You will most likely need less oil then. 🙂
I’m not vegan but following a FODMAP diet and can’t tolerate oats so the topping has been great. I use regular butter and brown sugar and it’s still delicious. I also can’t tolerate apples so I use it over berries instead. Delicious!
That’s good to hear, Shari! Thanks for your great feedback. 🙂
Delicious ????
I made it and I loved!!
Thank you very much Michaela, your blog is an inspiration for me! I’m learning a vegan lifestyle with you! ????
That makes me so happy! Thanks for telling me. 🙂
This is just like a heaven in my mouthe! 🙂 So delicious.! Thank you for all your vegan recipes. ????????I am not a good cooker but when I use your recipe, everyone enjoys a lot and is interested how I did it ????
Aww, that’s awesome, Jitka. I am so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
Thank you for this great recipe! Since i had to change my digestion to a gluten free one because of health issues, i made this crumble a few times and its really delicous and my boyfriend loves it too with some icecream on top! Awesome! Not too sweet, perfect texture and really delicious!
That’s fantastic! Thanks so much for your great feedback, Conny. 🙂
amazing! made it 2x so far, everyoneeee loves it
I am so glad you like it, Kristina. 🙂
Temperature is dropping and this recipe seemed like the perfect dessert! It was really good – tasted exactly like the oats version. I added an extra apple because there didn’t seem to be quite enough apple as a base in the pan. I don’t eat much sugar so I’d reduce next time but everyone raved about how good it was and went back for seconds!
Awesome! I am so glad you liked it, Heather. 🙂
I am looking forward to making this for thanksgiving. I made something similar many years ago, using orange juice as the liquid, and it was so good! Thank you for the oat-free version. I am one of the few that cannot tolerate them, so I usually cannot eat apple crisp. ????
You are very welcome, Jenn! 🙂
I was all in for this recipe because of the yummy looking, caramel, drizzle on top. Did you make it from scratch? Or at least what brand? Thank you! I’m not vegan Btw
Hi Cam, I share the recipe of the caramel sauce in the recipe notes of my Apple Cinnamon Crepes I might make a separate blog post soon though. 🙂
Tried the recipe and my whole family liked it a lot. The apple filling was sweet enough but not too sweet and the streusel topping was crispy! Honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing and I am looking forward to make it again, hehe. PS I posted a photo on Insta.
Sounds great, Larissa! I am so glad your family enjoyed them. Thanks for your great feedback, and I will check out your photo on Instagram. 🙂
Apple Crisp without oats is not Apple Crisp! Firstly, oats are naturally gluten free. Secondly, there are companies that produce certified “gluten-free oats”.., i.e. this just means the oats are processed in an environment where there is essentially no cross-contamination with other gluten products. I really don’t see the advantage of this recipe bc oats are a heart-healthy grain, that lowers cholesterol & offers natural fibre into your diet.
Alie, I know that a regular apple crisp contains oats and I also write about it in detail in my blog post (not sure if you read it though)! However, this recipe was highly requested by many of my readers, as some people simply do NOT tolerate oats at all, or do NOT have access to gluten-free oats! For example, I get lots of messages from my Australian readers/followers that gluten-free oats are not easily available in Australia, and they ask me what other grains/flours they can use. Btw. I love oats and use them in many of my recipes (I am sure you have noticed…), however, if I get a lot of recipe requests, I will try to fulfill them, and this is one of those recipes!
Can we just add in the oats?!
And how much?
Sure, I would say add about 1/2 cup oats and reduce the flour by 1/4 cup. I think that should work (haven’t tried it though). 🙂
Awesome ???????? thanks!!!
Your recipes are so great!
Thanks for the compliment! 🙂
Wow. Brutal comment to the blogger. Uncalled for.
A few yrs ago, we thought we’d try adding in certified GF oats as our diets were soooo restricted. And getting pressure from non-gf people about us “needing” oats in our diet… Our (then) 8yr old reacted HORRIBLY to certified GF oats. Multiple times before we figured out what caused it!! Blinding headache would hit him and he’d collapse on the floor where ever he was and be bawling with pain!! It was brutal!!! Removed certified GF oats and he’s been 100% for the past several yrs! Please don’t discredit people who can’t tolerate oats. I’m forever grateful that some bloggers include oat-free recipes!! ???? So, many many thanks Ela!! ????
You are very welcome, Kerri! So sorry what happened to your 8-year-old back then. Sending love. 🙂