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You don’t want to miss this 5-star apple cranberry crisp recipe! It is a great twist on the classic apple crisp dessert and shines at holiday celebrations. It makes the perfect homestyle comfort dessert that’s good for the soul, especially on a cold fall day. 

completed Apple Cranberry Crisp with a piece plated on a small white pplate against a white background

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Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love this Apple Cranberry Crisp Recipe!

Apple Crisp is an all-time fall favorite in my house. The only thing that improves upon the sweet buttery-ness of an apple crips is a the tart tang of cranberries added in! It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart holiday flavors that bring guests back for more!

This cranberry apple crisp recipe makes a bubbly, sweet, and delicious comfort dessert that impresses any guest. It’s the simplest and most delicious vegan apple cranberry dessert you can make. With just a few ingredients, it’s totally doable for any level of cook – whether you’re new to cooking or just busy with other dishes in the kitchen. Just beware, once you make it you may be asked to bring it to every potluck and holiday party!

This delicious apple cranberry dessert is a dream with coconut whipped cream or a scoop of homemade vegan ice cream. Looking more another crisp recipe? You’ll love this easy nectarine crisp.

Ingredients for a Cranberry Apple Crisp

All you need are a handful of simple, easy-to-find ingredients to make the best apple cranberry crisp with rolled oats! Let’s take a look at the most important ones. For the full list and quantities, check the recipe card and attached grocery list.

ingredients for Apple Cranberry Crisp measured out against a white surface
  • Flour: I use all-purpose but you can substitute almond flour or your favorite flour.
  • Sugars: This recipe uses both brown (either light or dark) and white sugar. 
  • Vegan Butter: Contributes to the rich, buttery flavor of the crisp topping but without any dairy. 
  • Rolled Oats: Use regular old-fashioned oats (not the quick kind) for more texture. 
  • Lemon Juice: For this recipe, it’s ok to use fresh squeezed or concentrate.
  • Cinnamon: Adds a hint of warm sweet spice to the healthy apple cranberry crisp.
  • Dried Cranberries: Using dried cranberries makes this dish easier to make year around. Have a bag of fresh cranberries? Turn them into my orange cranberry sauce.
  • Apples: Choose your favorite baking apple, but I enjoy cooking with Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, and Cortland.

How To Make Apple Cranberry Crisp Vegan

Keep scrolling to the recipe card for the complete recipe instructions!

Preparation Step

  • Start making this delicious dessert by preheating the oven to 375 degrees F.
process of mixing brown sugar into bowl of oats

Step 1: In a large bowl, use a pastry cutter or knife to cut the flour, brown sugar, salt, and two tablespoons of sugar into the vegan margarine. Continue blending until it becomes coarse. 

oats and flour in a bowl

Step 2: Next add the oats and mix together by hand until it’s in pebble-sized pieces. Then put the bowl in the freezer so it can harden up a bit.

process shot of juicing lemon into bowl of apples

Step 3: While the mixture is in the freezer, mix the lemon juice, cinnamon, dried cranberries, and remaining sugar in a separate bowl with the chopped apples.

pre bakedmixture of apple and oat mixture in a baking dish

Step 4: After mixing, transfer the apple mixture to a baking dish and sprinkle the frozen topping thoroughly across the top. Finally, place in the oven and bake for 55-65 minutes. Once the top is golden brown and the apples are tender, remove it from the oven. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Toni’s Recipe Tips 

  • When chopping your apples, make sure to slice them thinly so they become fully tender. No one wants a crunchy apple in their apple cranberry crisp.
  • This apple cranberry dessert is best served freshly baked and warm. It will be okay for a couple of days, but the topping can start to soften up if left in the fridge for too long.
  • Any apple will do for this recipe, but a popular choice would be granny smith apples to prevent an overly sweet dessert. 

FAQs for Cranberry Apple Crisp

What is the best type of apple to use when baking?

There are many great apples to choose from, but Granny Smith, Cortland, and Honeycrisp are a few to try. You can even do a mixture of apples!

Does it matter what size I chop the apples?

It is best to cut the apples into small, consistent pieces so that they cook evenly and have a similar texture once cooked. Aim for one-quarter-inch slices when cutting the apples.

Can I make this dessert ahead of time?

This crisp freezes well for up to 3 months. Prepare as directed and freeze in an oven-safe pan. Thaw the night before and bake as directed.

Should I peel the apples when making a crisp?

When it comes to peeling apples or not peeling apples for this recipe, follow your heart. It’s a personal preference. So if the skins don’t bother you, keep them on to save yourself time and added nutrition.

completed Apple Cranberry Crisp with a piece plated on a small white pplate against a white background

Variations on Apple and Cranberry Crisp

Even though this recipe calls for apples and cranberries, you can make it with many different fruits. 

  • Not in the mood for apples? Use peaches, nectarines, or apricots instead. 
  • Don’t like cranberries? Try this healthy vegan dessert with other berries. If it is summertime, go to your local berry farm and pick some fresh blueberries or blackberries to substitute or add to this recipe!
  • Don’t have any cinnamon? You can also make this with pumpkin spice instead of cinnamon.
  • Want to make individual crisps? Make your apple cranberry crisps in individual ramekins instead!
  • Like nuts? Add some toasted walnuts or pecans to the topping!

Serving Suggestions

The best way to serve this is with a generous dollop of coconut whipped cream. For an added bonus, make some homemade caramel sauce and drizzle it on top!

Prefer Ice Cream? Make some homemade or serve it up with a scoop of your favorite vegan ice cream brand or banana ice cream.

Serve warm! For the best flavor, serve up this cranberry apple crisp with rolled oats when it’s still hot or warm (or warm it up in the over or zap it in the microwave briefly if enjoying leftovers!)

Storage Instructions

Prep ahead: You can prep this apple cranberry crisp ahead by preparing the filling and crumble topping and storing them separately in the fridge. Remove both from the fridge 20 minutes before baking, assemble, and bake as written.

Fridge: Once baked, leftovers will store, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Freezer: It is also freezer friendly for up to 3 months (either baked or fully assembled but unbaked). Simply thaw it in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

More Vegan Fruit Crisps to Enjoy!

If you tried this apple cranberry crisp recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks!

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Apple Cranberry Crisp

5 from 58 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
completed Apple Cranberry Crisp with a piece plated on a small white pplate against a white background
You don't want to miss this 5-star apple cranberry crisp recipe! It is a great twist on the classic apple crisp dessert and shines at holiday celebrations. It makes the perfect homestyle comfort dessert that’s good for the soul, especially on a cold fall day. 
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Ingredients 

  • ¾ cup of all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup of packed brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 2 tablespoons + ½ cup of granulated sugar divided
  • ½ cup of cold vegan butter cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup of rolled oats
  • 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup of dried cranberries
  • 6 apples peeled and chopped

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, use a pastry cutter or knife to cut the flour, brown sugar, salt, and 2 tablespoons of sugar into the vegan margarine, until it becomes coarse. Add the oats and mix together by hand into pebble sized pieces. Put the bowl in the freezer.
    process of mixing brown sugar into bowl of oats
  • Mix the lemon juice, cinnamon, dried cranberries, and remaining sugar in a bowl with the chopped apples.
    post mixing of apples and ingredients together in a bowl
  • Pour the apple mixture into a baking dish and sprinkle the frozen topping thoroughly across the top. Place in the oven and bake for 55-65 minutes.
    pre bakedmixture of apple and oat mixture in a baking dish

Notes

  • When chopping your apples, make sure to slice them thinly so they become fully tender. No one wants a crunchy apple in their apple cranberry crisp.
  • This dish is best served freshly baked and warm. It will be okay for a couple of days, but the topping can start to soften up if left in the fridge for too long.
  • Any apple will do for this recipe, but a popular choice would be granny smith apples to prevent an overly sweet dessert. 

Nutrition

Calories: 444kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 3gSodium: 316mgPotassium: 293mgFiber: 7gSugar: 47gVitamin A: 100IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 2mg

Additional Info

Author: Jake
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Method: Oven
Diet: Vegan
Tried this recipe?Please tag us at @PlantBasedOnABudget! 🙂
About

Jake

Jake switched to a plant based diet in 1996 and quickly realized he had no idea how to cook. All these years later and he’s still trying to figure it out…

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5 from 58 votes (45 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  4. 5 stars
    Cranberries and apples are the best combination! I love the mixture of sweet and tart in this recipe. Delish!

    Reply