Dairy-Free Apple Crisp
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
The delicious, rich crisp topping has delicious depth in flavor that pairs perfectly with naturally sweet-tart apples. I'm lazy sometimes, and don't peel the apples. The peel does add some interest, but I would peel the apples if you want a more seamless bite. Serve this dessert as is, or with your favorite dairy-free vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Serves: 9 servings
Ingredients
  • 4 medium to large apples, cored, optionally peeled, and sliced (about ⅛ to ¼-inch thickness)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
  • 1 cup quick oats
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
  • ½ cup dairy-free buttery sticks or spread
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and grease an 8x8-inch or 9x7-inch baking dish.
  2. Put the apple slices in your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle on ½ teaspooncinnamon, and toss the apples to evenly distribute the spice. Shake the pan to level out the apples.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, brown sugar, flour, remaining ½ teaspooncinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Add the butter alternative and combine with a fork until big, coarse crumbs of relatively even size form.
  4. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apples, covering any bare spots as much as possible.
  5. Slowly drizzle the maple syrup, in a thin stream, all over the crumb topping. As it bakes, the maple "locks in" the crumb.
  6. Bake the apple crisp for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the apples are tender and the topping is light golden brown. The maple syrup creates a seal over the apples, so they will keep cooking a bit, even after you've removed the crisp from the oven. So use caution not to overbake the crisp.
Notes
Apple Notes: I usually end up with about 5 to 7 cups of sliced apples. The amount of sliced apples doesn't need to be exact, but I like to use a minimum of 5 cups. Keep in mind that they do cook down quite a bit. Also, you can cut the apples into chunks, instead of slices, if you prefer. Large diced apple can be easier to eat! See the post above for recommendations on the types of apples to use.

Vanilla Option: Stir ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract into the vanilla before drizzling it on.

Whole Wheat Option: Substitute whole wheat pastry flour for the all-purpose flour. The taste will be just slightly heartier. If you use regular whole wheat flour, the crumb will be noticeably denser. Whole wheat pastry flour has a lighter, finer grind.

Berry Option: You can toss a cup of seasonal fresh berries with the apples for more flavor contrast. Blueberries and raspberries are popular.

Nut Option: You can reduce the oats by ¼ to ⅓ cup and add the equivalent amount of chopped nuts. Chopped walnuts or pecans or sliced almonds go nicely.

Butter Alternative Note: I use a salted dairy-free butter alternative. If you opt to use an unsalted option, I would add a little very fine salt, maybe ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon, to taste.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1/9 recipe Calories: 235 Fat: 8.8g Saturated fat: 2.2g Carbohydrates: 38.2g Sugar: 24.6g Sodium: 86mg Fiber: 2.0g Protein: 2.1g
Recipe by Go Dairy Free at https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/dairy-free-apple-crisp