A deliciously simple fall breakfast or dessert made vegan and gluten-free with satisfying ingredients like oats, nuts, chia seeds, and apples.
If you’re looking for a simplified apple crisp recipe for one, you’ve come to the right place! Sometimes I just crave a little taste of seasonal desserts like apple crisp and don’t want to make a huge mess of the kitchen making 20 servings of apple crisp. Just one serving is all you need to satisfy your sweet tooth sometimes. And this is the perfect recipe for that warm apple crisp craving.
About This Vegan Apple Crisp
Not all fruit crisps are made the same. Most traditional crisps are flavored with a buttery crump topping an extra sweet fruit filling. There is nothing wrong about these crisps whatsoever if that’s something you enjoy. But when I set out to make this apple crisp recipe, I wanted it to be free of dairy and gluten and simplified to one serving. I also considered when I’d be eating this sweet dish. Probably breakfast. Maybe for an afternoon snack. And I recognized that I needed to consider a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat to make sure this crisp was going to be a satisfying meal.
You’ll find plant-based protein from the rolled oats, nuts, and optional chia seeds. The apples, oats, nuts, and chia seeds also provide fiber-rich carbohydrates for energy and balanced blood sugars. Whether you enjoy coconut oil or vegan butter, the perfect amount of fat will help keep you satisfied while providing an amazing texture to this crisp.
As always, I encourage you to make this your own! Swap in pears instead of apples. Try hemp seeds or ground flax seeds instead of chia seeds. Make multiple servings for your friends and loved ones or to have a prepped breakfast for the week. Get in touch with your intuitive cooking senses. Don’t forget to add a fun topping like dairy-free vanilla yogurt, ice cream, or coconut whipped cream!
What You’ll Need:
- A microwavable large coffee mug or ramekin (or even a cereal bowl)
- Small mixing bowl
- Small spoon or mini spatula
- Metal fork
- Measuring spoons
- And a microwave… 🙂
The Goods:
- A small apple of any variety – I used a Gala apple because they are most affordable and regularly in my refrigerator. Feel free to use Granny Smith, Opal, Honey Crisp or which ever variety suits your fancy. Green apples will be more tart which can help balance the sweetness from the other sweeteners used.
- Chopped pecans or walnuts – These two types of nuts go really well with fall produce and taste exceptional when paired with apples. Purchase raw nuts as they are more affordable, then simply roast them in a skillet or the oven at home.
- Rolled oats – So good for the heart and soul, literally. Oats contain soluble fiber which is known to improve heart health and lower cholesterol levels. Purchase certified-gluten free if you have Celiac Disease or a gluten allergy.
- Coconut sugar – Brown sugar works, too.
- Coconut flour – Or all-purpose flour, almond flour, oat flour. Any flour you already have at home will work here.
- 100% maple syrup – Because who doesn’t love maple syrup flavor in the fall?
- Coconut oil – This is used in both the apple filling (melted) and crumb topping (softened at room temperature). You don’t need a lot, but you can easily swap this for vegan butter. Use a filtered coconut oil if you do not like the flavor of coconut.
- Chia seeds – For an extra punch of protein, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids! Easily omit these or swap them out for hemp seeds or ground flax seeds.
- Seasonings – Ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and some iodized salt. I explain why I cook and bake with iodized salt in the recipe demo here.
Tips for Microwaving This Apple Crisp
Microwaves are found in nearly every kitchen across America. The appliance can be extremely convenient by saving time and energy use. All microwaves vary, though. New models can be very powerful and cook extremely efficient. Older models may need a little extra time to put some oomph into the cooking process. Take note of the strength of your microwave before putting this apple crisp to the test. I microwaved my apple filling on high for just 30 seconds to help release some of the apples juices before adding the crumb topping. After adding the crumb topping, it only needed another minute on high to make my kitchen smell delicious. Depending on your microwave, climate and humidity, and the variety of apple used, you may need more or less time to cook this tasty dish.
If you like this Vegan Apple Crisp, you may also like my Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Pancakes and this Vegan Pumpkin Mousse by Chef and Registered Dietitian Abbie Gellman!
Microwavable Vegan Apple Crisp
Equipment
- Microwave
- Microwavable mug or ramekin
- Knife and cutting board
- Small mixing bowl
- Small spoon and fork
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 1 small crisp apple, finely chopped (any variety of choice; I used Gala)
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans (or nuts of choice)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp melted coconut oil (or vegan butter)
- 1 tsp chia seeds (optional; more as desired)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch iodized salt
- Pinch ground ginger (optional)
Crumb Topping
- 2 tbsp rolled oats (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tbsp coconut flour (or any flour you have such as AP flour, oat flour, almond flour, etc.)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, at room temperature (or vegan butter)
Instructions
- Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water.
- In a microwaveable ramekin or large mug, place chopped apple, pecans/walnuts, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, optional chia seeds, cinnamon, salt, and ginger. Stir to combine and thoroughly coat the apple in oil and syrup. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. This will begin to soften the apples slightly and release their juices.
- Make the crumb topping. In a small mixing bowl, stir together coconut sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined. Add coconut oil and use a fork to cut the oil into the dry ingredients creating smaller pieces. The mixture will clump together into large crumbs.
- Layer the crumb topping evenly over the apple mixture by placing small pieces sporadically over the apples until the apples are mostly covered. Place in the microwave on high for about 1 – 2 minutes. Cooking time will vary based on microwave, climate, and moisture content of apples. Remove dish carefully using a hot pad as the dish will be very hot.
- Allow to cool about 3-5 minutes before serving. Add a dollop of dairy free whipped cream, ice cream, or yogurt. Enjoy!
- Make multiple servings all at once for an easy breakfast, snack or dessert all week long. Leftovers should cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Video
Notes
- This recipe may also work well with a crisp pear! You can even try using half apples and half pears for some variety.
- I highly advise allowing the cooked crisp to cool for several minutes before enjoying as the steam produced from the apples is quite hot.
- If you have any nut allergies, simply omit the nuts and add another fun mix-in ingredient of your choice.