Your dessert table deserves these delicious vegan apple crisp bars.
My hack to desserts people actually love for you to show up with are things they can eat by just grabbing. I know it may sound simple, but while everyone loves cakes and pies, they really love when they can just grab and keep going.
Not only can you do that with these bars, but they are truly decadent and delicious!
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Why You’ll Love Apple Crisp Bars
- Handheld – Apple Pie + Apple Crisp but in handheld form. It’s absolutely the best of both worlds.
- Flavor – This needs simple ingredients, but comes with big flavor. You will love how it all comes together. Especially if you pair it with the caramel drizzle.
- Ease – This recipe is simple to make! It’s perfect for when you want a quick dessert or you need something last minute!
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Vegan Apple Crisp Bars Ingredients
Gather your ingredients:
Apples
Just like in apple pie, granny smith apples are best for this recipe since they are firm and don’t get mushy when baked. Their tart taste also balances the sugar and spice.
Substitute: Pink Lady could also be used. Alternatively, you could also do this with pears.
Oats
You want to make sure you are using rolled oats for the best texture at the end. Oats help with the texture and mouthfeel.
Substitute: Quick oats can be replaced, only in a pinch, but often times can absorb liquid more quickly or cook faster. We only recommend this if a must.
All-Purpose Flour
You’ll need flour for both the shortbread crust and the crisp topping. A simple flour is all you need for the perfect bars.
Substitute: Gluten-free 1:1 flour can also be used.
Lemon
The lemon helps to balance the tart and sweetness for all the other ingredients.
Substitute: Lime juice and orange juice could also be used.
Plant-Based Butter
The oil from the vegan butter helps with the richness of the recipe, but also helps with tenderness and moistness in the texture.
Substitute: Coconut oil could also be used.
Brown Sugar
Our sugar is in all three parts of the recipe for balance and flavor.
Substitute: Granulated coconut sugar or date sugar could be substituted.
Spices and Vanilla
We’re using cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and vanilla for the ultimate layering and bringing this all together.
Substitute: You could substitute the spices for an apple pie spice instead in the apple filling. Replace with 1 ¾ teaspoon of apple pie spice in place of all the warming spices. You’ll still want to add salt and vanilla separately.
Full recipe and amounts listed below.
Vegan Caramel Ingredients:
In addition to the ingredients above, if you want to make the caramel drizzle for the top, you’ll also need:
Cane Sugar
To make the perfect caramel, melting sugar will crystalize to make a delicious homemade caramel.
Substitute: We haven’t tried to make this with other sugars at this time.
Coconut Milk
Full-fat canned coconut milk mimics heavy cream perfectly and is easy to use and cheaper than a vegan heavy cream.
Substitute: A vegan heavy cream will also work.
Other Vegan Handheld Desserts To Try:
🥳 Get the Full Recipe
Vegan Apple Crisp Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (150g)
- ½ cup plant based butter, room temperature (113g)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (25g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Apple Filling
- 2 tablespoons plant based butter
- 4 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about 1.5–2 lbs / 680–900g)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (67g)
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice (optional)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Crisp Topping
- ¾ cup brown sugar (150g)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- ½ cup rolled oats (45g)
- 6 tablespoons plant based butter, room temperature (85g)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: drizzle of caramel sauce + flaky salt for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
- Make the Shortbread Crust: In a medium bowl, mix 1 ¼ cups flour, ½ cup butter, 2 tablespoon brown sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt until crumbly. Press evenly into prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside.
- Apple Filling: In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add 4 sliced apples, ⅓ cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoon water, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 ½ tablespoon flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon each salt and cardamom, and ⅛ teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice. Stir well and cook 5–7 minutes, until apples soften slightly and the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in ½ teaspoon vanilla.
- Layer the Apples Spread apple filling evenly over baked crust, pressing gently with a spatula to compact into an even layer.
- Make the Crisp Topping: In a medium bowl, use a fork to combine ¾ cup brown sugar, ½ cup each flour and rolled oats, 6 tablespoon butter, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over apple layer and lightly press down.
- Bake: Return pan to oven and bake 35–40 minutes, until topping is golden and apples are soft.
- Let bars cool completely before slicing in desired size. Drizzle with caramel sauce and sprinkle with flaky salt if desired. Serve as is or with vegan vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Video
Nutrition
Vegan Apple Crisp Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can prep this up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge, covered, until ready to eat.
Either! They are amazing served warm, but they don’t have to be.
This is DELICIOUS!! I dont usually bake but I trust everything andrew makes because I make it and everything is always SOOO nice! So glad I made this yesterday. The flavour and the texture is perfect! Thank you!
Thank you so much! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!