Cardamom Apple Crisp (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar Free)
Oct 26, 2022, Updated Apr 25, 2024
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I can’t think of a more comforting fall dessert than Cardamom Apple Crisp. It’s a wonderfully warming dessert with a jammy apple filling, packed with big flavor from cinnamon and cardamom, and sweetened just right with maple syrup. Its topping—made from rolled oats and maple syrup (which becomes caramelized as it bakes)—provides a crunchy contrast to the crisp’s moist interior.
What is the difference between a crisp, crumble and cobbler? I so often hear people refer to all fruit based desserts like this referred to as ‘crumbles’ but there are actually some distinct differences between the three! A cobbler topping is made of biscuit dough that is poured over the fruit filling. A crumble is a dessert that has a streusel-like topping made from sugar, flour and cold butter. A crisp, like this Cardamom Apple Crisp, has oats in the topping instead.
A quick note for my gluten-free friends, be sure to use gluten-free oats to avoid cross contamination if you have a sensitivity!
Serve warm with coconut whipped cream as I do, or with regular whipped cream or ice cream and you’ll be in heaven! Did I mention that this recipe is Dairy Free and Refined Sugar Free?
Watch Me Make My Cardamom Apple Crisp
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How To Make My Cardamom Apple Crisp
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2. In a large bowl, combine all the topping ingredients and mix with your hands until it starts to clump together.
Step 3. In a medium bowl, gently toss apple with the filling ingredients until combined.
Step 4. Transfer to a baking dish, cast iron skillet, or deep dish pie plate. Set aside.
Step 5. Arrange the topping evenly on the filling and bake for 45-50 minutes until the fruit is soft and bubbling and the top is golden brown.
Step 6. Serve warm with coconut whipped cream as I do, or with regular whipped cream or ice cream.
Step 7. Enjoy!
Baking is all about creating the right balance, whether that means choosing the right apples for your crisp or spices to add more depth of flavor. Apples come in a range of flavors and sweetness and the sweetness of the apple determines how much we need to sweeten the recipe. I’m a big proponent of using what’s on hand, and this week is was a mixture of Gala and Granny Smith apples, so I have added a moderate amount of maple syrup to the recipe, however if you’re using more tart apples, you may need to add a touch more maple syrup! Alternatively, if you’ve gravitated towards more sweet varieties like Golden Delicious or Gala, you may want to add a little less according to your preferences.
What Else Can I Use?
- You can use whatever apples you have on hand – a crisp is the perfect dessert for using up whatever is leftover in the fridge.
- You can also swap out apples for any mixed fruit. Rhubarb and Strawberries are a personal favorite.
This Cardamom Apple Crisp is special because:
It’s a quintessential fall dessert that features seasonal ingredients
It’s vegan, gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free!
It has a delicious balance of crunchy and moist in every single mouthful
It’s versatile – use whatever apples you have on hand or add a mixture of seasonal fruits
More Recipes For Apple Picking Season?
Harvest Bowl Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Everyday Apple Tart (Gluten Free)
If you make my Cardamom Apple Crisp, and I hope you do, please leave me a comment here and rate the recipe. Your feedback means a lot to me! You can also post to Instagram and tag me so I can share your creations!
If you like full recipe videos, you’ll want to follow me on Facebook and Youtube as I publish new videos daily!
Cardamom Apple Crisp (Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Refined Sugar Free)
Ingredients
Topping:
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ cup coconut oil, just barely melted
- ¼ cup pure maple Syrup
Filling:
- 7 cups Apple (or Mixed Fruit), large fruit cut in a 1 inch dice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons maple syrup
- Juice from ½ a lemon
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make the topping: In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix with your hands until it starts to clump together. Pinch dough together to achieve some clumps. This won’t take long.
- Make the filling: In a medium bowl, gently toss the fruit with the rest of the ingredients until combined. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish, cast iron skillet, or deep dish pie plate. Set aside.
- Arrange the topping evenly on the fruit filling and bake for 45-50 minutes until the fruit is soft and bubbling and the top is golden brown. Cover with foil halfway through if it’s browning too quickly.
- Serve warm with coconut whipped cream as I do, or with regular whipped cream or ice cream.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe is so quick and easy to make. I have made it several times with great success. I have also made it with pears which was delicious.
I have substituted butter for coconut oil on occasion and it works well with that too but is obviously not dairy free or vegan, which is fine for my household.
I’m so glad you love this, Ellen!
Enjoy,
Kat.
This recipe is not gluten-free unless gluten-free oats are used. Most commercially sold oats are NOT gluten-free. Bob’s Red Mill makes a great GF oatmeal.
Thank you for the reminder Jodi!
I’ve added a note to the recipe to ensure no one misses this.
Enjoy,
Kat.
I’m assuming the calorie count is for the entire recipe, correct?!
There was a miscalculation – it should be correct for you now!
Enjoy!
Kat.
Allergic to coconut. What can I use instead of coconut oil? This looks so delicious!
Sofia,
A sunflower or vegetable oil would work well as they’re both very neutral-flavoured oils!
Enjoy!
Kat.