Easy dairy-free apple crumble is a baked dish of spiced apples topped with a golden, crispy crumble invented during World War II as an alternative to apple pie. But this recipe is made without butter, and it's vegan.
Apple crumble is a delicious dessert of baked tart apple slices in a delicious cinnamon and brown sugar syrup and topped with a crumbly type of struesel made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and fat. Typically, this fat would be butter.
However, THIS dairy-free apple crumble recipe uses vegetable oil, and it contains no butter or margarine, so it's vegan.
Apple crumble was created by frugal housewives in Britain during World War II as an economical alternative to traditional apple pie, since flour, butter, and sugar were strictly rationed. Also, making the crumble is also much easier than making pie dough.
Of course, today, one can always buy the pie dough, but still apple crumble is a different kind of delicious apple dessert than apple pie.
The American version of apple crumble is apple crisp, which contains oats and/or nuts and was invented in the mid-1920s, so approximately 15 years before the start of World War II.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a crumbly texture using oil instead of solid butter?
Because this recipe uses oil instead of a solid fat, make sure you mix the oil thoroughly into the dry ingredients until it forms a coarse, clumpy meal. Then, scatter it evenly over the apples rather than packing it down so it bakes into a light, crumbly crust.
Why did the apple filling come out too liquidy?
While the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch are included to thicken the juices as the Granny Smith apples release their natural moisture, cutting into the crumble straight out of the oven can cause the sauce to seem thin.
Let the dish rest for about 10 to 15 minutes after baking so the cornstarch and fruit juices can fully set into a rich syrup.
Can I leave the skins on the Granny Smith apples?
Yes, you can leave the skins on if you prefer a more rustic texture and extra fiber, though peeling them ensures a completely tender bite.
Granny Smith apples are the ideal choice here because their natural tartness balances the brown sugar and their firm flesh prevents the filling from turning into applesauce.
Why is my topping floury or dry in spots?
Since oil blends differently than solid fats, ensure you stir the dry ingredients well after adding the oil and vanilla (if using) so every bit of the flour and cinnamon is moistened.
Pinching small handfuls of the mixture together before scattering it over the filling helps create those classic, desirable crumble clumps.
what is the difference between using granulated sugar and brown sugar?
The short answer is that while white granulated sugar is just pure sweetness, brown sugar is white sugar with molasses mixed into it.
Here is how that change affects your baking:
- White sugar is neutrally sweet. Brown sugar tastes like rich caramel or toffee.
- White sugar makes things crisp and light. Brown sugar traps moisture, making baked goods (like brownies) dense, soft, and extra chewy.
- Brown sugar is dark and wet; white sugar is dry and clear.
Tip: If a recipe calls for brown sugar and you're completely out, you can make your own by thoroughly mixing a tablespoon of molasses into a cup of regular white granulated sugar, and that will give you light-brown sugar. If you want dark brown sugar, you need to mix in more molasses.
What is the difference in using oil vs. butter or margarine?
Both margarine and butter are solid fats at room temperature, and both contain more saturated fats than oil.
While margarine and butter will change from a solid to a liquid when heated, they will change back to solids when cooled again. Oil stays liquid at all temperatures. Oil also coats flour better in the preparation process before baking.
Butter "creams" better than margarine, but one cannot cream oil at all.
When converting a recipe from butter or margarine to oil, the general conversion rate is 1 to ¾ (although if you are doing more than one batch, you might need to reduce the oil because I have found that baked goods come out oily in this case).
And when converting from oil to margarine or butter, typically the ratio is 1 to 1¼, and from margarine or butter to oil, the ratio is typically 1 to ¾.
What is the difference between real vanilla extract and imitation vanilla?
Real vanilla is made from soaking vanilla beans in alcohol, imitation vanilla is synthetic, and real vanilla costs quite a bit more than imitation. Whether or not there will be a taste difference in your baking depends on the baked good, so do some research before you decide.
I personally always use the imitation as long as I have a really good brand because it's not worth it to me to spend the extra money.
What's interesting about apples?
Apples are fat-free and relatively low in calories. They have impressive health benefits and are rich in nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, and help support heart health and digestion. They are also believed to possibly help lower blood sugar.
Apples originated in Central Asia, where they grew wild thousands of years ago. They spread along the Silk Road trade route and have been cultivated in thousands of varieties all over the world, although there are only several dozen that can typically be found in grocery stores.
Some of the more popular types of apples include Granny Smith, Delicious, Honey Crisp, Gala, Pink Lady, and Jonathan. Different types of apples have different flavors, textures, and colors. Apples are made up of skin, pulp, and approximately 25% air.
Apples are eaten fresh as well as being used in a variety of ways, such as in cooking, baking, salads, smoothies, and to make cider.
A lot of recipes for apple baked goods call for Granny Smith apples in the ingredients. Granny Smith are green tart apples that are firm and hold their shape and won't get mushy when baked.
Pink Lady apples are similar in that they are also firm, but they have a balanced tart-sweet flavor. Honeycrisp, on the other hand, is a very sweet apple that is a softer type, similar to Gala apples, but the Gala have a milder sweetness.
Contrary to popular belief, apples are not native to North America, but rather it was the early colonists from Europe who brought trees and seeds. Apples thereafter became an important food, and cider became a common drink, so settlers established apple orchards.
Who hasn't heard the legend of Johnny Appleseed? Well, he was a real person, and his name was really John Chapman. John distributed apple seeds across the Midwest U.S. so that apples could be grown for making cider. And this is how he earned the nickname Johnny Appleseed.
Sometimes, TV shows and movies will mention cyanide made from apple seeds used as a poison. While it is true that seeds from apples contain amygdalin, which can release cyanide, an adult would typically need to crush and eat a very large amount of apple seeds for this to be a problem.
So, if you swallowed a few, you probably don't have to worry. Still, it is highly recommended not to let young children or pets have apple seeds.
Love apple desserts?
Easy Dairy-Free Apple Crumble Recipe
Quick and easy to make, delicious vegan apple crumble, made without butter.
Ingredients
FILLING
- 2 ½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped or sliced, as desired
- ½ cup white granulated sugar or brown sugar (or a mixture of both)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, real or a good imitation
- ½ teaspoon salt
TOPPING
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup oil
Instructions
1. Filling
Mix the apple, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt in a large mixing bowl, then pour into an 8" or 9" square baking pan that has been coated or lined and spread into an even layer.
2. Topping
In the same or in a clean mixing bowl, pour the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and oil and gently stir with a fork until it becomes crumbly. Scatter the topping evenly over the layer of filling.
3. Place the pan in an oven that has been preheated to 350°F and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the top has become a golden brown and you can see the liquid bubbling through.
4. Let cool before serving. Top with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 521Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gSodium: 475mgCarbohydrates: 95gFiber: 3gSugar: 55gProtein: 5g
