Sheet Pan Apple Crisp

One of my favorite sources of recipe inspiration has been Real Simple magazine. Each issue features a "Big Batch" recipe along with five easy meal ideas built around it. Those pages are generally the first ones I flip to because they're filled with simple, approachable recipes that are perfect for adding a plant-based twist.

This Apple Crisp is one of those recipes that needed almost no changes to become completely vegan. The only substitution I made was replacing the butter with vegan butter—everything else stayed wonderfully simple. The result is a warm, comforting dessert with tender apples, a buttery oat topping, and all the cozy flavors of cinnamon and brown sugar.

I recently brought this Apple Crisp to a backyard barbecue and served it warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. Everyone loved it, and no one realized it was entirely plant-based until I mentioned it afterward. That's my favorite kind of recipe—one that's easy to make, delicious to share, and proof that vegan desserts can be just as comforting and crowd-pleasing as the originals.

I hope this recipe becomes a favorite in your kitchen, too. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) vegan butter, divided, plus more for baking sheet (Earth Balance or Miyoko’s)

8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 cup packed brown sugar, divided

3/4 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with butter. Microwave 4 tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl on high until melted, about 30 seconds.

Toss together apples and lemon juice on prepared baking sheet, drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt and toss until well combined and the apples are thoroughly coated. Spread mixture in an even layer.

Cut remaining 12 tablespoons of butter into 1/2-inch pieces. In a mixing bowl combine oats, flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add butter pieces. Using your clean fingertips, squeeze butter into oat mixture until moist clumps form and no dry bits of flour remain. Scatter evenly over apples on baking sheet. This mixture should cover the entire pan.

Bake until topping is golden and crisp, 50-55 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.