Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe

There is something genuinely heartwarming about the Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe that makes it a perfect companion for cozy autumn evenings or festive gatherings. This pie combines tender, cinnamon-spiced apples with a delectably crumbly topping that is both vegan and indulgent, offering a delightful blend of textures and flavors that will have everyone asking for seconds. Whether you’re catering to dietary restrictions or just seeking a classic fall dessert with a plant-based twist, this recipe is a winner that fills your home with the most inviting aromas and your guests with pure delight.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The magic of this Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe lies in its simply wonderful ingredients, each playing a vital role. From the sturdy but tender whole-wheat pastry flour that forms the crust, to the perfectly spiced crumble packed with oats and brown sugar, every component brings its own charm to the table.

• Whole-wheat pastry flour (¾ cup + ¾ cup): Provides a wholesome, slightly nutty base for both the crust and crumble topping, offering great texture and flavor.
• All-purpose flour (¾ cup): Helps balance the crust’s tenderness and structure, ensuring it holds the filling beautifully.
• Cane sugar (1 tablespoon): A touch of sweetness enhances the crust without overpowering the natural apple flavors.
• Sea salt (½ teaspoon + ¼ teaspoon): Elevates all the flavors, balancing the sweet and spicy notes perfectly.
• Coconut oil (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon + ⅓ cup): Solid yet scoopable, it replaces butter and adds richness while keeping the recipe vegan.
• Whole rolled oats (⅓ cup): Adds a wonderful chew and rustic charm to the crumbly topping.
• Brown sugar (⅓ cup): Brings warmth and caramel-like depth to the crumble.
• Cinnamon (1 teaspoon): The quintessential spice that gives the pie its inviting, warm aroma and flavor.
• Nutmeg, cardamom, or ground ginger (¼ teaspoon): Optional but recommended for a subtle layer of complexity in the spice profile.
• Granny Smith or Gala apples (3 pounds, peeled and thinly sliced): The star of the pie, these apples balance sweet and tart notes to perfection.
• Fresh lemon juice (1 tablespoon): Keeps the apples bright and prevents browning while adding a hint of freshness.
• Vanilla (1 teaspoon): Softens the fruitiness and enhances the overall aroma.
• Maple syrup (2 tablespoons): Naturally sweetens the apple filling with an elegant touch.
• Cornstarch (1 tablespoon): Thickens the filling, ensuring it’s perfectly luscious without being runny.

How to Make Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe

Step 1: Prepare the Pie Crust

Start by whisking together your flours, sugar, and salt to create the base mixture. Then, using a food processor, mix half of this with the coconut oil until it forms a crumbly texture reminiscent of coarse sand. Adding the remaining flour and pulsing helps create a dough with just the right consistency. Slowly sprinkle in ice water and gently fold the dough until it binds into a smooth, cohesive ball. Chill the dough wrapped in plastic for 30 minutes — this rest time ensures a tender, flaky crust after baking.

Step 2: Roll and Shape Your Crust

After chilling, roll your dough out on a floured surface to a 12-inch circle. Handling the dough with care to prevent cracks, transfer it to your pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges for a beautiful finish and chill again for another 30 minutes as you prepare the filling and topping. This step is crucial: a well-chilled crust holds its shape and creates that perfect bite.

Step 3: Prepare the Crumble Topping

Blend flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and your chosen spice in a food processor before pulsing in the coconut oil until the mixture is crumbly. If it feels too dry, a splash of cold water can help the crumble form lovely, larger clusters that will bake into a crisp, golden topping.

Step 4: Make the Filling

Toss your thinly sliced apples with a zing of lemon juice, the warmth of vanilla, maple syrup’s sweetness, and cornstarch to thicken everything up. Mix until the apples are well-coated with this glorious blend and ready to fill your chilled pie crust.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake the Pie

Fill the crust evenly with the apple mixture and generously sprinkle the crumble topping over it. Bake the pie initially for 30 minutes, then cover lightly with foil and rotate for another 15 to 20 minutes until the apples soften and the crust turns a beautiful golden brown. Let it cool for an hour to allow the flavors to fully develop and the filling to set before slicing.

How to Serve Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe

Garnishes

A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream beautifully complements the warm spices and tender apples, adding a creamy contrast that feels indulgent but still light.

Side Dishes

Pair your pie with a hot cup of chai tea or a rich, dark coffee to bring out the cinnamon and maple notes. For an extra cozy touch, serve alongside roasted nuts or lightly salted caramel sauce drizzles, inviting a delightful range of textures and flavors.

Creative Ways to Present

For special occasions, serve individual mini crumble pies in ramekins or glass jars with a decorative sprinkle of toasted oats on top. Adding a cinnamon stick or fresh apple slices for garnish turns this simple dessert into a showstopper that will wow your guests.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftover pie covered tightly with foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This way, you can enjoy the comforting flavors all week long without worrying about freshness.

Freezing

If you want to prepare this pie ahead of time, it freezes beautifully. Wrap your assembled, unbaked pie securely and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready, bake it directly from frozen, allowing extra baking time for a perfectly cooked dessert.

Reheating

To reheat, gently warm slices in an oven or toaster oven at 325°F for about 10-15 minutes. This method maintains the crispness of the crumble topping and warms the filling without drying out the crust.

FAQs

Can I use different types of apples in this pie?

Absolutely! While Granny Smith and Gala apples provide a great balance of tartness and sweetness, mixing apple varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji can add interesting flavor layers and texture to your Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe.

Is it necessary to use whole-wheat pastry flour?

Whole-wheat pastry flour delivers a tender crumb and slightly nuttier flavor ideal for this pie, but if unavailable, you can substitute with all-purpose flour, though the texture may be less rustic.

Can I make this pie nut-free?

Yes! This recipe is naturally free of nuts, but always double-check your ingredients if you have allergies, especially spices or oats that might be processed in facilities handling nuts.

What if I don’t have coconut oil on hand?

While coconut oil provides a wonderful flavor and texture, you could substitute it with vegan butter or another solid plant-based fat. Just make sure it’s solid at room temperature for the best results in your crumble and crust.

How do I prevent the crust from getting soggy?

Chilling the crust before baking and using cornstarch in the filling helps prevent sogginess. Blind baking the crust slightly before adding the filling is another option, but with this recipe’s method, you should achieve a beautifully crisp crust.

Final Thoughts

This Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe is a true celebration of fall flavors and comforting textures that everyone can enjoy. Whether sharing it with family or bringing it to a dinner party, it’s a dessert that’s as nourishing as it is delicious. I hope you give this recipe a try and love every bite as much as I do!

Homemade Vegan Apple Crumble Pie Recipe

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4 from 15 reviews

This homemade apple crumble pie is a delightful vegan dessert perfect for fall gatherings. Featuring a spiced brown sugar crumble topping and a tender apple filling in a whole-wheat pastry crust, it delivers classic autumn flavors with a dietary-friendly twist.

• Author: Paula
• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

For the crust:

• ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour (3.25 ounces)
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour (3.25 ounces), plus more for rolling
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut oil, solid, but still scoopable*
• 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

For the crumble topping:

• ¾ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• ⅓ cup whole rolled oats
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, cardamom, or ground ginger
• ⅓ cup firm coconut oil*

For the filling:

• 3 pounds (8 medium) Granny Smith or Gala apples, peeled & thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat and all-purpose flours, cane sugar, and sea salt. Transfer half the flour mixture to a food processor and add coconut oil by large tablespoons (about 8). Pulse 12 to 16 times until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the remaining flour mixture and pulse 8 more times until it looks like coarse sand.
2. Form the dough: Transfer the mixture to a bowl, sprinkle in ice water one tablespoon at a time, and fold gently with a rubber spatula until dough sticks together. Knead lightly until smooth, form into a 1½-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out the dough: On a lightly floured surface or parchment, roll dough into a 7-inch circle. Flip, dust with flour and continue rolling to a 12-inch circle. Let rest if too firm, add flour if sticky, and patch cracks if needed. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, trim edges to ½ inch, and crimp edges with fingers. Chill 30 minutes while preparing topping and filling.
4. Make the crumble topping: Pulse together flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and chosen spice in a food processor. Add coconut oil and pulse until crumbly. If dry, add cold water by tablespoons until larger clumps form. Set aside.
5. Prepare the filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, toss peeled and thinly sliced apples with lemon juice, vanilla, maple syrup, and cornstarch until evenly coated. Optional: add extra cinnamon if desired.
6. Assemble and bake: Fill prepared pie crust with apple mixture and evenly spread the crumble topping over it. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, then lightly cover with foil, rotate pan, and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.
7. Cool and serve: Let the pie cool at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. Enjoy with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Notes

• If your coconut oil is melted, refrigerate it for 10 to 15 minutes until solid but scoopable to achieve the right texture.
• Use Granny Smith apples for tartness or Gala apples for sweetness according to preference.
• You can add extra cinnamon or ground spices to the filling if desired for more flavor complexity.
• Handle the dough gently and avoid overworking to keep the crust tender.