Fall means one thing: apple-picking season 🍎, and if you’ve come home from the orchard with more apples than you know what to do with, I have a delicious solution. These vegan apple crisp cookies channel all the goodness of a classic apple crisp into a cute, handheld treat, complete with plenty of cinnamon and a buttery oat crumble.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.
You guys already loved my vegan apple cobbler and vegan apple pie, so it only felt right to turn those cozy apple flavors into cookies next. Trust me, satisfying your sweet tooth doesn’t get much cozier than this 🤍
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Apple crisp, but make it a cookie. You get all those cozy apple crisp flavors wrapped into a cute little cookie 🍪
Perfect for apple season, and, in fact, one of the best vegan fall desserts you’ll ever try.
Easy recipe. No complicated techniques or fancy ingredients here. The cookie dough and crisp topping come together with simple pantry staples.
Triple-texture in every bite. Soft, chewy cookies meet tender apple pieces and a crumbly oat topping, with a sweet vanilla glaze to finish things off. Gosh, my mouth is watering!
100% vegan. These apple crumble cookies are completely egg-free and dairy-free, but still as good as the classics.
Ingredients for Vegan Apple Cookies
Cookie Dough
All-purpose flour. Spelt flour or gluten-free flour also work, just be sure to spoon whatever variety you’re using into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping straight from the bag, as too much flour can leave you with dry, cakey cookies.
Baking powder + baking soda. Yup, we’re using a little of both! Baking soda encourages spreading & browning, while baking powder provides more lift. Together, they create that sweet spot between a soft, thick center and lightly crisp edges (assuming they haven’t been sitting in your pantry for years 😬).
Cinnamon. Packed with a warm kick and some beneficial plant compounds; a double whammy! Regular ground cinnamon works perfectly here, but Saigon cinnamon is a great choice if you prefer a stronger, slightly sweeter taste.
Salt. Just ½ teaspoon balances all that brown sugar & cinnamon and makes the apple flavor pop. If your vegan butter is salted, you can slightly reduce the added salt.
Vegan butter. The secret behind the apple-cinnamon cookies’ rich flavor and soft texture. Use a stick-style vegan butter made for baking rather than a spreadable tub variety, which can contain more water (and affect how the cookies spread). Tip: Remember to soften, not melt, it! You should be able to lightly press a finger into the butter without it looking oily or runny.
Brown sugar. For a subtle caramel-like hint that pairs beautifully with apples. Light brown sugar is my go-to here, although dark brown sugar will work if you want a deeper molasses flavor.
Granulated sugar. A little white sugar alongside the brown sugar helps balance the moisture and encourages those crisp edges. I wouldn’t swap all of it for brown sugar, as the combination is what gives these cookies the perfect texture.
Vanilla extract. It gives your vegan apple crisp cookies that classic bakery-style sweetness.
Oat milk. My trusty dairy-free staple. I rely on it to add the extra moisture needed to bring our egg-free cookie dough together. Though oat milk is my favorite, soy or almond works, too, provided it's unsweetened and unflavored.
Fresh apples. The star ingredient ⭐ I always use Honeycrisp apples for almost all of my vegan apple recipes, and I highly recommend sticking to a sweet, crisp variety for this dessert too, particularly one that holds its shape when baked into cookies (examples include Gala, Fuji, Braeburn, and Granny Smith). Also, if you don’t mind a little apple skin showing through in the cookies, there’s no need to peel the apple; simply core and dice it. need help picking ripe apples, that link will give you gold!
Crisp Topping
Old-fashioned oats. The ingredient that puts the crisp in apple crisp cookies 😉 I wouldn’t suggest quick oats here, as they’re thinner & softer, so you might not get quite the same crumbly texture. There are tons of different types of oats, the link will give you more information.
Brown sugar. Sweetens the topping, plus adds a hint of caramel-y goodness.
All-purpose flour. The binder of these vegan apple cookies. It helps the butter, oats, and sugar clump together into those irresistible crumbs instead of leaving you with a loose, oat-y mess.
Vegan butter. Unlike the softened butter in our cookie dough, we want it fully melted this time.
Cinnamon. Because apparently one dose of cinnamon wasn’t enough! A little more in the crisp topping doubles down on that warm apple-cinnamon flavor.
Glaze
Powdered sugar. The sweet base for our glaze. Powdered sugar dissolves easily and gives you that smooth, drizzle-worthy consistency. If yours is looking a little lumpy, a quick sift will save the day.
Oat milk. To transform the powdered sugar into a pourable glaze. Start with 1 tablespoon, then add a little more at a time because you can always thin a glaze, but fixing one that’s too runny is another story!
Vanilla. Pure vanilla extract is my pick, but whatever you already have in the pantry will do.
How to Make Apple Cinnamon Cookies
Of all easy apple desserts, these easy vegan cookies have to be a front-runner, and you’ll see why once you bake them.
1. Make the crisp topping
Mix the oats, brown sugar, flour, & cinnamon with the melted butter until crumbly, and set aside.
2. Make the cookie dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
In a separate bowl, beat the vegan butter and sugars until creamy, then add the vanilla and oat milk.
Finally, stir in the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the diced apples.
3. Assemble & Bake
Scoop 2-tablespoon portions onto the baking sheets and gently flatten. Next, top each cookie generously with the crisp topping, pressing it lightly into the dough.
Bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Cool completely.
4. Glaze
We’ll make the glaze while the cookies cool down. Whisk the powdered sugar, oat milk, and vanilla until smooth. When done, drizzle over the cooled cookies and let set for a while.
5. Nom, Nom, Nom!
Your vegan apple crisp cookies are ready to be gobbled up 😋❤️
Frequently asked questions
Of course. Wrap the cookie dough tightly in cling foil and keep it in the fridge overnight. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before shaping & baking to get soft and moist cookies. You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 months!
If you have leftover baked cookies, they can be kept fresh in an airtight jar on the countertop for up to 5 days.
These apple crumble cookies are delicious all on their own, but serve them slightly warm with something creamy on the side, and they become a proper fall dessert.
For me, freshly baked apple cinnamon cookies + homemade vegan ice cream is hard to beat. A spoonful of fluffy coconut whipped cream or a drizzle of vegan caramel sauce (you can find the recipe here) tastes equally delicious. Oh, and did I mention the absolutely mouthwatering combo of apple cookies and homemade chai tea latte? Truly unbeatable, I’d say!
Final Words
Apple crisp in cookie form, what’s not to love? So grab those apples and get baking!
More sweet treats
- vegan oatmeal raisin cookies
- pumpkin chocolate chip
- apple cider donuts
- peppermint crinkle cookies
- pineapple shortcake
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup oat milk
- 1 cup peeled finely diced apple (about 1 medium Honeycrisp or Gala)
Crisp Topping
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon melted vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Glaze
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 –2 tablespoon oat milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Make the Crisp Topping
- Mix the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter until crumbly. Set aside.
Make the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat the vegan butter and sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and oat milk.
- Stir in the dry ingredients, then gently fold in the diced apples.
Assemble & Bake
- Scoop 2-tablespoon portions onto the baking sheets and gently flatten.
- Top generously with the crisp topping, pressing it lightly into the dough.
- Bake 13–15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Cool completely.
Glaze
- Whisk the powdered sugar, oat milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let set.
Notes
- Apples - Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, or Pink Lady work well. Dice the apple fairly small so the pieces soften as the cookies bake.
- Vegan butter - Use stick-style vegan butter rather than a soft tub variety for the best cookie texture.
- Don’t overbake - The centers should still look slightly soft when the cookies come out of the oven. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Glaze - Let the cookies cool completely before glazing or it will melt into the cookies.
- Storage - Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Hi, we’re Shayne and Kristina! I’m the chef and editor here at My Darling Vegan, and Kristina is the photographer and writer. Together we’re carrying on this space with the same focus on easy, flavorful vegan recipes that anyone can enjoy at home. Check out our
Leave a Reply