Raw Vegan Caramel Apple Crumble

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Why you’ll love this Raw Vegan Caramel Apple Crumble

• Naturally sweetened – this recipe gets all of its sweetness from dates and maple syrup. Dates contain sugars trapped in networks of fiber, which lowers their glycemic index. Both dates and maple syrup are better than refined sugars because they also come packed with micronutrients like potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
• No oven required – this recipe is ideal for no-fuss baking in the warmer months
• Vegan and gluten free – an apple pie that can satisfy a variety of diets
• Fiber rich – just one piece delivers 8 grams of fiber to support digestion!
• B vitamin boost – thanks to the oats, you’ll be getting a over a quarter of the daily recommended intake for thiamin (B1), plus plenty of riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3) and pantothenic acid (B5) from just one slice. 
• She’s a showstopper – there’s something so satisfying about pulling away an extra tall slice of apple pie, and this recipe certainly delivers!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Crust

Oat flour: purchase premade gluten-free oat flour or grind up your own oat flour at home using old fashioned or quick-cook oats. Oat flour is the main base ingredient in the apple pie crust. 

Maple syrup: to gently sweeten the crust and help bind the oat flour together.

Water or plant milk: for moisture and binding. Use plant milk for an extra boost of protein!

Cinnamon + Salt: flavor enhancers that boost the natural sweetness

Filling

Apples: you’ll need 5 medium-to-large size apples, about 150 grams each. See the apple variety guide below! 

Dates: dates are the base of a naturally sweetened, quick and simple raw vegan caramel sauce. I love using joolies dates – they’re grown organically in california and certified glyphosate-free.

Water: added to the dates for a creamy and thick spreadable date caramel.

Vanilla: to add a touch of depth to the caramel sauce.

Crumble

Steel cut oats: a nutrient powerhouse with a lower glycemic index than rolled or instant oats. Their unique shape gives this raw crumble the perfect texture.

Pecans: a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and a deep, earthy flavor profile reminiscent of cinnamon and graham crackers.

Dates: nature’s caramel. A few handfuls go into the crumble topping to bring a sweetness that compliments the caramel apple filling. I love using joolie’s dates for all my date-sweetened recipes!

Cinnamon: the only spice we need when it comes to apple pie! Cinnamon, apple, and pecans go together like Harry, Ron and Hermione.

How to Make Raw Apple Crumble

1. Make the crust:
Whisk together oat flour, cinnamon, and salt. Add maple syrup and water, then knead until a soft dough forms. Add extra water if the dough seems a bit dry. Press into your springform cake pan or a deep pie dish.

2. Prepare the caramel:
Blend dates, water, and vanilla in a high speed blender (not a food processor) until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

3. Slice the apples:
See expert tips below for perfect slices that layer beautifully.

4. Build the pie:
Toss apple slices with the date caramel. Pile high over the crust.

5. Make the crumble:
Pulse toasted oats, pecans, cinnamon, and dates in a food processor. Sprinkle generously over the apples. Chill for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Expert Tips

Slicing the apples

Thinly sliced apples that are still slightly clumped together are the key to getting a clean slice that looks impressive, too. Start by slicing the apple into four sections around the core, so that each section has a flat base to place face-down on the cutting board. Make thin, even slices lengthwise to each of the four sections, holding the section together with your non-knife hand. Finally, cut each of the four sliced sections in half.

Dry toast the crumble

This pie is delicious raw! BUT dry toasting the pecans and steel-cut oats really enhances their flavors. Dry toast them for 3-5 minutes on a pan over the stove until fragrant and slightly darkened, then add them to a food processor with the rest of the crumble ingredients.

Springform Pan

Using a springform pan is the best hack for presentation – it’s nearly impossible to cleanly remove a pie from a classic pie dish. A springform pan, however, has removable sides so that when the pie is ready to serve, you can pop the entire pie out of the pan and show off that super tall crust. This tip is simply for presentation – if appearance means little to you, then by all means use a traditional pie dish (but still – the deeper, the better!)

Apple Variety Guide

FAQ

Can I bake the apple crumble?

Yes! While it’s developed as a raw recipe, you can bake it if you prefer a warm crumble. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. Tent with foil halfway through to avoid burning the pecans.

Can I use another fruit?

Definitely! Pears, cherries, peaches, or blueberries would work best with this recipe’s flavor profile. Swap in about 6 cups of fruit and toss with the date caramel before pouring them over the pie crust.

Can I make it nut-free?

For a nut-free version, swap the pecans for sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds in the crumble topping. The result will still be buttery and delicious, but with a slightly more grassy flavor profile compared to the pecans’ earthiness.

Do I need a food processor?

A food processor makes blending both the crust and crumble easier, but you can use a blender and get the same results with just a bit more patience.

What size pan should I use?

A 9″ springform cake pan works perfectly for this recipe. If you are using a smaller dish, expect a taller pie (and even more impressively tall slices!) or only add a

Recipe Card

Raw Vegan Caramel Apple Crumble

Print Recipe

A no-bake spin on apple pie that's stacked with a thick layer of caramel apple filling and topped with a buttery pecan-oat crumble. This double-crusted caramel apple crumble is perfect for no-fuss baking and entertaining.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword apple, caramel, cinnamon, crumble, dates, gluten free, maple syrup, no bake, no dairy, no oil, oats, pecans, pie, raw, refined sugar free, vegan

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Servings 10 slices

Calories 340

Equipment

• Food processor or blender
• 9" springform cake pan or pie dish (the deeper the better)

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 ½ cups oat flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 3 tbsp cold water

Filling

• 5 medium apples
• 10 medium medjool dates
• 8 oz water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Crumble

• 2 cups pecans
• 2 cups oats
• 18 medium medjool dates
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Caramel Sauce

• Start by adding 10 pitted dates to a blender along with 8 oz of water. Blend on high until a smooth sauce forms. Add the vanilla and blend a bit more to incorporate. Set aside.

Pie Crust

• Using the blender from the caramel sauce (no need to wipe clean – the remaining sauce will help the crust come together), add the crust ingredients (oat flour, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and water) and pulse to incorporate. The mixture should stick together when squeezed in your fist.
• Transfer the crust to the springform cake pan or pie dish and press the sides first, then work towards the center for an even base layer.

Crumble Topping

• To the same blender (again, no need to wash so long as you have continued in the order listed), add the crumble ingredients. Pulse 10 – 15 times to create a coarse crumble. DO NOT OVER MIX. The goal is to keep the mixture textured and crumbly.

Apples

• Slice the apples verrrry thinly. The thinner the slices, the better, since we aren't baking them to soften the texture of the filling. Slice the apple around the core to create 4 sections with flat bottoms. Slice each each section lengthwise into thin slices, holding the sliced section together as you go with you non-knife hand. After slicing each section lengthwise, make one slice down the middle (horizontally now) to cut the slices in half. Repeat for all the apples.
• Toss the apples together with the caramel sauce in a large bowl to coat.

Assemble

• Add the caramel apples overtop of the prepped crust. Use a spoon or spatula to level out the apple layer so the top is even.
• Sprinkle the crumble overtop of the apple filling. This recipe makes extra crumble, so be as generous or as stingy as you'd like!

Notes

For extra crumble:

Add any leftover crumble topping to a blender along with some extra dates (2-3) and water (1-2 tbsp) and pulse until a sticky dough forms. Roll the dough into balls using your hands and viola! You have some cinnamon pecan truffles for a sweet snack 🙂

Recommended Products

9″ Springform Cake pan

Amazon Link

14 cup food processor

Amazon Link

Joolies dates

Amazon link

Did you try this recipe? Leave a rating and review in the comments below – I’d love to hear your thoughts!