These Vegan Pecan Crumble Baked Apples with Coconut Milk Caramel are the most perfect, easy dessert addition to your Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving table! The apples are filled with an oat pecan crumble mixture which is out-of-this-world good, and the caramel sauce is made with coconut milk and coconut oil instead of cream and butter! The only thing these cozy baked apples need is a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Preheat oven to 350℉. Begin by prepping the apples. Using a sharp knife, cut just the tops off of the apples to expose the flesh. Using a spoon, scoop out the insides, leaving about ¼’’ flesh around the edges. Discard the seeds, core, and flesh (or save for another use!) Lightly sprinkle the cavities of the apples with cinnamon.
Make the crumble. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, flour, coconut oil, brown sugar, pecans, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir until combined.
Fill each apple generously to the top (it’s ok if a little spills over!), and place in a baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until crumble is golden on top, and apples are tender.
While apples are baking, make the coconut milk caramel. In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat slightly and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until volume has decreased and caramel has developed a deep amber color. Be careful here - the caramel can boil over and/or burn in an instant, so watch closely! Once caramel has reduced, stir in the vanilla, coconut oil, and salt. Let cool - caramel will thicken upon standing.
Serve apples warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a generous drizzle of coconut milk caramel!
*Caramel sauce will keep for up to 2 weeks in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or in the fridge for longer! In that case, you might need to microwave it to loosen it back up!
*Gluten free all purpose flour can be substituted for a gf option!