Luscious gluten free apple pie with an apple filling smothered in a sweet layer of cinnamon and nutmeg, complete with a buttery-like gluten-free pie crust. Everyone loves this tried and true recipe – it’s the real deal and a reader favorite!
Traditionally, apple pie is served most often in the fall, when apples are in season, but it’s also a popular Thanksgiving dessert. But please don’t limit this deliciousness to just a holiday recipe. Gluten-free pie should be served year-round – for birthdays, holidays, celebrations, or simply because.
This recipe also inspired my recipes for gluten-free pecan pie and gluten-free pumpkin pie!
Ingredients
- Gluten-Free Pie Crust– With just a few ingredients (gluten-free flour, starch, xanthan gum, salt, palm shortening, and water), you can have a homemade crust ready to go in no time!
- Apples– I recommend Granny Smith apples since they are firm and tart, and keep their shape when baked.
- Coconut Sugar– This is a natural, plant-based sweetener that typically won’t spike your blood sugar. Overall, coconut sugar is much healthier than cane sugar, as it’s less processed. It has a sweet caramel flavor, which makes the apple pie filling extra decadent.
- Sorghum Flour and Arrowroot Starch– This flour/starch thickens the apple pie filling.
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg– These warming spices are classic ingredients in apple pie.
- Almond Milk– Since this recipe is vegan, the small amount of almond milk called for in this gluten-free apple pie recipe takes the place of an egg wash on the top crust. You can use whatever dairy-free milk is your favorite, it doesn’t have to be almond milk. The milk gives the organic cane sugar sprinkled on the top crust something to stick to.
- Organic Cane Sugar– The organic cane sugar will caramelize on top of the pie dough as the pie cooks.
How To Make Gluten-Free Apple Pie:
Prepare the Gluten-Free Pie Crust: This includes mixing it, rolling half of it, and fitting it into a 9-inch pie plate.
To Make the Filling: Slice the apples, and then toss them with the coconut sugar, sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
To Assemble the Pie: Place the apple mixture in the prepared pie dish. Roll out the remaining half of the pie crust dough, and gently place it on top. Trim away excess dough and flute as desired.
Bake: Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake per recipe instructions (below).
Cool: Place on a wire cooling rack and cool to warm or room temperature.
Substitutions
Coconut Sugar– You can use organic cane sugar instead.
Sorghum Flour and Arrowroot Starch– If necessary, you can substitute with your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
Gluten-Free Homemade Pie Crust– Although prefer homemade, you can use a premade store bought.
Apples– While I call for Granny Smith in this recipe, you also can use these other tart apple varieties:
- Honeycrisp – big and juicy apples that are tart but still have a little bit of sweetness that shines through when they are cooked
- Pink Lady – tart and crunchy apples with a sweet finish
- Sweetango – these apples remind me a lot of Honeycrisps in taste and texture
Tips For The Best Gluten-Free Apple Pie
- Ensure you give yourself enough time to make the apple pie and allow it to cool to warm or room temperature before serving. Cooling takes several hours, at least 3-5, so plan accordingly.
- Slice the apples at the same thickness to ensure even baking. I like to use a food processor to cut my apples, but you can slice them by hand.
- Use a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate to accommodate all of the apple slices. The apples will cook down during baking, so don’t be afraid to pile them high.
- You do not need to prebake the gluten-free pie crust or the apple filling.
- Place your pie on a baking sheet before baking. This ensures any run-off from the pie juices won’t burn at the bottom of your oven but on the baking sheet.
- You do not need pie shields; however, each oven is different. If your outer pie crust edges are browning too quickly, you can use pie shields or strips of aluminum foil. Place the foil gently around the outer fluted edges.
- When the pie is done baking, it will be golden brown on top, and the apples will be soft. As the pie cools, the apples will continue to steam and cook.
FAQ
What Temperature Do You Serve Traditional Apple Pie
It can be served cold, at room temperature, or warm; it just depends on what your personal preference is. I enjoy my apple pie at room temperature or warm – with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream!
Can I Make This Pie In Advance
My gluten-free pie crust recipe is not just tender and flakey, but it’s a workhorse pastry. It will not become soggy if you make your apple pie the day before you want to serve it, so go for it! You can either bake it the day before or assemble the whole pie, wrap it in plastic, and bake it the day you want to serve it.
Can I Freeze The Entire Pie
I don’t recommend it. Freezing changes the texture, and it just won’t be the same. For best results, serve fresh.
Can I Use This Recipe To Make Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie
Yes, though you’ll only need a bottom crust. Sprinkle your favorite crumb topping on the top of the apples and bake per recipe instructions.
And if you want to forgo the crust altogether, try my gluten-free apple crisp.
Storage
This vegan apple pie contains no dairy in the crust or the filling. It will be fine sitting at room temperature for several hours, but overall, it’s best to store leftover apple pie in the refrigerator. Cover your pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Serve leftover pie cold or warm in the microwave for a few seconds, and then top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes
- No Bake Apple Pie from Nicole of Allergylicious
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Gluten-Free Victoria Sponge
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cake
This recipe was originally published in November 2013. Blog post and recipe card updated to include better instructions and notes in August 2023.
Gluten-Free Apple Pie
Luscious Gluten-Free Apple Pie with an apple filling smothered in a sweet layer of cinnamon and nutmeg, complete with a buttery-like gluten-free pie crust.
Ingredients
- 2 Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipes
- 6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼" thick
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons sorghum flour
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon almond milk (or your favorite dairy free milk)
- 1 teaspoon organic cane sugar, optional
Instructions
- Follow the directions for the Gluten-Free Pie Crust Recipe (make sure to double the recipe), and roll out one of the crusts and fit it into a 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Do not trim down the excess dough from the edges of the pie crust.
- Place the sliced apples in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the palm sugar, sorghum flour, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Sprinkle the mixture over the apples and toss to coat.
- Place the apple mixture in the pie shell, including any juices that may have accumulated.
- Roll out the second pie crust and gently place it on top.
- Trim the overhanging pie crust dough edge about 1 inch from the rim of the pie plate. Fold and roll the top pie crust under the lower crust and flute as desired.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully cut a series of slits, at least 4-8, in the top of the pie crust so the steam can escape.
- Brush the crust with almond milk (you may not need to use the entire teaspoon), and sprinkle it with the cane sugar.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch drips), and bake in a preheated 425 degree (F) oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees (F) and continue baking for another 45-50 minutes. The pie will be done when the crust is golden brown, and the apples are soft (carefully insert a knife in one of the steam slits to test the softness).
- Cool for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
I use organic cane sugar on the outside of the crust because it caramelizes beautifully. I recommend omitting it altogether if you don't want to use organic cane sugar. I do not recommend substituting coconut sugar because it could burn instead of caramelize.
Recommended Products
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 367Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 182mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 6gSugar: 35gProtein: 3g
Amber says
Oh Megan…You’ve outdone yourself with this pie. Just beautiful. You are on fire with your recipes lately! So great.
Have a great week.
Megan says
Amber, thank you, sweet friend! Hugs!
Joanne Peterson says
Your pie looks very artistic and delicious! I will have to try your recipe. At our local oriental store, they sell whole nutmeg very reasonably priced, and fresh nutmeg is so fragrant. It is almost like a different spice when used from the whole piece.
Did you use the pie crust shaper that was listed on Amazon?
I used to make a whole foods streusel topped one crust apple pie. From reading your posts on pie, I think I’m getting brave enough to try some more experimenting with family favorites.
Blessings,
Joanne
Megan says
Hi Joanne,
Thank you! Fresh nutmeg isn’t readily available here, so I always use the pre-ground, but I bet fresh would be absolutely wonderful in this pie. I can almost smell it now… I love the smell of nutmeg – especially fresh grated!
I use the 14-inch Pie Crust Bag to roll out my crusts. I think it is so much easier to use vs. parchment or wax paper.
Your streusel topped apple pie sounds delicious… family recipes are the best recipes. I can’t wait to hear about what you create!
Hugs,
Megan
Kate {Eat, Recycle, Repeat} says
yum!
Joyce says
I am so making your pie crust recipe, and apple pie too! I have searched the Internet for a good pie crust which is gluten free, and now my search is over! I didn’t find a good one… I found a great one! Thank you Megan!
Megan says
Joyce, you bless me with your comments! 😉 I have no doubt you’ll love the crust – and the pie! Happy early Thanksgiving to you and your family!
Miz Helen says
That is a beautiful pie and it looks delicious. Thank you so much for taking the time during this busy season to share your wonderful post with Full Plate Thursday. Have a wonderful weekend and hope to see you again real soon!
Miz Helen
Miz Helen says
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate.
Miz Helen
Kirk says
Can you prep the pie in advance, freeze, and then bake the day of Thanksgiving?
Megan says
Hi Kirk,
That’s a great question, and the honest answer is I don’t know; I’ve never tried it. I think it *might* do okay, but I’d also imagine there would be some texture changes too… But again, I’m sorry I don’t have a real solid answer for you on this one! If you do try it, would you please come back and share the results?
😉 Megan
Anna B says
I made two pies with this recipe for Thanksgiving! I used vegan shortening (palm, soy, etc) because I couldn’t find pure palm shortening in Anchorage. Haven’t eaten the pies yet but the preview pie turned out great! Thanks so much for all your experimentation.
Yvette says
Hi Megan! I have been on the hunt for a vgf pie recipe and this one is great! I tried it last night, and though the texture while rolling is divine, I kept thinking ‘it’s gluten free – it won’t hold together!”. So I made it a bit too thick. To my surprise, it is very flaky and crispy (like fried tortilla) on the edges, which is nice, but different than the crust I’m trying to emulate. I’m wondering if I rolled it thinner and maybe with a bit of rice bran flour (I used a produce bag – they don’t stick so no extra flour), it would be slightly more doughy, for lack of a better word? I’m seeking that soft pie pastry feel. I wonder if I may have added a bit too much shortening, as well?
Anyways, just wanted to thank you. It’s delicious the way it is :). Of course you will agree that pie is always a matter of what you visualize as the ultimate pie experience!!!
Yvette says
Ok – I think I answered my own question! I think I put too much water in the crust and it got hard. Still delicious, but hard. So I spent a little time researching and someone suggested a spray bottle for water – so you can just add enough to get it to come together. AND you can put it in the fridge in advance. Also, I will chill everything and try harder to keep it all cold while working. I think I let things get a bit warm between mixing and rolling.
Emily Rose says
This pie looks (and sounds) absolutely delicious!
Sandi Gaertner (@sandigtweets) says
This pie looks amazing. I would never guess that was a gluten free crust! I can’t wait to try out this recipe for my self….(well, I guess I will share the pie with my kids 🙂
Jacqueline says
Really an amazing recipe. I made this yesterday for a family (a non-gluten free/vegan family) dinner and had great reviews! Best apple pie recipe I’ve ever used!
Megan says
Thank you so much for the glowing review, Jacqueline! I’m so happy you (and your guests) enjoyed it! Thank you! 😉
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says
Oh, can you make me one for Thanksgiving? 🙂 LOL YUMMMMMM Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you share this week! Its LIVE!
Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com
Thuy Burritt says
Thank you so much for a great recipe. We made it yesterday and it turned out to be a lovely pie. What a treat for me who has so many intorlerances and has given up baking for a year! Will try the pumpkin pie next since it’s about Thanks Giving.
Megan says
This makes me SO happy! Very glad you enjoyed it. 😉 Happy Thanksgiving!
Pam Solomon says
This pie crust looks devine! Does it have to be prebaked before adding the apple filling?
Megan says
No, no need to prebake! ;D
Shataia Whitney says
I cannot THANK YOU enough for the best apple pie I have ever made –including in my pre-gluten-free days. The crust was flaky and delicious and the filling was perfect in flavor and not too juicy –and I didn’t even have to alter it to use coconut palm sugar. I did have to make a few substitutions (extra sorghum for the rice flour since we have completely altered our diet to be arsenic free and Earth Balance sticks instead of palm shortening). I also refrigerated the dough before baking so it was especially flaky. My non-gluten-free father-in-law LOVED it and had 2 slices! This pie was the highlight of my Thanksgiving dinner. Thanks again for sharing!
Megan says
Thank you so much for the high praise, Shataia! So very happy you all LOVED it! 😉
Cindy says
Oh, and I forgot to say I used coconut oil instead of palm. That actually added a rather yummy flavor, though it isn’t identifiable as coconut.
Erin says
Megan, how well does this pie hold? Would I be able to bake it a day ahead of serving?
Megan says
Hi Erin,
It holds up VERY well. I made all of my pies a day before Thanksgiving, and you would have never known. 😉
Erin says
Thanks Megan. I ran out of oomph yesterday anyway, so am baking my pie today for our post-Thanksgiving turkey dinner with friends. This way the house will smell extra yummy when the guests arrive.
As always, your recipes are a great addition to our meals. Thank you for all you do.
Megan says
Awe… Erin… Thank you so much for that. I appreciate your sweet comments – so much!
Luny says
I found your recipe today and baked my Thanksgiving apple pie (for tomorrow) and it came out so good! I had to add my comment to your long list. I know it will be the hit and I know it tastes great coz some of the good sauce bubbled over on cookie sheet and I tasted it! It smells so good in my kitchen! Please keep me posted if you do anymore pies or desserts gluten & dairy free. Thanks again. Like I said- this is the hit of the table!! (Dessert table, that is!)
Megan says
I’m so happy to read this, Luny! 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it – thank you!
Susan says
Over the years I’ve probably tried no-thank you bites of a couple dozen different apple pies — store bought, restaurant made, home crafted by friends & family, etc. but I have never cared for apple pie. It has been far down the list of desserts I enjoy — until now! A friend made this pie for my family when we were visiting with her recently and I had a piece to be polite, kinda dreading having to eat it but whoa! It was AMAZING! I gobbled it up and scraped the plate to get every last delicious morsel. I have literally been dreaming about this pie ever since, so I asked for the recipe. She pointed me to this page and gave me her substitutions — she didn’t have arrowroot so she used corn starch, and she brushed the top of the pie with egg white rather than milk, and she used Pink Lady apples instead of granny smith. I just made two pies and I can hardly wait for them to cool. This is my FIRST attempt ever at baking apple pies, which I never thought I’d be doing — but they look amazing and smell heavenly. We’re having apple pie for breakfast! 🙂
Megan says
Hi Susan,
What a flattering compliment! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave me a comment! I’m overjoyed to hear my recipe changed your mind about apple pie! I can’t tell you how much that means to me!
Hugs,
Megan
Donna says
Do you have all of the delicious recipes in a Book ? I would to have your pie crust recipe and those wonderful sounding pies. Thank you !
Megan says
Donna, you are sweet! No, no book yet. Hopefully one day! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Susan cucchiara says
Hi! I can’t find the recipe for the gf vegan apple pie! I am a naturopathic doctor I’ll share your blog!
Megan says
Hi Susan, you can find that RECIPE HERE. Thanks!
Christy says
I’ve made this Pie many times. The only thing I would change I’d half lemon, I can really taste the lemon and I don’t like that. That is too much. I tone it down to less than half and it is great.
Megan says
Thanks for sharing!
Jenny says
Yum! Looks amazing!!
Aaron says
If I can’t find Sorghum flour is there a substitute I can use?
Mēgan says
Hi Aaron, I’d use more millet and brown rice flour.
Alicia says
So, so yummy!!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!? I used a generic gf flour blend and it turned out great. Probably my favorite gf or regular Apple pie ever!! What a blessing!
Mēgan says
Your comment is a blessing to me! Thank you, Alicia. I’m really happy you enjoyed it.
Yvonne says
With all the different types of flour used in recipe, what flour do you use for dusting?
Mēgan says
Hi Yvonne,
Sometimes I use brown rice flour, and sometimes I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 flour (just depends on what I have on hand). 😉
Shafrina says
This is the best gluten free pie crust and the best apple pie recipe! It is loved by all, including gluten full friends and family. Thank you 🙏
Mēgan says
Thank you so much for the high praise! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!