Gluten Free Apple Pie

This is the BEST gluten free apple pie recipe. It’s packed with fresh spices, a rich apple flavor, a buttery flakey crust. This is an absolute crowdpleaser for your Thanksgiving spread.

I’m not sure why it’s taken my over 7 years to get a gluten free apple pie recipe on the site, but now we finally have one! I’ve been loyal to my gluten free apple crisp over the years, but nothing hits quite like a classic apple pie and this recipe is exactly that- just without the gluten.

My gluten free pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie are favorites for Thanksgiving and Fall in general, but nothing hits quite like an apple pie does. This recipe is packed with warming spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg plus two types of crispy apples, a buttery gluten free pie crust and perfect served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Serve this after some of my other Thanksgiving favorites like my gluten free mac and cheese and olive oil mashed potatoes.

Quick tips before we bake!

• You can use a store bought pie crust if you prefer, but most store bought gluten free pie crusts are just the base- you will need to then also make the top portion. I do like the one from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods has several great options in the freezer section.
• If you notice the crust browning too much before the center is done, you can use a pie shield or tent the pie with foil to prevent it from burning.
• Apple pie filling is sometimes gluten free if it uses cornstarch as the thickener. Some recipes, however, use flour which make it not gluten free. This recipe uses a gluten free crust and GF flour in the filling.

Key ingredients & swaps

Apples. Obviously the star of the show. When it comes to apple pie, I like using half honeycrisp and half granny smith apples to get some flavor variety. They are both more firm apples which hold up better when baked, but granny smith have a more tart flavor, whereas honey crisp are more juicy and sweet.

Apple sauce. You won’t find this in all apple pie recipes, but I think it’s a must! I love the saucy bits you get from a baked apple pie and the apple sauce creates a concentrated but natural flavor that I just love.

Sugar. A bit of white sugar and brown sugar will sweeten the filling, then some sanding sugar (which is essentially course white sugar) will go on the top of the crust before baking. You can use all brown sugar or all white sugar in the filling if you prefer, but I love a mix of both.

Spices. To keep the flavor consistent, we’ll make our own DIY blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves instead of using a store bought apple pie spice which proportions can be different brand to brand.

Butter. We’ll melt the sugars with some butter on the stove to create our sauce then add to the sliced apples. You can use vegan butter if you need to make this dairy free.

Flour. I used a gluten free 1:1 baking flour to thicken the sauce. This will ensure we have a thick sauce once the pie is baked and nothing is soupy or soggy.

Crust. I suggest using real butter for the crust. You can definitely use a store bought crust if you prefer! Or simply place the top crust on top instead of doing the lattice.

How to make gluten free apple pie

First prep the pie crust and place in the fridge to chill. Next, peel and core the apples and slice into roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. Add to a large mixing bowl and toss with the lemon juice and 1/3 cup of white sugar. Set aside.

In a small pot, melt the butter over medium/low heat and whisk in the brown sugar until dissolved. Whisk in the apple sauce, flour, spices and vanilla. Let simmer for 1-2 minutes over low heat, then remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then combine with the sliced apples.

Meanwhile, roll out the bottom portion of the pie crust and arrange in your pie dish. Transfer the prepared apples on top. I suggest transferring about 1 cup of apples at a time and packing them in so they are nice and snug in the pie. This will help with slicing later and ensure things stay together.

Apply a lattice top and use an excess to create a crimped edge around the pie. Place your finished pie in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit.

Whisk up the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Once the oven has preheated, brush the egg mixture on top of the crust, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. You can use another kind of sugar here, but sanding sugar is courser and will bake up really nicely.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400, then decrease the temperature to 350 and bake an additional 40-50 minutes. If you notice the crust browning too much, use a pie shield or tent the pie with foil. When the edges are bubbling and the crust is a deep golden brown, you’ll know it’s done.

Let chill at room temp for 1 hour, then in the fridge for another hour to ensure it’s really set. You can warm it up before serving. I like mine with vanilla ice cream and my homemade gluten free caramel sauce.

How to store

This gluten free apple pie keeps in the fridge for 5 days and the freezer for up to 3 months. You can make it in advance, either just the crust, filling or both and will save you time when you want to serve!

You can serve the pie right from the fridge or warm up in the microwave or pop back in the oven at 300 for about 10 minutes. For a frozen pie, I suggest thawing in the fridge then warming up in the oven at 300 until warm.

Fall sweets to try next!

• Pumpkin Donuts
• Gluten Free Apple Bread
• Gluten Free Pumpkin Cake

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