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In this post: This gluten-free apple pie recipe is the quintessential American (and Canadian) classic dessert…without the stomach ache-inducing gluten! Serve it with non-dairy ice cream or whipped cream for a complete holiday or anytime treat!


Served with ice cream, whipped cream, or a big hunk of sharp cheddar cheese (my dad’s favorite!), apple pie is THE classic (North) American dessert. But what happens if you can’t have gluten (or dairy)? Well, you make this delicious gluten-free apple pie and serve it with a non-dairy topping, of course!

gluten free apple pie from above in a glass dish, with one piece cut out with text overlay that says gluten free dairy free apple pie on the blog

Using a Pre-Made Crust or Crust Mix

Like I mentioned in my pumpkin pie recipe post, I’m not much of a baker to begin with – too much math and exact measurements to make those chemical reactions happen – but I find gluten-free pastry to be exceptionally difficult to work with. Try making it vegan (with no eggs) and it’s darn near impossible. So, I choose to stock up on pre-made gluten-free vegan pie crusts every couple of months.

We use pre-made frozen crusts by Wholly Gluten Free and we find them usually at the Superstore here in Ontario. They’re free of the top 9 common allergens and work really well as both dessert pie crusts and meat pie crusts!

wholly gluten free pie crust

You could also try a gluten-free pie crust mix if you’d like a little more of a made from scratch pie. Bob’s Red Mill has a pie crust mix made from gluten-free flour, as do several other brands, like Kinnikinnick.

How to Make Gluten-Free Apple Pie

Ingredients

  • Ready-made gluten-free vegan pie crust, or prepared pie crust mix placed in a pie pan or 9-inch pie dish
  • 4 cups apples, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup tapioca starch
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon butter or non-dairy substitute

Note: You can totally adjust the cinnamon and sugar up or down according to your personal taste preferences.

Tools you’ll need

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Instructions

  • Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice
  • Put the water, brown sugar, tapioca starch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until thickened, stirring a bit.
  • Add the apples to the pan and stir to coat.
  • Add the apple mixture to a prepared gluten-free pie crust. Top with a second crust or fancy cutouts from a second crust.
  • Brush melted butter or substitute on top of crust. (This makes a big difference with gluten-free crusts especially.)
  • Then place the pie pan on a baking sheet (to prevent burnt pie filling on the bottom of your oven) and bake according to the pie crust instructions.

Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below

gluten free apple pie from above in a glass dish, with one piece cut out

Serving Suggestions

Of course, apple pie with vanilla ice cream is the best. But you can also mix it up a bit and top your gluten-free apple pie with caramel ice cream, or non-dairy soy or coconut ice cream.

Or you could just add a bit ol’ dollop of whipped cream or a dairy-free version. If you’re feeling extra fancy add a wee sprinkle of cinnamon too.

Dairy-Free Whipped Topping Options

There are a few options when it comes to dairy-free whipped cream… 

Store-Bought Dairy-Free Whipped Topping

In the last few years, our local grocery stores have begun to carry coconut whipped cream in the fridge and freezer sections. 

Gay Lea makes one in a can, but I try to not buy that one as the spray tops tend to break, and then you’re stuck with a pressurized can of whipped cream that you can’t use.

So Delicious makes a coconut whipped cream in a tub, much like Cool Whip. But it’s entirely dairy-free. We like this one the best!

Homemade Dairy-Free Whipped Topping

Of course, you can always make coconut whipped cream from scratch. I’ve not had much luck consistently getting it to froth up really light and fluffy, but it can be done. The Minimalist Baker has a simple recipe here.

gluten free dairy free apple pie from above with a slice cut out

Storing Apple Pie

Baked pies can be stored wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge for 3-5 days. Be sure to wrap the pie plate gently but tightly so that the gluten-free crust doesn’t dry out. 

Can I Freeze Leftover Pie?

Yes! You can freeze leftover pie. Because apple pie has a decent moisture content you can freeze it well in the freezer. This makes it a perfect make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas! 

Be sure to cool the cooked pie fully. Then wrap it in several layers of aluminum foil and/or plastic wrap or seal it in a Ziploc bag that you’ve sucked the air out of to avoid freezer burn. 

Gluten-Free Apple Pie Recipe

gluten-free apple pie with one piece cut out

Gluten-Free Apple Pie

Yield: 8 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

This gluten-free apple pie recipe is the quintessential American (and Canadian) classic dessert…without the stomach ache-inducing gluten! Serve it with non-dairy ice cream or whipped cream for a complete holiday or anytime treat!

Ingredients

  • Ready-made gluten-free vegan pie crust, or prepared pie crust mix placed in a pie pan or 9-inch pie dish
  • 4 cups apples, sliced
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup tapioca starch
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon butter or non-dairy butter substitute

Instructions

  1. Toss the apple slices with the lemon juice
  2. Put the water, brown sugar, tapioca starch, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large saucepan.
  3. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute or until thickened, stirring a bit.
  4. Add the apples to the pan and stir to coat.
  5. Add the apple mixture to a prepared gluten-free pie crust. Top with a second crust or fancy cutouts from a second crust.
  6. Brush melted butter or non-dairy butter substitute on top of crust. (This makes a big difference with gluten-free crusts especially.)
  7. Then place the pie pan on a baking sheet (to prevent burnt pie filling on the bottom of your oven) and bake according to the pie crust instructions.

Notes

*You can increase or decrease the cinnamon and sugar to taste if you wish.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 172mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 23gProtein: 2g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily via Nutrifox.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

gluten free apple pie from above in a glass dish, with one piece cut out with text overlay that says gluten free dairy free apple pie on the blog

Have you made gluten-free apple pie yet? Do you have a favorite recipe for it?

Recipe adapted from Dinner at the Zoo.

shannon photo and sig oct 2022

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