Healthy Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping
This healthy gluten free apple pie with crumble topping combines a tender homemade crust, layers of cinnamon-spiced apples and a crunchy oat-walnut topping. It’s completely dairy free, egg free and vegan, with maple sugar used in place of refined white or brown sugar.
Instead of a second pastry crust, the apples are covered with a buttery oat crumble, similar to a Dutch apple pie or apple crumb pie. The filling is briefly cooked before baking and the bottom crust is pre-baked, which helps keep the apples juicy without leaving the crust soggy.
It’s a cozy fall dessert that works especially well for Thanksgiving, Christmas or whenever you have plenty of fresh apples to use.
If you want something easier than pie, without rolling a crust, try my gluten free apple cobbler with biscuit topping.
Why You’ll Love This Apple Pie
- Three different textures: a tender bottom crust, soft juicy apples and a crunchy oat-walnut topping.
- Gluten free and dairy free: made without wheat flour, dairy or eggs.
- Naturally vegan and egg free: ground flax helps bind the gluten-free crust.
- No top pastry crust: the oat crumble is easier to make and adds plenty of texture.
- Less refined: I use maple sugar rather than regular white or brown sugar.
- Good for holidays: it can be prepared ahead and works well for Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert.
- No soggy bottom: pre-baking the crust and briefly cooking the apples helps control excess moisture.
What Makes This a Healthier Apple Pie?
This is still a dessert, but I make it with a few more whole-food-focused ingredients than you’ll usually find in a traditional apple pie.
The crust combines oat, cassava and sorghum flours instead of relying entirely on refined starches. The crumble includes rolled oats and walnuts for extra texture, and I use maple sugar instead of refined white or brown sugar. The recipe is also naturally egg free and uses dairy-free butter.
So when I call this a healthier apple pie, I don’t mean sugar-free, low-calorie or “diet” pie. Maple sugar is still sugar, and this is still dessert. It’s simply my version made with ingredients I prefer to use at home while keeping the buttery crust, juicy apple filling and crunchy topping that make apple pie so good.
What Is a Crumble-Topped Apple Pie?
A traditional apple pie usually has pastry on both the bottom and top.
In a crumble-topped apple pie, the top pastry is replaced with a mixture of flour, fat, sugar and often oats or nuts. This style is also commonly referred to as Dutch apple pie, apple crumb pie or apple pie with streusel topping.
My version goes a little more rustic by adding both rolled oats and walnuts to the crumble. If you like having a versatile crumble mixture ready for other fruit desserts, see my healthy oat crumble topping recipe. I use a similar combination for fruit crisps, muffins and other baked desserts.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This apple pie has three simple components: a gluten-free crust, cinnamon apple filling, and oat-walnut crumble topping.
Gluten Free Pie Crust
The crust is made with oat, cassava and sorghum flours, plus ground flax for binding and cold dairy-free butter for tenderness. If you bake gluten free often, my gluten-free pastry flour mix is another useful blend to keep on hand for tender baked goods.
Apple Pie Filling
Fresh apples are combined with lemon juice, maple sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. A little cassava flour or arrowroot thickens the juices as the apples cook, so the filling stays moist without becoming watery.
Oat Crumble Topping
The topping combines certified gluten-free rolled oats, walnuts, cassava flour, maple sugar and cold dairy-free butter for a crunchy, rustic finish.
If you like this type of topping, see my healthy oat crumble topping for more ways to use it.
Best Apples for Apple Pie
You want apples that have good flavor but don’t completely disappear during baking.
I used Fuji apples here, but you can also use:
- Honeycrisp
- Granny Smith
- Cortland
- Empire
- McIntosh
I especially like combining a tart apple with a sweeter variety. For example, Granny Smith adds acidity while Honeycrisp or Fuji contributes more natural sweetness.
If your apples are very sweet, you can reduce the maple sugar slightly. If they’re quite tart, you may want the full amount.
How to Make Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping
1. Prepare the Apple Filling
- Peel the apples and slice them fairly thinly so they cook evenly.
- Combine the apples with lemon juice, maple sugar, cassava flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Transfer everything to a pan and cook for about 5 minutes, just until the apples begin releasing juice and the cassava flour starts thickening the liquid.
- Don’t fully cook the apples. They will continue softening in the oven.
- Set the filling aside to cool while you prepare the crust.
2. Make the Gluten Free Pie Crust
- In a small dish, combine the ground flax with water (“flax egg”) and let it sit for about 5 minutes to thicken.
- Add the oat flour, cassava flour, sorghum flour and cold dairy-free butter to a food processor. Pulse until the butter is incorporated and the mixture looks crumbly.
- Add the flax mixture, apple cider vinegar and cold water. Pulse just until the dough starts coming together.
- Form it into a ball with your hands.
- Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment paper and flatten it slightly with your hands.
- Roll it into a thin round large enough to fit a 9-inch pie dish.
- Carefully transfer the crust into the dish and gently press it into the bottom and sides. Prick the bottom several times with a fork. This will help release the underneath steam while baking.
- Pre-bake the crust at 390°F for 13–15 minutes.
- Pre-baking is one of the steps that helps prevent the bottom from becoming soggy once the apple filling is added.
3. Make the Oat Crumble
- While the crust is baking, combine the rolled oats, walnuts, cassava flour, maple sugar and cold dairy-free butter in the food processor.
- Pulse only a few times until you have an uneven crumb mixture.
- Don’t process it into a smooth paste. Some larger crumbs and pieces of walnut give the topping better texture.
- Place the container in the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the apple pie.
4. Assemble the Pie
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
- Spread the prepared apples evenly inside the pre-baked pie crust.
- Scatter the oat crumble over the apples, covering the filling without pressing the crumbs down.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until the apple filling is tender and the crumble is golden.
- If the topping begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the pie with foil for the remaining baking time.
Tips for the Best Gluten Free Apple Pie
➤ Keep the Butter Cold. Cold butter is important for both the pie crust and crumble topping. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
If the butter becomes very soft while you’re working, chill the dough or crumble briefly before continuing.
➤ Don’t Overprocess the Crumble. You want crumbs and small clusters rather than a smooth mixture.
The irregular texture is what creates those crunchy spots once baked.
➤ Briefly Cook the Apples First. This allows the apples to release some of their liquid before they go into the pie. The cassava flour then thickens that liquid so you get a moist filling without excessive juice soaking into the bottom crust.
➤ Pre-Bake the Crust. A gluten-free crust is especially vulnerable to excess moisture. That short initial bake helps set the crust before the apple filling is added.
➤ Let the Pie Cool Before Slicing. The filling thickens as it cools. If you cut the pie immediately from the oven, the filling will be softer and more likely to run. For cleaner slices, give it time to set first.
How to Serve It
This apple pie is good warm, at room temperature or chilled. Serve it as-is, or add:
- dairy-free vanilla ice cream
- coconut whipped cream
- dairy-free caramel sauce
- a sprinkle of extra toasted walnuts
For more apple desserts with different textures, try my apple crepe cake with caramel sauce with thin gluten-free crepe layers, or this gluten free apple cobbler with biscuit topping.
Make Ahead, Storage and Freezing
Make Ahead
You can make this apple pie one day before serving. If you want it warm, reheat it at about 300°F for 15 minutes before serving.
You can also prepare some of the components ahead:
- prepare the pie dough and keep it chilled;
- make the crumble and refrigerate or freeze it;
- prepare the apple filling shortly before assembling.
Storage
Store the baked pie covered at cool room temperature for up to about 2 days. For longer storage, keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Freezing
The crust and crumble can both be prepared ahead and frozen. You can also assemble the pie and freeze it before its final bake. Wrap it well to prevent freezer burn and use within about 3 months.
Because baking from frozen takes longer than baking a freshly assembled pie, use the color and texture of the filling and topping as your guide rather than relying only on an exact baking time.
Frequently Asked Questions
They are very similar terms in American baking. Both usually describe an apple pie that has a bottom pastry crust and a crumb or streusel topping instead of a second pastry crust.
This recipe is a Dutch-style apple pie with a gluten-free oat and walnut crumble topping.
For this recipe, I’d recommend peeling because the filling is layered fairly densely and the skins can become noticeable.
Maybe because your apples are overly juicy, or not enough thickener, cutting too soon, or skipping the brief precooking step.
They can be omitted or replaced with extra oats or seeds or whatever crunchy element you have.
Yes, but keep in mind that this recipe was tested with my homemade crust, so I can’t guarantee the same result.
Yes. You can use solid coconut oil in both the crust and crumble topping. It will work similarly as a solid fat, although the finished texture may be slightly different and unrefined coconut oil can add a mild coconut flavor.
For more apple desserts with different textures, try my apple crepe cake with caramel sauce with thin gluten-free crepe layers, or this gluten free apple cobbler with oat biscuit topping for juicy apples baked under soft, golden biscuits.
Before You Go…
If you enjoyed this vegan gluten free apple pie recipe, leave a comment below and a star ★★★★★ rating. If you made any successful substitutions, share those too, they can be helpful to other readers making the recipe.
Gluten Free Apple Pie with Crumble Topping Recipe
Ingredients
Gluten Free Apple Pie Crust
- ½ cup oat flour - gluten free certified
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ⅓ cup sorghum flour
- 1½ tbsp flax seeds - ground, + 3 tbps of water to form a flax “egg”
- 6 tbsp plant based butter - I used Miyoko's
- 2 tbsp maple sugar - or other granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp filtered water - cold
- ½ tsp apple cider vinegar - or lemon juice
- ⅓ tsp baking soda
Apple Pie Filling
- 6 medium apples
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup maple sugar - or adjust to taste
- 3 tbsp cassava flour - or arrowroot powder, to thicken the juice
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ⅓ tsp nutmeg
Oat Crumble Topping
- ¼ cup rolled oats - I used gluten free organic oats
- ⅓ cup walnuts - or pecans
- 3 tbsp cassava flour
- ¼ cup maple sugar - or other granulated sugar
- 5 tbsp firm non dairy butter - cold, I used Miyoko's
Instructions
Prepare the Apple Filling
- Peel and cut the apples. I used a mandoline slicer for that, it makes the job really quick.
- Add the apples, lemon juice, maple sugar, cassava flour, cinnamon and nutmeg to a pan and mix well.
- Cook for about 5 minutes, until the apples begin releasing juice and the liquid starts to thicken. Add only a small splash of water if needed to prevent sticking.
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Make The Gluten Free Pie Crust
- Preheat the oven to 390°F (199°C).
- Mix the 1½ tbsp ground flax with 3 tablespoons water and allow it to thicken for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile in the bowl of a food processor, add the oat flour, cassava flour, sorghum flour and cold dairy-free butter. Pulse several times until the butter is distributed through the flour and the mixture looks crumbly.
- Add the maple sugar, baking soda, apple cider vinegar, flax mixture and cold water.
- Pulse just until the dough begins coming together. Form it into a ball with your hands.
- Place the dough on parchment paper and flatten slightly. Roll into a thin round large enough for a 9-inch pie dish.
- Once the crust is rolled out, carefully place the baking dish on top and flip it over. Gently lower the crust into your pie pan and remove the parchment paper. I'm using a 9" diameter glass dish with high walls.
- Adjust the crust with your fingers until it looks good. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork.
- Pre-bake the crust for 13-15 minutes. Meanwhile make the crumble topping.
Make The Oat Crumble Topping
- Combine the cassava flour, oats, walnuts, maple sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vegan butter and a pinch of salt – in the same bowl we made the gluten free pie crust. Pulse a few times until crumbs are formed.
- Place the bowl in the refrigerator to keep cool, until ready to use.
Assemble And Bake The Apple Pie
- Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
- Retrieve the pie crust from the oven. Spread the apple filling evenly over the pre-baked crust. Scatter the cold oat crumble over the apples.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the filling is tender and the crumble is golden.If the topping begins to brown too quickly, loosely cover the pie with foil.
Cool And Serve
- Allow the pie to cool so the apple filling can thicken and set.
- Slice and serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.
What You Need
Video
Notes
- Cold butter: Keep the butter cold for both the crust and crumble.
- Apples: Fuji, Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Cortland, Empire and McIntosh can all work. A combination of tart and sweet apples gives the filling more depth.
- Don’t skip pre-baking: Setting the bottom crust before adding the filling helps prevent a soggy gluten-free crust.
- Make ahead: Bake up to one day before serving. Reheat at 300°F for about 15 minutes if desired.
- Storage: Keep covered at room temperature for about 2 days or refrigerate for longer storage.
- Freezing: The crust and crumble can be frozen separately, or freeze the assembled unbaked pie well wrapped for up to about 3 months.
- Dairy-free butter: Solid coconut oil can be used instead, but the flavor and texture will be slightly different.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
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Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
If you make it the day before is totally fine, it’s still good! Just warm it up in the oven for 15 min at 300F before serving.
This looks so good! Do you use this pie crust recipe for any other types of pies?
I didn’t try it for any other pie yet, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work.