This healthy apple pie recipe is bursting with delicious fresh apple pie filling! The warm and inviting aroma of cinnamon and baked fall apples is the ultimate comfort food. This healthy apple dessert features a Dutch crumble and almond flour crust baked to a golden brown. Top with vanilla ice cream!
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Why You Need to Bake This Healthy Apple Pie Recipe
- Best apple pie recipe to use up fall apples from apple picking.
- One of the best classic and healthy apple dessert recipes - just like our apple fritters!
- Easy apple pie recipe with Dutch apple pie crumble.
- Simple! No lattice crust, rolling dough, or pie dough to make.
- Healthier version of traditional apple pie.
- No white sugar and no white flour.
- Shortbread crust is a fun change from flaky pastry or whole wheat flour.
- Vegan apple pie that is also gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Healthy apple pie is a classic dessert for the holiday season.
- Serve at Thanksgiving, Christmas, during the fall, or at summer cookouts.
- Try another healthy version of fall desserts like this apple cobbler with cake mix healthy apple crisp recipe, paleo pumpkin pie, or apple cider donut holes.
Ingredients for This Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
What are the best apples for making healthy apple pie?
Apples are available during the fall season at farmer's markets or year-round at the grocery store.
The best apples for apple pie are tart apples like Granny Smith apples. Sweet apples like honey crisp add the perfect balance of tangy and sweet.
Diced or sliced fresh apples are the base of the apple filling.
Other Ingredients You Will Need
Coconut sugar takes the place of brown sugar to reduce the amount of refined sugar in this healthy apple pie recipe.
Maple syrup or honey can also be used as a sweetener.
Lemon juice prevents the apples from browning and adds a bit of acid to the apple mixture.
A little bit of ground cinnamon or apple pie spice provides warmth and delicious flavor.
Vanilla extract provides a hint of flavor and a sweet aroma.
Arrowroot helps to thicken the filling.
Almond flour and coconut flour create the gluten-free shortbread crust.
Pecans provide crunch and texture to the Dutch crumble. Swap pecans for walnuts or almonds.
Taste & Texture
This Dutch crumble homemade apple pie recipe tastes so similar to the traditional recipe. It has bright apple flavors and warmth from the apple pie spice and vanilla extract.
It is a delicious recipe that features a firm shortbread crust which differs from traditional flaky crust made from all-purpose flour.
The filling is gooey and sweet. The topping is sweet and has strong flavors of caramel and cinnamon.
How to Make This Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350F. Wash apples, peel the skin, and then remove the core.
Slice the apples or dice them into small pieces. Place them into a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Add the sliced apples along with the other healthy apple pie filling ingredients to the bowl.
Set the mixture aside for 20-30 minutes.
Step 3
Mix the crust ingredients in a separate large bowl.
Press the ingredients into one even layer in a pie pan.
Bake the bottom crust for 15 minutes.
Step 4
Add Dutch apple crumble ingredients to a food processor and process until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Step 5
Once the bottom crust is done baking, use a slotted spoon to remove the apples from the lemon juice mixture.
Add them to the top of the shortbread crust.
Step 6
Add the top crust (the Dutch crumble) over the top of the apples. Finish baking for 25-30 minutes.
How to Store Apple Pie
Apple pie made without milk, dairy, or without eggs may be stored at room temperature.
Once cooled, cover the pie dish tightly with plastic wrap or foil. It can be stored at room temperature for 1-2 days, then can be refrigerated for an additional 1-2 days.
Yes. Refrigerating apple pie helps it to last up to four days when properly stored in an airtight container.
Yes. Bake the pie in a disposable pie dish and then once cooled, cover, and freeze un-cut pie in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
How to Serve Apple Pie
My favorite way to serve it warm and by adding vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to the top.
Caramel is often drizzled on top.
This easy apple pie recipe can be served warm or cold, depending on your preference.
Other Recipe FAQs
Dutch apple pie is a hybrid between apple pie and apple crisp. It has one layer of pie crust on the bottom and a sugar/cinnamon streusel crumble on the top.
Traditional apple pie is made with traditional pie crust on both the bottom and top. It generally has crimped edges.
This healthy apple pie recipe can be made up to 4 days in advance. If making ahead, allow it to cool after baking and then cover tightly with plastic wrap before refrigerating.
Reheat leftover apple pie in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
Expert Tips
- What apples to use: Use firm apples like Granny Smith or a mixture of Granny Smith and honey crisp. Avoid red delicious apples when baking this healthy apple pie recipe.
- How to make mini apple pies: Use a muffin tin to make individual mini pies. Reduce the baking time in half for both the top crust and the bottom crust.
- How to cut apple pie slices: To cut into traditional pie slices, it is best to chill the pie in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting. If you want to serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, warm up individual slices in the microwave.
- For deconstructed apple pie: For a warm, deconstructed version, scoop it out into a bowl and top it with vanilla bean ice cream.
- If the top is starting to brown before bake time is done, cover it with foil and move it to a lower level of the oven.
- If you prefer a crunchy Dutch crumble in your healthy apple pie, try topping this pie with vanilla almond granola rather than the coconut oil-based topping.
- To avoid a messy oven, place the pie plate on a sheet pan during baking.
More Healthy Apple Desserts
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Healthy Apple Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
CRUST INGREDIENTS
- 1.5 cups almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
APPLE FILLING LAYER INGREDIENTS
- 5 honey crisp apples peeled and diced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon cinnamon
- juice of one small lemon
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot
STREUSEL LAYER INGREDIENTS
- 6 tablespoon coconut sugar
- ½ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup coconut oil
- ¾ cup pecans
- pinch of salt
Instructions
CRUST INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8X8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Mix together crust ingredients. Press into baking dish and use a measuring cup to flatten and smooth top. Bake for 15 minutes.
APPLE PIE FILLING INSTRUCTIONS
- While crust is baking mix together apple pie filling ingredients and set aside.
STREUSEL TOPPING INSTRUCTIONS
- Mix together dry ingredients. Add in wet ingredients and coconut oil. Mix until texture resembles sand.
ASSEMBLY + FINAL BAKING INSTRUCTIONS
- Once crust is done add apple pie filling and spread evenly. Press down lightly to make a uniform surface.
- Add streusel topping and press down lightly into apple pie filling. Create a uniform surface.
- Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
SERVING INSTRUCTIONS
- To serve cold allow to cool completely and then refrigerate overnight before cutting.
- Alternatively, serve deconstructed and warm from the oven topped with vanilla iced cream.
Notes
- Storage: Store covered with foil in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Bake pie in a disposable pie tin and then once cooled, cover and freeze un-cut pie in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- For clean pie slices: To cut into traditional pie slices it is best to chill pie in the refrigerator for a few hours before cutting. If you want to serve it warm with vanilla ice cream, warm up individual slices in the microwave.
- For deconstructed: For a warm, deconstructed version scoop out into a bowl and top with vanilla ice cream.
- Be sure to allow apples to sit in the lemon juice mixture for 20-30 minutes and use a slotted spoon to remove the liquid prior to mixing filling.
- If top is starting to brown prior to bake time being done, cover with foil and move to a lower level of the oven.
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Marsha says
Can you Monk Fruit Sweetener in place of coconut sugar?
Lyndsey Piccolino says
I haven't tried it but I assume you can!