This easy Gluten-Free Apple Pie is sweet, tart, juicy, and buttery, with hints of brown sugar and lemon. It is hands-down the best apple pie I have every had! This recipe is extra easy and beginner-friendly.
The apple-pie-making process is simplified using the microwave to pre-cook the apples (with a dutch oven option) and uses only the most important ingredients. We like our gluten-free applie pie best with cinnamon and cardamom, but you can substitute more cinnamon or a mixture of allspice, nutmeg, or ginger if you like!
Gluten-Free Apple Pie is always delicious, but there is no better time than Fall, when apples are in season and the mood strikes! This recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving and other Fall gatherings.
This recipe uses our easy Gluten-Free Pie Crust and I recommend making it ahead of time to simplify the process. Naturally vegan and dairy-free, this recipe uses no eggs, no nuts, and is allergy-friendly too!
I like to serve it topped with my easy Dairy-Free Whipped Cream or Pumpkin Spice Coconut Whipped Cream. Add ice cream or dairy-free gelato for apple pie a la mode!
Serve gluten-free apple pie alongside our Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie, Crustless Pumpkin Pie, Gluten-Free Fried Pumpkin Donut Holes, and Homemade Pumpkin Spice Creamer at Thanksgiving or other holiday gatherings.
And for more gluten-free apple treats, don't miss my Gluten Free Apple Fritters, Gluten-Free Apple Coffee Cake, and Pie Iron Apple Pie.
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How to make it (with photos)
Ingredients
Now that I know gluten-free apple pie is easy and uses only 7 ingredients, I will be making it all the time!
- Gluten-Free Pie Crusts - I 10/10 recommend my Homemade Gluten-Free Pie Crust recipe! It's made with just 4 ingredients that you probably have already (all butter, no shortening). The recipe is vegan and dairy-free with dairy-free butter. Make them ahead of time to keep this recipe super simple and quick!
- Apples - Any sweet and crisp apple variety will do. I used envy apples and honeycrisp apples in my recipe trials. Sally's Baking Addiction has a good guide on the best apples for baking if you're curious to read more.
- Brown Sugar - I love the brown sugar flavor in this gluten-free apple pie! Granulated white sugar is also a fine replacement.
- Gluten-Free Flour - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Really, any gluten-free flour will do! You could even use cornstarch or potato starch.
- Cardamom - I love the flavor of cardamom in this recipe! I think using cinnamon and cardamom instead of the usual cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger combination sets this recipe apart when serving for Thanksgiving alongside a gluten-free pumpkin pie (since the spices are traditionally the same). However, it's absolutely ok to swap the cardamom for more cinnamon or a combination of nutmeg, allspice, and ginger if you like.
See the recipe card at the bottom for full ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Preheat your oven, then follow these simplified 4 steps to make the best gluten-free apple pie without the fuss!
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Apples: Microwave - Add the apple slices to a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 5 minutes. Dutch Oven - Alternatively, you can cook the apple slices on the stove in a dutch oven. Set over medium high heat, with the lid partially covering, and stir frequently until the apple slices begin to soften. This takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Filling: To the apples, add the brown sugar, gluten-free flour, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, and cardamom. Mix until well combined. Pour the filling into the prepared bottom pie crust. Arrange the slices so they make an even layer.
- Top Crust: Lattice top - Create a lattice top using a pie wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the rolled out top crust into thick ribbons of dough. Then weave the pieces over and under each other. Completely covered - Alternatively, place the rolled out piece of dough over the pie so it is completely covered. Pinch and smooth the edges together. Then cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to come out.
- Bake: Place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Then bake on a rack in the bottom third of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the pie crust is lightly golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Hint: We bake the pie pan on top of a baking sheet to catch any juices or butter that leak from the pie while baking. It's a great way to keep your oven clean!
Helpful Tips
- Know how to work with gluten-free pie crust. If you haven't already, I recommend reading the tips in my Gluten-Free Pie Crust for beginners guide! Gluten-free pie crust does not stretch, so you need to keep the crust a little thicker and handle it carefully when making decorative top crust designs. Even if you use a different recipe, the tips in this post are good for anyone to read.
- Keep it simple. It can be tempting to jazz up a simple recipe like this one, but it truly is the most exquisite thing just as it is. In this case, simple is truly better, not just easier.
- Lattice vs. Full Top Crust? If you like your apples to have a little more bite, definitely go with the lattice top. It allows more steam to release and therefore cooks the apples a little less. If you like a soft, syrupy middle, use a full top crust with just a few slits to prevent steam build up.
Recipe FAQs
I did my best to cover common questions about gluten free apple pie!
If you have others, leave them in the comment field at the bottom of the post and I'll get back to you within two business days.
Allow leftover pie to cool to room temperature. Then cover with plastic wrap or place the remaining pie in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
You don't need a pie wheel at all! A pizza cutter works great, or even a regular knife.
According to The Food Network's best baking apples, Gala, Fuji, and Red Delicious apples can make a pie crust soggy because of their extra water content. I haven't tried them myself, and enjoyed Envy apples and Honeycrisp apples in my recipe trials.
Related Gluten-free Fall Desserts...
Looking for other gluten-free recipes for the Fall Season and Thanksgiving? Check these out!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card or comment field below. Thank you!
Gluten Free Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 2 gluten free pie crusts (double crust)
- 7 medium apples , peeled and cored and cut into ¼ inch slices (1300 grams after coring and peeling)
- ⅓ cup brown sugar , lightly packed (70 grams)
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free all purpose flour
- ½ lemon , juiced and zested
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom (or more cinnamon, or a split of ¼ teaspoon nutmeg plus ¼ teaspoon allspice)
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Apples: Microwave - Add the apple slices to a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 5 minutes. Dutch Oven - Alternatively, you can cook the apple slices on the stove in a dutch oven. Set over medium high heat, with the lid partially covering, and stir frequently until the apple slices begin to soften. This takes about 5-10 minutes.
- Filling: To the apples, add the brown sugar, gluten-free flour, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, and cardamom. Mix until well combined. Pour the filling into the prepared bottom pie crust. Arrange the slices so they make an even layer.
- Top Crust: Lattice top - Create a lattice top using a pie wheel, pizza cutter, or sharp knife to cut the rolled out top crust into thick ribbons of dough. Then weave the pieces over and under each other. Completely covered - Alternatively, place the rolled out piece of dough over the pie so it is completely covered. Pinch and smooth the edges together. Then cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to come out.
- Bake: Place the pie pan on a baking sheet. Then bake on a rack in the bottom third of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the pie crust is lightly golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Joan
I used honeycrisp apples and this pie was amazing!! I actually bought cardamom just to try it in this pie. It is a lovely spice that I'm sure I'll be using again. I'll be making this for my family's Thanksgiving this year.