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 recipe and it is beginner-friendly. This recipe is ready in under an hour with just 7 ingredients if you pre-make my easy gluten-free crust.
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 my easy Gluten-Free Pie Crust and I recommend making it ahead of time to simplify the process. With vegan butter, it is easily vegan, dairy-free, and allergy-friendly.
I like to serve it topped with my easy Dairy-Free Whipped Cream or Pumpkin Spice Coconut Whipped Cream. Add vanilla ice cream or dairy-free gelato for apple pie a la mode!
If you're deciding between different apple desserts, you can browse all of my gluten-free apple recipes here.
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How to make it (with photos)
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. I like my gluten-free apple pie best with cinnamon and cardamom, but you can substitute more cinnamon or a mixture of allspice, nutmeg, or ginger for cardamom if you like!
Ingredient Notes + Substitutions
This easy gluten-free apple pie recipe uses only 7 ingredients.
Gluten-Free Pie Crusts
I recommend my easy hands-free Homemade Gluten-Free Pie Crust recipe! It's made with just 4 ingredients (gluten-free flour, butter, salt, and sugar) and is very quick in a food processor. 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.
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 often the same).
You can swap the cardamom for more cinnamon or a combination of nutmeg, allspice, and ginger if you like. Or use pumpkin pie spice for a mixture of all of them.
More Ingredient Notes
- Brown Sugar - I think brown sugar tastes the best but any granulated sugar makes a good substitution.
- Gluten-Free Flour - I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Really, any all purpose gluten-free flour will do! You could even use cornstarch or potato starch.
You also need a lemon to make this recipe.
See the recipe card for a full ingredients with quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat your oven, then follow these four simple steps to learn how to make gluten-free apple pie.
- 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 apple pie filling into the prepared bottom 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. If you think the top crust is browning too quickly, loosely tent aluminum foil over the top to prevent over-browning. 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!
Expert Tips
Make an amazing gluten-free apple pie on the first try with these expert tips.
Learn how to work with a 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 before handling gluten-free pie crust.
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
Here I answered some frequently asked questions about this Gluten-Free Apple Pie recipe. Don't see your question? Leave it in the comments at the end of this post and I'll answer within two business days.
Allow leftover gluten-free apple 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 sharp kitchen 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.
While an egg wash can create a shiny top and help seal the lattice edges of the top crust, it is not necessary for apple pie and I recommend skipping it to keep this recipe low fuss and accessible.
More apple dessert recipes
Each of these apple desserts work well for different occasions, from holidays to casual treats.
- Apple Crumble Recipe (without oats) - quicker, cozier dessert option
- Gluten-Free Apple Coffee Cake - brunch or guests
- Gluten-Free Apple Fritters - weekend treat
- Baked Cinnamon Apple Slices - simple, unfussy option
- Pie Iron Apple Pie - camping dessert
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📖 Recipe
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 apple pie filling into the prepared bottom 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. If you think the top crust is browning too quickly, loosely tent aluminum foil over the top to prevent over-browning. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
John says
This gluten-free apple pie is so simple and delicious. I’ve used this pie crust recipe before and it is very good.
Joan says
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.