Celebrate Pi Day with a gluten-free apple pie, baked to perfection!
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About This Apple Pie Recipe
Apple pies are a classic dish in American food culture. And just because you are gluten-free doesn't mean you can't enjoy a piece of good old apple pie.
The first thing you should know about making a gluten-free apple pie is that it always tastes better when made from scratch. Can you use frozen pie crusts? Of course! But everything tastes better when you bake it yourself - especially when it comes to pies.
Gluten-Free Flour Blend For Apple Pie
Gluten-Free Flour Blend: You need a blend of gluten-free flours to make this apple pie. And in my opinion and recipe testing for gluten-free pastry and pie, Cup4Cup is the best flour for the job.
Cup4Cup has been my go-to for gluten-free baking and pastry since 2014. I recommend it and use it in numerous recipes, including gluten-free empanadas, galettes, chocolate chip cookies, and even homemade gluten-free croissants (yes, croissants!)
If you want a pie dough that rolls out like regular dough, crisps up perfectly, and creates an excellent crunch - without falling apart and crumbling to pieces, you need Cup4Cup flour! When combined with cold butter, egg, buttermilk, and sugar, it creates an excellent pastry dough that you can use with ease.
Note: Cup4Cup also offers a gluten-free pie crust mix, but I prefer to make the crust myself with their multipurpose flour. This flour is not dairy-free as it does contain milk powder. If you use a different gluten-free flour blend, your results may vary.
Other Ingredients You Need For Gluten-Free Apple Pie
Granulated Sugar: To sweeten the pie crust.
Kosher Salt: To balance the sweetness of the pie crust and apple mixture.
Cold, Unsalted Butter: We will use a box grater to grate this into smaller pieces, to ensure it gets distributed evenly into the pie crust mixture. We'll also top the pie with some dollops of butter for extra decadence at the end before baking.
Buttermilk: This is the liquid for the pie crust that will help it form together into a dough.
Egg: This will be used in our pie crust dough and for our eggwash before baking.
Apples: To make the filling, we of course, need apples! You can use whatever apples you like, but I really love Jonagolds and Honeycrisp.
Lemon Juice: To prevent the apples from turning brown.
Granulated Sugar: This will be added to the apples for extra sweetness.
Cinnamon: The perfect spice to compliment the apples and one that smells like fall!
Vanilla Extract: For more sweetness in the apple mixture.
Tools for Gluten-Free Baking
Rolling Pin & Pizza Cutter: This helps for both rolling out the pie dough and cutting it into strips for the lattice design. Both of mine are from TJ Maxx!
A ruler or tape measure: To make sure your pie crust will fit your pie pan. Definitely recommend having a tape measure nearby!
Bench scraper: While I shape the dough with my hands, you can also use a bench scraper, like this one. It also comes in handy for other baking recipes, like croissants.
How To Make Gluten-Free Apple Pie
To make this gluten-free apple pie, first you'll make the dough so it has time to refrigerate and firm up. While it's cooling, you will assemble the apple mixture so that the juices from the apples can meld with the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Finally, you'll roll out the dough, add it to your pie tin, put in the filling, then cover it with the pie crust on top.
For the final touch, we top the apple mixture with a few dollops of unsalted butter, brush the crust with an egg wash, and sprinkle on a little more sugar. Perfection!
How To Lattice Pie Dough
Creating a lattice for a pie dough requires a double crust - one for the base of the pie, and the other to create the top. You don't have to lattice the pie dough, but it's actually quite simple when you get the hang of it, and it can create a beautiful final result.
Here's what you do:
- Once you have your second pie crust rolled out, lay it flat onto your countertop.
- Cut it into 1-inch strips with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. I usually have between 10-12 strips, total.
- Take 5-6 of the strips (depending on what you have the space for) and lay them vertically going up and down across the pie, with a little space in between. You'll want to use the longer ones for the center of the pie, and the shorter ones for the sides.
- Fold backward every other strip of pie dough. Place a horizontal strip across, which should now be under half of the vertical strips and over the rest of them.
- Continue alternating of folding backward the vertical pie dough strips, alternating as you go, weaving over and under.
Here's a video of what it looks like:
If this still doesn't make sense, take a look at the instructions I followed the instructions here from Sally's Baking Addiction. It's a lot easier than it looks, once you get started. With the leftover dough hanging over the sides of the pie, I wrapped it and curled it around while sealing it with the bottom pie crust.
Troubleshooting Common Problems With Pie Crust
Don't make pastry on a hot day.
Warmer temperatures mean your pastry is going to be more difficult to work with. Stick to a cooler day to make pie crust, if possible!
Be careful how you measure your gluten-free flour.
Along the same lines, and one of my top gluten-free baking tips, if you aren't measuring for weight, then be sure to spoon your flour into your measuring cup, then level off with the back of the knife. This makes sure you get an accurate amount.
Follow. The. Recipe.
This recipe is specifically formulated using Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free flour. If you decide to change anything or substitute other ingredients, they may come out differently than expected and I cannot speak to your results. My experience is in gluten-free and dairy-free baking, but not allergy-free, vegan, or egg-free. You can always email me: [email protected] with any questions and I'm happy to help troubleshoot the best I can.
Refrigerate the dough if it is difficult to work with.
If you notice your pie dough is becoming mushy or butter is leaking through your dough, or that your dough is too soft and starts ripping, it might be too warm. Wrap it in plastic wrap or parchment paper and place back in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to cool. Then remove and try again. Trust me - don't try to force the dough to do what you want when it's too warm. Be patient, refrigerate, and try again. It definitely helps!
Don't be afraid to knead the dough to get a nice consistency.
Don't worry - there's no gluten to develop here. After the dough has rested in the refrigerator, it will be hard and crumbly. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes, and then if necessary, knead with your hands a few times to get a consistent, smooth dough.
Flour your work surface.
The gluten-free pie crust dough has a tendency to stick. Remember to use gluten-free flour on your hands and rolling pin, and on your work surface. Lift the dough frequently (pick it up completely off the countertop) and reflour the surface with gluten-free flour so it doesn't stick.
How To Serve Gluten-Free Apple Pie
With vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream, of course! Is there a better way to serve homemade apple pie? I didn't think so.
More Fall Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
Want to bake another pie, but without the homemade dough? This gluten-free pumpkin pie uses a storebought crust so it's super easy.
Looking for a gluten-free scone recipe? Be basic and enjoy it with these gluten-free pumpkin scones and maple frosting.
Feel like an easy quickbread? This banana bread with walnuts is a winner!
Ready to take your baking skills to the next level? Try these delightful, buttery, and flaky gluten-free croissants.
Discover all the gluten-free baking recipes on the blog right here.
Here's the recipe for this fabulous gluten-free apple pie.
If you love this recipe, please leave a comment! Thank you so much!
Gluten-Free Apple Pie Recipe
Gluten-Free Apple Pie
Recipe Adapted from Cup4Cup
Ingredients
For the gluten-free pie crust (makes 2 crusts)
- 3 cups Cup4Cup gluten-free multipurpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup of unsalted butter, grated
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup cold buttermilk
For the apple filling
- 8-10 medium apples, peeled & sliced into chunks of even size
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (or do 1 ½ teaspoon if you want more!)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoon Cup4Cup flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 egg, slightly beaten, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- granulated sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
First, prepare the apple mixture so it has time to let the spices meld with the flesh of the apples.
Combine the sliced apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, Cup4Cup flour, and vanilla and mix with a spoon. (Don't add the butter just yet!) Make sure the apples are coated evenly. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the pie crust.
To prepare the pie crust, place the Cup4Cup flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Then, grate the butter using a box grater (make sure it is COLD). This will allow it to incorporate better into the dry ingredients. Add the grated butter to the mixture and combine using a fork or pastry cutter until it resembles a coarse meal. (You can also use a food processor for this part).
If you used a food processor for the previous step, pour the flour/butter mixture into a large bowl to continue. Then, in a separate small bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk until smooth.
Make a well in the center of the flour/butter mixture (a large hole), and begin pouring in the buttermilk and egg, whisking with a fork as you add. Continue mixing until a dough begins to form, and feel free to switch from the bowl to a clean countertop to roll the dough into a smooth ball. Use your hands! Then, wrap the dough in plastic wrap or bee's wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut it in half. Place the second half back in the refrigerator while you roll out the bottom crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
*If the dough is stiff or crumbly when coming out of the refrigerator, wait until it comes to room temperature and then knead it a few times with your hands. Remember, there is no gluten developing here, so this isn't something you have to worry about! The dough should become very soft and flexible, but if it's still too cold, it will be difficult to work with. Give it time to come to room temperature by about 10-15 minutes.
Dust a clean countertop with Cup4Cup flour, and roll out flat into a 12-inch circle, about ⅛-inch thick, lifting often to prevent the dough from sticking.
Drape the crust over a 9-inch pie tin and fit it into the pan. Don't remove any excess dough hanging over the side - you will use it to create a seal with the top layer of crust. Next, fill the pie. Drain the apple mixture but reserve the liquid. Pour the apple mixture onto the crust and spread out evenly, then pour the reserved liquid over the top. Top with the butter pieces all over.
Finally, roll out the remaining half of the pie crust dough. Remove from the refrigerator and follow the same steps as before for rolling it out. If you would like to make a lattice design, cut it into 1-inch wide strips. Weave the strips into a lattice on top of the apple filling. If you are not doing a lattice design, roll the crust out like before and drape it over the top of the pie.
To seal the pie crusts together, press the bottom edge and lattice edge together. Trim the dough so that it overhangs the pie dish by about an inch. Roll the edges of the dough underneath itself to form a rounded edge. Using your fingers, crimp the edges together.
With a lattice design, there are plenty of pockets for air to escape. If, you are choosing to do a regular pie crust topping (without the lattice), make sure you make at least 3 slits in the crust to allow for steam. Use a sharp knife and make at least 3 holes in the dough, about 1 inch long.
Brush the pie crust all over with egg wash and sprinkle with additional granulated sugar, if desired.
Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Cool the pie completely on a wire rack before serving. It goes perfectly with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Preparing the Dough Early
You can prepare the pie crust dough early. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 days in advance, or freeze for up to one month. Defrost in the refrigerator.
Keep it Cold
Pie dough needs to be cold to roll out best. If you notice yours is sticking together, or getting mushy, place it back in the refrigerator to firm up for 20 minutes and try again.
Other gluten-free flour
In my experience, Cup4Cup is the best for gluten-free pies and pastries. If you use another gluten-free flour blend for this recipe, your results could vary.
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 606Total Fat 30gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 120mgSodium 465mgCarbohydrates 81gFiber 7gSugar 34gProtein 8g
The nutrition information on each recipe card is provided as a courtesy and for your convenience. The data is calculated by Nutritionix. You are encouraged to make your own calculations based on your ingredients and preferred nutritional facts calculator. While I try to make sure they are accurate, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of these calculations.
Do you like pie?
What's your favorite kind?
Tell me in the comments below!
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