Healthy apple pie with cinnamon filling, dutch crumble and a delicious shortbread crust. This lightened up version is a vegan, dairy free and gluten free spin on the traditional recipe. Easy to bake from scratch and made with no sugar, no lard and no butter!
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When fall rolls around I am totally ready to sample all of the treats! Whether it's apple crisp, pumpkin pie or apple cider donuts, I'm always looking for a healthier spin on my traditional fall dessert favorites.
If you're looking to reduce refined sugar and use up all of the apples fall has to offer, this healthy apple pie recipe is the best and easiest version you will find! The wholesome ingredients may even have you tossing your morning oatmeal, smoothie or muffin aside and having pie for breakfast!
This is definitely one of the healthiest apple pie recipes you will find! If you want even more dessert recipes, be sure to check out these 25 healthy apple desserts!
Why This Recipe Works
- One of the best year round desserts, healthy apple pie is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, the fall season, summer cookouts, and birthday parties.
- Can be made into a pie, mini pie or bars.
- Made sugar free without refined white sugar - this recipe is sweetened with coconut sugar and naturally sweet apples giving it a delicious caramel flavor. Can also be made with no sugar by using a Monk fruit sweetener.
- Healthy apple pie that is paleo, vegan, dairy free - perfect for a variety of dietary modifications.
- Shortbread crust and Dutch crumble is easier than creating an all butter lattice crust and made with no lard, no white flour and no shortening. A fun change from the traditional flaky crust.
- This healthy apple pie has three delicious layers. They are quite easy to throw together.
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.
- Pecans: You can swap pecans for walnuts or almonds if you have those on hand.
- Apples: Apples should have skin and core removed and apples diced or sliced very thin.
- Arrowroot: You can swap cornstarch if you have that on hand.
- Coconut Sugar: Can be swapped for honey, maple syrup, Monk fruit sweetener, stevia, or cane sugar.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step-by-step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cook time and temperatures.
- Start by mixing together crust ingredients in a large bowl. Press evenly into a pie plate or 8X8 Pyrex dish. Bake crust for 15 minutes at 350F.
- While crust is baking, combine apple filling and set aside.
- Process Dutch apple crumble ingredients in a food processor.
- Once crust is done pre-baking, add apple filling and add crumble over the top. Finish baking for 25-30 minutes.
Expert Tips
- 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.
- 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 which has less crunch.
Recipe FAQs
Honeycrisp apples are my favorite to use for this recipe. Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn or Pink Lady also work well.
This healthy apple pie has less sugar and wholesome ingredients making it a great choice for a healthy fall dessert. You could even eat it for breakfast!
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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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