This low-sugar apple pie is completely gluten-free, grain-free and made with less sugar than the typical pie recipe would. Great for those trying to cut back on their refined-sugar consumption.
APPLE PICKING! Who doesn’t love it?? We usually make a yearly trip to a local orchard when September rolls around. This year we got some incredibly delicious organic apples and OF COURSE I had to make a pie!
My taste buds have changed dramatically in the past few years, since I’ve significantly cut back on my refined sugar consumption. I find now that when I eat something packaged, that it tastes SO sweet that it’s borderline inedible.
I know I can’t be the only one on a health journey who feels this way, so I tend to cut back on the sugar in my recipes to a level I am more comfortable with, in hopes that it will strike a chord with you guys as well. This apple pie fits in line with this, as I tried to let the apples shine, rather than the sugar.
I find that apples are already sweet enough and that in most pie recipes, their natural flavor is dulled by all that added sugar. Plus, who doesn’t love the tartness of a freshly picked apple, which you can’t even taste after adding a boatload of sugar! If you are into sweeter recipes, feel free to double or even triple the amount of sugar, but know that this recipe is tailored to those with less of a sweet tooth.
One thing I suggest is not to add more honey in the pie crust, as this makes it more sticky and much harder to work with. If you want a sweeter crust, add a granular sugar instead. The crust can also be adapted for savory recipes by leaving out the honey all together. I have plans to work on a delicious quiche or tart recipe with it next 🙂
The pie crust is pretty simple to make, although it can be a bit tricky to get into the baking dish. I’ve found that the best approach is to roll out the dough into a circle on a silicone baking mat (parchment paper would work too), and then place the pie dish upside down on top of it.
Lift them both up together and flip it right side up. This prevents you from having to lift the crust up by itself and risking a crumbling catastrophe. While the crust may not be the most aesthetically pleasing I’ve ever seen, I am happy to report that it has a wonderful flavor, and it holds it’s shape very nicely while cutting and serving. No issues with crumbling pie crust here!
Next you’ll want to chop up your apples into small bits. You can peel off the skin if desired, but I am lazy and don’t mind the skin, so I left it on. Heat butter, ghee or coconut oil on the stove until melted, then add in the apples and cinnamon and cook until softened. Here is where you can add in extra sugar if you so desire. Add filling to dish.
For the topping, you will want to grind up some nuts of your choice. I used almond meal that I had leftover from my homemade nut milk. Add the ground nuts to a bowl with some brown sugar and additional cinnamon. Mix that together and sprinkle it over the filling. That’s all there is!
If you enjoyed this low-sugar apple pie, please comment below with your favorite fall treat. I love to hear why you guys are enjoying these days! If you want to hear more about our apple picking adventures, you can check out my husband’s blog post and YouTube video here.
Low-Sugar Apple Pie (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free)
Ingredients
For Pie Crust
- 2 cups almond flour blanched
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp honey or another sweetener of your choice
For Filling
- 4-5 apples cored and sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoons butter, ghee or coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or coconut sugar
For Crumble Topping
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 cup almond flour or another nut meal of your choice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter, ghee or coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Mix pie crust ingredients together in a bowl and kneed out the dough until fully combined and ball-shaped.
- On a silicone baking sheet or parchment paper, roll out the dough to approximately 1/4" thick, until the size of your pie pan.
- Invert pie pan on top of the pie crust, then flip over the pie pan and pie crust at the same time. Remove parchment paper and press dough into the pie pan.
- Over medium heat, add sliced apples, butter and cinnamon to a pan. Heat until the apples begin to soften, approximately 5-10 minutes.
- Add filling to the pie pan.
- Mix crumble topping ingredients together and pour over the top of the apple pie filling.
- Place pie in oven and cook for 25-30 minutes. The crust may burn slightly, so if you are worried about appearance, add foil around the edges to prevent burning.
- Let cool 15-20 minutes. Slice pie and serve. Enjoy!
