Low Sugar Apple Pie

Written by
Kimberley Eggleston
Kimberley Eggleston is a registered dietitian, nutrition class instructor, and food writer who specializes in healthy cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Kimberley Eggleston
Updated 02/25/21
Low Sugar Apple Pie recipe, piece of apple pie on a plate

The Spruce / Tara Omidvar
Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 95 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
163 Calories
7g Fat
23g Carbs
2g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 163
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 18mg 6%
Sodium 163mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 74mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Apple pies are wonderful, but they can have a few too many calories for some diets. If you still want to enjoy this classic dessert, you can make it a little healthier by cutting some of the sugar. After all, the apples themselves add a fair amount of sweetness, so it really doesn't need a lot of sugar to make it delicious.

This apple pie can be on the tart side because of the Granny Smith apples. To add a healthy dose of sweetness, try serving this pie warm with a scoop of low-fat, low-sugar frozen yogurt or low-fat, low-sugar ice cream. If you are just getting used to enjoying your desserts with less sugar, you might find the transition a little challenging at first. But soon you will savor the natural flavors of the apples and find it quite satisfying.

Ingredients

For the Crust:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 cup butter, chilled

  • 3 tablespoons water (ice-cold)

For the Filling:

  • 2 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Granny Smith apples

  • 2 cups peeled, cored, and sliced Gala apples

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/4 cup brown sugar

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 tablespoons butter

Steps to Make It

Note: There are multiple steps to this recipe which is broken down into workable categories to better plan for preparation and baking.

Make the Pie Crust

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Low Sugar Apple Pie ingredients, flour, salt, butter, water

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.

    flour and salt in a large glass mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  3. Cut in the chilled butter, using two knives or a pastry blender.

    butter mixed in with flour and salt in a large glass mixing bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  4. Sprinkle in the ice water into the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork after each addition.

    ice water in a the flour butter mixture in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  5. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball.

    pie dough on a white marble counter

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  6. Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle between two sheets of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray to reduce sticking.

    rolled out pie dough covered in plastic wrap on a white marble counter

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  7. Place the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so it becomes slightly firm and uniform.

    rolled out pie dough on a white marble counter

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  8. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap from the pie dough. Turn the dough over into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray, and remove the remaining layer of plastic wrap.

    pie dough in a pie pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  9. Using your fingers, press the dough into the pie plate and flute the edges.

    shaped pie dough in a metal pie pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Make the Apple Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Low Sugar Apple Pie filling ingredients, apples, lemon juice, sugar, flour butter

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  2. In a large bowl, toss the apples with lemon juice.

    apples and lemon juice in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining sugars and flour.

    granulated sugar, brown sugar and flour in a white bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  4. Combine the sugar mixture with the apples and toss the mixture lightly with a fork.

    apple slices, sugar and flour in a large glass bowl

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  5. Pour the apples into the pie crust.

    apple filling and pie dough in a pie pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  6. Use a knife to cut the remaining butter into small pieces, and distribute the butter pieces over the top of the pie.

    butter on top of the apple filling and pie crust

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

  7. Bake at 425 F for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350 F and bake an additional 30 minutes.

    baked Low Sugar Apple Pie in a pie pan

    The Spruce / Tara Omidvar

Tip

  • If the crust starts to become too brown while baking, gently create a foil ring around the edges of the pie and put it back into the oven.

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