Gluten-Free Apple Pie Recipe

By
Teri Gruss, MS
Teri Gruss, MS
Freelance writer and nutrition expert Teri Lee Gruss, M.S. has written hundreds of recipes focusing on healthy gluten-free cooking.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/29/22
Old fashioned gluten free apple pie recipe

The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Total: 80 mins
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Yield: 1 pie
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
326 Calories
15g Fat
47g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories 326
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 9g 44%
Cholesterol 51mg 17%
Sodium 188mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 15mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 138mg 3%
*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.)

Iconic apple pie, with its buttery flaky golden brown crust and warm, spiced, tender tart and sweet filling, is an autumn dessert staple. Those on a gluten-free diet need not miss out with this delicious gluten-free adapted recipe. 

The filling for our apple pie recipe is a gluten-free version of a wonderful, classic apple pie filling that appears in "Farm Journal's Complete Pie Cookbook."

Ingredients

For the Gluten-Free Pie Crust:

  • 1 cup brown rice flour, superfine, see tips below

  • 1/2 cup arrowroot starch, or cornstarch

  • 1/4 cup amaranth flour

  • 1/4 cup white rice flour

  • 1 tablespoon cane sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum, or guar gum

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cold, cubed

  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten

  • 1 tablespoon water, with ice, plus more if needed

For the Apple Pie Filling:

  • 3/4 to 1 cup sugar, if using a tart variety of apple, use more sugar

  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free sweet rice flour, or tapioca flour

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 7 cups sliced Granny Smith apples, peeled, cut 1/4-inch thick

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Steps to Make It

Make the Gluten-Free Pie Crust

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for crust
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Measure dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Use a large whisk to thoroughly blend ingredients.

    Measure dry ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Pour the dry ingredients into a food processor bowl, fitted with a metal blade. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse until the butter cubes are reduced to the size of peas and the mixture looks like coarse, dry crumbs.

    Put dry ingredients in food processor
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Add the lightly beaten egg and pulse just until egg is incorporated into the flour-butter mix.

    Add the lightly beaten egg
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Add 1 tablespoon of ice water and pulse several times.

    Add ice water
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Remove the processor lid and squeeze a small amount of the dough in your hand. If it holds together don't add more water. If the dough is too crumbly and dry, add 1/4 teaspoon additional ice water and pulse several more times. Check the consistency of the dough again. If the dough holds together and you can form a ball don't add more water. Adding too much water will make the dough sticky and harder to roll out and shape.

    Remove processor lid
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  7. Scrape the dough, which will look crumbly, on a clean, gluten-free work surface covered with waxed paper. Gather the crumbly dough into a ball.

    Scrape the dough
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  8. Flatten to a large disk shape. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out the dough. (If you're making this dough ahead of time, it is at this stage where the dough can be frozen. Place waxed paper wrapped dough in a freezer bag, label, and freeze for future use.)

    Flatten
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

Roll Out the Dough

  1. Remove dough from refrigerator and place dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. Let dough sit just until it's soft enough to roll.

    Dough and rolling pin
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. When workable, lightly roll from the center outward, working to make a circle about 10 inches in diameter and about 1/8-inch thick. If the dough should get too warm and sticky, place it in the freezer for several minutes and then continue rolling it.

    Roll from center outward
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Peel top sheet of waxed paper from the dough and carefully flip the dough, on the remaining sheet of waxed paper, over pie plate. Gently peel the waxed paper from the dough.

    Peel wax paper off
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Gently press the dough into the pie plate.

    Press down dough
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Trim edges with knife and crimp edge with a fork or using your favorite method. Your pie crust is now ready to be filled.

    Trim edges
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

Make the Apple Pie Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Apple filling ingredients
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Combine sugar, sweet rice flour or tapioca starch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl and use a whisk to thoroughly blend ingredients.

    Combine sugar
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Add sliced apples and gently coat apples with sugar mixture.

    Add sliced apples
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Pour apples into dough-lined pie plate and distribute them evenly.

    Pour apples into dough
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Dot the top of the apples with cubed butter.

    Dot apples with cubed butter
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Place the second prepared crust over the top of the apples. Press edges to seal dough and use your favorite method to flute the edges (pressed with fork tines, etc.).

    Put dough over pie
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  7. Cut or poke several small vents in the top of the pie crust.

    Cut
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

Bake the Apple Pie

  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

  2. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until top is golden brown and apples are tender.

  3. Check frequently. If edges brown too quickly, place a strip of foil around the edge to prevent burning.

    Baked
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Allow pie to cool for several minutes before cutting.

    Allow to cool
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Slice and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

    Apple pie
    The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska 

Tips

  • Superfine brown rice flour is powdery, unlike some brown rice flours which are more coarsely ground and gritty. If you can't find superfine brown rice flour, try grinding regular brown rice flour in a coffee bean grinder just until it is a finer consistency.
  • Always make sure your work surfaces, utensils, pans, and tools are free of gluten. Always read product labels. Manufacturers can change product formulations without notice. When in doubt, do not buy or use a product before contacting the manufacturer for verification that the product is free of gluten.