Look like a pro when you bake this homemade Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie recipe. This recipe for apple pie with almond flour crust and oatmeal crumble topping makes a perfect dessert for any time of the year. Who could resist a slice of warm apple pie with a crunchy crumble topping?
When the local apples begin to ripen on the trees, my thoughts always turn to apple desserts, like this Apple Pecan Crisp with Caramel Sauce, Apple Cheesecake Crumble Bars, Gluten-Free Spiced Applesauce Cake, but especially Dutch Apple Pie. Apple pie is a favorite dessert at any time of the year!
And just because you're following a gluten-free diet doesn't mean you have to deny yourself the sheer pleasure of a warm slice of apple pie!
Dutch Apple Pie with almond flour crust and an easy crumb topping is the answer!
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❤️ Why this recipe works
Apple pie was one of the first desserts I learned to make when I was first married. Before I found a Never-Fail Pastry recipe, I struggled with making tender pie crusts. Topping my apple pies with a crumble crust meant I could avoid ending up with a patched-up top pastry crust!
Dutch Apple Pie soon became our family's favorite, but when I eliminated gluten from my diet, I had to find a way to make a really great pie that would be a good substitute.
I've experimented with pie crusts made with gluten-free flour blends from time to time. However, some gluten-free pie crusts can be tricky to handle and some simply don't taste good.
My favorite gluten-free pie crust is this one made with almond flour. It's sturdy enough to hold all that delicious filling, but it's still tender.
This apple pie with almond flour crust works well for me because the crust is just as delicious as the filling and the streusel-like crumb crust!
I use this same pie crust recipe to make Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie. It also works well for recipes, like this Blueberry Lemon Ginger Galette, or savory ones, like Potato Galette with Bacon and Cheese.
🛒 Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this almond flour gluten-free apple crumble pie.
You'll find a complete list of ingredients in the recipe card below. I've included a few notes about some of the ingredients here.
Almond Flour Pie Crust
- almond flour: use finely ground almond flour
- tapioca flour: (also known as tapioca starch) improves the texture and strength of the crust
- sweetener: your choice: granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or 0-calorie granulated sweetener
- egg: this pastry recipe calls for half an egg. Beat the egg, then measure out approximately half of it.
Apple Pie Filling
- apples: using a mix of two different varieties often works well. Some apples are soft, some are firm, some are sweet and some are tart, so using a combination makes a delicious filling!
Gluten-Free Crumb Crust Topping
- rolled oats: I use old-fashioned oats.
- almond flour: finely ground almond flour makes a tender pastry.
- granulated sweetener works best in the topping. Using Lacanto monk fruit will work if you're trying to make this pie completely sugar-free, but I prefer the texture of the crumb crust if it's been made with granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
While the ingredients listed below in the recipe card are for a single pie crust, I usually double this recipe and refrigerate or freeze half of it for another day.
🔪 Tips to make almond flour pie crust
The dough for this gluten-free pie crust recipe is not as sturdy as one made with wheat flour, but it makes a delicious tender crust!
It takes a little fiddling to get it into the pie dish without falling apart, but it's easy to do! The reward for your work is the delicious flavor and texture of this crust.
- Pulse the pie crust ingredients in a food processor until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Beat the egg in a small bowl, and add half of it to the dough, pulsing until it comes together and forms a ball. If you don't have a food processor, combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it resembles a coarse meal, then add the beaten egg.
- Lay the dough on parchment paper or plastic film, cover with another layer of the same, and press into a disc shape about 6 - 8 inches in diameter. Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour or overnight. The dough will be much too soft to work with unless it is chilled.
- When you're ready to bake, remove the dough disc from the fridge. Using a rolling pin between two sheets of parchment paper, form a disc about 12 inches in diameter. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, invert a 9-inch round glass pie plate on top of the dough, then hold on to the bottom sheet of parchment paper and carefully flip it over so the pastry is now in the pie dish.
- The pastry will probably break, (expect it to) but you can easily press it back into shape. Use your fingertips to crimp the edges. Using a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the crust at half-inch intervals. Put the parchment paper back on top of the crust and fill the cavity with pie weights. * See the note below about pie weights. Return the pie crust to the fridge to chill while you preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Once your oven temperature has reached 350F. bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for 5 minutes more.
🔪Pie filling and crumble crust topping instructions
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling and topping.
- Slice the apples thinly and place them in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract and toss to coat. Add tapioca flour, sugar, and spices and toss.
- Fill the chilled pie crust with sliced apples. Dot with small cubes of butter.
- Combine topping ingredients and press on top of apples, covering completely.
- Cover the edges of the pie crust with a pie shield or with strips of aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.
- Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until the apples are slightly tender and the mixture is bubbling up. Check at 30 minutes to make sure the topping isn't browning too quickly.
- Remove from the oven and cool before slicing. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream!
❓Commonly asked questions
I'm sure there is probably a technical difference, but the two terms seem to be used interchangeably in many recipes. A Dutch Apple Pie has a streusel-like topping instead of a pastry or lattice top crust. In my opinion, it's far more interesting! I like to make mine with wholesome oats and almond flour. Sometimes I also add a handful of finely chopped pecans for extra crunch.
What kind of sweetener is best for Dutch Apple Pie?
For the crust and the topping, it's best to use a granulated sweetener like regular granulated sugar, coconut sugar, or a zero-calorie sweetener like Lacanto Monkfruit with Erythritol. The granulated texture helps to provide structure. In the filling, you could use a small amount of honey or maple syrup in place of the granulated sweetener if you like.
I like to use a mixture of different kinds, depending on what's available. I usually choose some crisp apples (like Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonathan, or Braeburn), some softer apples (like MacIntosh or Spartan,) and tart Granny Smith apples, for some contrast.
Blind baking simply means partially baking a pie crust before adding the filling. Why? It gives the crust a head start, ensuring that the filling and crust will be done at the same time. Blind baking also helps to avoid ending up with a soggy crust.
While you usually only blind bake a crust when you're filling it with a cream filling, pre-baking this almond flour crust makes it sturdier, since it doesn't have gluten or xanthan gum to bind it together.
If you don't have pie weights, dried kidney beans, black beans or even lentils will work the same. (You won't be able to cook and eat these, so just save them in a container to use as pie weights in the future.)
Technically no, but . . . The reason for pricking the dough with a fork, known as "docking" is to let steam escape so the pie crust doesn't puff up in the oven. While using pie weights usually prevents the crust from puffing up and the sides from shrinking, I often do both, just to be sure!
👍🏼Top tip
Try to slice the apples in uniform sizes so you don't end up with a mixture of chunky slices and mushy slices.
🥶 Storage and freezing instructions
Leftover pie (is there such a thing?) is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator as it keeps the crust firm. Bring to room temperature before serving this gluten-free apple pie. It's great with a scoop of ice cream!
You can freeze this pie after baking if you'd like. Cover the entire pie tightly with plastic wrap, then overwrap with foil, label, and freeze. Allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight when you're ready to enjoy it.
🔁 Variations and serving suggestions
Make an apple-blackberry pie by substituting one cup of blackberries for one cup of apples.
While this pie is absolutely delicious on its own, you can also serve it with ice cream, whipped cream, whipped coconut milk, or a drizzle of caramel sauce.
I hope you'll try this Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie. It's rich with warm spices and it has all the flavour of a classic apple pie without the bothersome gluten! If you like it, please let me know in the comments section below.
🌟 Did you make this recipe?
When you make this homemade apple pie, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox.
🗒More gluten-free dessert recipes
📖 Recipe
Recipe: Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie with Almond Flour Crust
Equipment
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.5 cups almond flour, finely ground
- ½ cup tapioca flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, or low-carb granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 tablespoon butter, cold and cubed
- ½ large egg, cold (whisk egg, then use half)
Filling
- 2.5 lbs apples (about 8 medium or 6 large), peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon tapioca flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar, or low-carb granulated sugar like Lacanto Monkfruit sweetener
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoon butter, cubed
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary
- 1 cup almond flour, finely ground
- ½ cup coconut sugar, or low-carb granulated sugar like Lacanto Monkfruit sweetener
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Pulse first 5 ingredients in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Beat egg in a small bowl, add half of it to the dough, pulsing until it comes together and forms a ball. You may need to add a teaspoon or two more of the beaten egg. If you don't have a food processor, combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it resembles coarse meal. Beat egg in a small bowl, and add half of it to the dough, mixing until it forms a ball.
- Lay dough on plastic film or a beeswax wrap, cover with another layer of the same and press into a disc shape about 6 - 8 inches in diameter. Wrap tightlly and refrigerate the dough for at least an hour or overnight.
- When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. and remove the dough disc from the fridge. Using a rolling pin between two sheets of parchment paper, form a disc about 12 inches in diameter. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper, invert a 9-inch round glass pie plate on top of the dough, then hold on to the bottom sheet of parchment paper and carefully flip it over so the pastry is now in the pie dish. The pastry will probably break, (expect it to) but you can easily press it back into shape. Use your fingertips to crimp the edges. Using a fork, prick the bottom and sides of the crust at half-inch intervals. Put the parchment paper back on top of the crust and fill the cavity with pie weights.
- Once your oven is at temperature, bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and pie weights and bake for 5 minutes more.
Filling and Crumble Topping
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice apples thinly and place in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract and toss to coat. Add tapioca flour, sugar and spices and toss.
- Fill chilled pie crust with apple slices. Dot with cubes of butter.
- Combine topping ingredients and press on top of apples, covering completely.
- Cover edges of pie crust with a pie shield or with strips of aluminum foil to prevent excess browning.
- Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until apples are tender and mixture is bubbling up. Check at 30 minutes to make sure topping isn't browning too quickly.
- Remove from oven and cool before slicing. Serve with ice cream, if desired.
Cardinal Robbins
Used the crumble topping part of the recipe today, one recipe nicely covered two pies. Topped an apple pie and a cherry pie, both turned out great. Thank you for this -- big hit with my pie-loving family!
Elaine
Happy to hear this recipe was a hit with your family! Apple pie and cherry pie--a lucky family!
Al Cook
Hi, I baked three of these--and froze one. The 2 were wonderful and I stuck the 3rd in the freezer a year + ago. I think I prebaked the crust and put the filling in. So...I put in the fridge to thaw last nite and am hoping for the best for today'
s lunch! Suggestions? thank you so much!!!
Elaine
Hi Al, It should be okay, depending on how tightly covered it was. I'd suggest that you preheat your oven to 350°F. cover the pie with foil and place it on a baking sheet. If you had prebaked the whole pie, it should only take about 15 to 20 minutes. If you hadn't pre-baked it, I'd suggest following the recipe instructions: Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes or until apples are slightly tender and mixture is bubbling up. Check at 30 minutes to make sure topping isn't browning too quickly. Hope it works out for you! Let me know 🙂
Lila
I made this last weekend as a trial run for Thanksgiving. Loved it! That pastry is so buttery good. This one will be on our Thanksgiving table! Thanks.
Elaine
That's great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to comment. Happy Thanksgiving!
Lee
Love this recipe, and my hubby loved this pie! I used coconut sugar and it was delicious. Thanks. Will make this again for sure.
Elaine
I'm happy to hear that! Thanks for the 5 stars!
Pat
I made this last weekend with extra apples I got from a friend. We loved it! The crust is so buttery and incredibly delicious. I'll be making this again, probably for Thanksgiving.
Elaine
It's always great when people share their fruit! So happy you liked this pie!
richie
does look like a wonderful recipe -- was about to do ..But--- when i saw the nutrition with all that fat and high carbs and sugar -- I thought that there has to be a way to have the pie just a bit healthier...
So what if we leave off the topping and make the apples fancy like a tart ? and maybe cut some of the sugar ... butter
What is your advice --leave as is --and eat a smaller piece -- or is there another approach ?/
Flavour & Savour
You could reduce the calories by using granulated Monkfruit sweetener instead of coconut sugar. You could also reduce the fat by replacing the almond flour in the crumble topping with oat flour. I've made this pie using both of these substitutions successfully. Hope this helps!
Lisa
Hi!
This looks sooo delicious and I really want to try it but can you suggest something other than GF oats to use for the topping? Maybe some kind of GF cereal?
My daughter has celiac and some people can't even eat the GF oats. It's a small %of the population but in order to find out if she could eat it she'd have to be re-biopsied! We may do that at some point but for now can you recommend anything?
Thanks!
Flavour & Savour
Hi Lisa, You can simply leave out the oats in the topping. It will be a streusel like topping, which is actually more traditional for a French or Dutch apple pie than one with oats. I hope this helps and that you're able to find other treats that your daughter can enjoy too!
Lisa Lemelin
Great thanks!!
Joris van de Ven
Hi Elaine, about dutch apple pie, I’m dutch and the lattice top is most common for a dutch apple pie. Of course the name dutch apple pie will have become its own thing in America, but a traditional dutch apple pie is must characterized by a crust with a lattice on top, and the filling is either sliced or cubed apples, though part can be ground, so you end up with an applesauce/apple chunks mixture. The filling is richly spiced with ground cinnamon, and perhaps a bit of some other spices like ground kardamom, nutmeg and cloves, reflecting the dutch historical connection with indonesia and ceylon. Also added to the filling are lemon juice and raisins.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much for enlightening me! You're right, in North America a Dutch apple pie suggests a crumble crust as in my recipe. However, the true Dutch apple pie, as you've described, with spices, lemon juice and raisins sounds absolutely delicious! Thanks for commenting!
Roses
I love eating apples and I like your Gluten-Free Dutch Apple Pie. It looks so delicious. I think a piece of cake in the morning will be good for health. So I'm trying to make it tomorrow morning. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much!
Michael
Just looking at it makes me feel good. a piece of dutch apple pie in the morning would be great. I will try it. Thanks Elaine for sharing the recipe!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Michael! A slice of apple pie is welcome at any time of the day, right?
ROBYN
This pie was delicious and easy to make! I added some rolled oats and pecans to the topping to make it more crumply. I also let the pie bake for 15 additional minutes. Thank you for the great recipe!
Flavour & Savour
That's great to hear, Robyn! So glad you liked it as much as we do. Thanks for letting me know how you adapted it, too!
Sara
What a gorgeous pie! Almond flour is such a great choice for crusts!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Sara, Yes! and the almond flavour blends beautifully with apples, too. Thanks for stopping by.
Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites
This pie is amazing! I love that you used almond flour for the crust too - both my GF fiance and I can enjoy it!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Lauren,
I hope you get a chance to try it soon. I was missing apple pie so I decided to create this recipe so all of us GF people could enjoy it, too! Thanks for commenting.
Jill
This dutch apple pie looks absolutely perfect. I'm impressed that it didn't sink in the middle. My apple pies usually sink 🙁
Carmy
I'm actually going to an apple farm this week so I'll have a ton of apples to use. I can't wait to use this recipe! Yum!
Katie
I think Dutch apple pie is really the only way to eat apple pie! I love your use of coconut sugar. This is a great recipe!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Katie,
Agreed! I love that crumble topping on pie, too.