It’s finally here — a homemade gluten free apple pie that tastes like a classic. The apples are perfectly tender and the crust is flaky, buttery, and tender. This pie is ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy fall baking day.
If you’re nervous about baking pie, don’t be. I’m not a professional baker, and if I can pull this off, you can too. I made this pie to capture the memory of my grandmother’s apple pies — flaky crust and warmly spiced apples — and this gluten free version came remarkably close.
My grandmother made pies by feel, never by strict measurements, and her apple pie was my favorite holiday treat. I tried learning from her as a child, but most of my time was spent watching her work under the pressure of a special occasion. Her crusts were always flaky, buttery, and delicate, and the cinnamon-spiced apple filling felt like a warm hug.
After she passed, I sampled many apple pies that came close but didn’t quite match her version — until this one. It’s not identical, but it’s the closest I’ve made. Making it felt meaningful, and I’d like to think she would have been proud.
One highlight: this pie is gluten free and still delivers a tender, flaky crust that doesn’t scream “gluten free.” I adapted the crust from America’s Test Kitchen, which uses a few less-common ingredients — rice vinegar to keep the crust tender and full-fat sour cream for richness that balances gluten free flours. The result works beautifully.
Ingredient quality matters, especially the gluten free flour blend. I highly recommend Cup4Cup multipurpose gluten free flour for the flakiest, least gritty crust. It’s pricier than some blends, but for a special pie it’s worth the splurge. If you prefer a non-gluten-free version, you can use regular all-purpose flour and omit the rice vinegar, sour cream, and xanthan gum.
I used a food processor to cut the butter because it’s quick and effective. If you prefer, you can use a pastry cutter and work the dough by hand, but the food processor saves effort and yields consistent results.
This recipe is an exception to my usual preference for refined sugar-free sweeteners. I tested coconut sugar and organic cane sugar for the filling. Coconut sugar added a strong molasses-like flavor that masked the apples, so I recommend organic cane sugar for a balanced sweetness that lets the apples shine.
The filling features tart Granny Smith apples, warming cinnamon and nutmeg, a touch of lemon juice to brighten the flavor, and a modest amount of sugar to balance the tartness. Scatter a few pats of butter over the filling before adding the top crust to enrich the sauce as the pie bakes.
When rolling gluten free dough, dust the work surface and rolling pin with rice flour or another inexpensive gluten free flour to prevent sticking. If the dough cracks while rolling, pinch pieces back together and patch with excess dough as needed. Chill the dough before rolling for easier handling.
This pie filled me with joy — from preparing the filling to the first bite. The tart apples, balanced sugar, and warming spices wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust are exactly what I want from a homemade apple pie. Bake it for the holidays or any time you want the comfort of a classic dessert.
Description
The perfect gluten free apple pie: tender baked apples with a flaky, buttery crust that doesn’t taste gluten free. Ideal for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any cozy occasion.
Ingredients
- Gluten Free Pie Crust (for 2 pie shells) — see crust ingredients below
- 5 tablespoons ice cold water (or more as needed)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour*
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar or organic cane sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already contains it)
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons full-fat sour cream
- Rice flour or other inexpensive gluten free flour, for dusting
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- Apple pie filling:
- 6 to 7 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced (about 6 to 8 large apples)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 3/4 to 1 cup organic cane sugar**
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, in pats
Instructions
- Freeze the butter: Place cubed butter in the freezer for 15 minutes so it’s very cold.
- Cut butter into the dry ingredients: In a food processor, pulse together the gluten free flour, salt, sugar, and xanthan gum (if using). Add half the cold butter, pulse a few times, then add the rest and pulse until butter pieces are about pea-sized.
- Add wet ingredients: Add rice vinegar, sour cream, and 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until combined. Add remaining water a little at a time and pulse until the mixture holds together when squeezed. If it’s still crumbly, add more water sparingly.
- Form and chill the dough: Turn the mixture onto a floured surface and press crumbs into a ball. Divide into two disks, wrap in plastic, and freeze at least 2 hours (or refrigerate overnight). You can freeze up to 6 months.
- Prepare the filling: Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine sliced apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Roll out bottom crust: On parchment dusted with rice flour, roll dough from the center outward to about 1/4 inch thick and large enough for a 9-inch pie plate. Patch any cracks, then transfer to the pie plate and trim excess, leaving enough for crimping.
- Fill the pie: Add apple filling to the bottom crust and scatter pats of butter on top. Brush the edge of the bottom crust with beaten egg.
- Top crust: Roll the second disk and place over the filling. Seal and crimp the edges as desired. Trim any excess and tuck under if you want a thicker edge.
- Egg wash and vent: Brush the top crust with beaten egg and cut 4 slits in the center for steam to escape.
- Bake: Cover the crust edges with foil or a pie shield. Place the pie on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch drips. Bake 50–60 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.
- Cool: Let the pie cool at least 4 hours before slicing so the filling sets. Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days, then refrigerate for additional days.
Notes
* I highly recommend Cup4Cup multipurpose gluten free flour for the best texture. It yields a flaky, tender crust without graininess. If you use a different blend, results may vary.
If you don’t need the pie to be gluten free, use regular all-purpose flour and omit xanthan gum, rice vinegar, and sour cream.
**I tested coconut sugar and organic cane sugar. Coconut sugar added a caramel-like note that can overpower the apples; organic cane sugar lets the apple flavor shine.
Crust adapted from America’s Test Kitchen.