Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
This gluten free Dutch apple pie recipe is my personal go to during fall and the holiday season! It combines tender cinnamon apples with a buttery crumble topping and a homemade flaky gluten-free pie crust. It has everything I love about a classic apple pie, but instead of adding a second crust, the apples are covered with a sweet cinnamon crumb topping.
I make the apple pie filling with fresh apples from our apple tree, coconut sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and arrowroot powder, keeping this a Dutch apple pie with no refined sugar. The buttery streusel is also sweetened entirely with coconut sugar.
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy
Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
For the Crust
- 1 prepared gluten-free pie crust, using my homemade gluten-free pie crust recipe
For the Apple Filling
- 2½ pounds organic apples (about 6 large apples), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced – Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honey crisp, or fresh grown apples from the tree
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
For the Crumble Topping
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
How to Make This Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pie Recipe
1. Prepare the Pie Crust
Prepare the gluten-free pie crust according to the recipe here. Roll it out, and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges, then chill for 20–30 minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F.
Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and weights, brush the inside and edges with egg white and bake for another 3 minutes, until the bottom looks dry and set but is not fully browned. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before adding the apple filling. Reduce the oven temperature to 350F.
2. Make the crumble topping
Add the gluten-free flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a medium bowl and stir together. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the flour mixture forms crumbs. Leave some larger pieces for that classic buttery streusel texture. Place the crumble in the fridge while you prepare the apples.
3. Prepare the apples
Peel, core, and slice the apples. I love to use an apple peeler corer slicer. It makes this step go so fast! Add the apple slices to a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Add the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and arrowroot powder to the sliced apples. Toss until all of the apples are evenly coated
4. Assemble the pie
Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared pie crust, arranging the sliced apples in an even layer and slightly mounding them toward the center. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of the apples. Don’t press it down.
5. Bake
Bake at 375°F for 40–50 minutes, or until the apples are tender, the filling is bubbling, and the crumble topping is golden brown. If the edges of the crust or the top are browning too quickly, loosely cover them with aluminum foil. I recommend doing this about 20 minutes into baking.
6. Cool
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let the pie cool for at least 3 hours before cutting into individual slices. This gives the juices in the apple filling time to thicken and set.
When you are ready to serve, you can top with some whipped topping, ice cream or coconut cream, and enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Gluten free: A flaky gluten-free pie crust and 1-to-1 gluten-free flour in the crumb topping make the entire pie gluten free.
- No refined sugar: Both the cinnamon apples and crumble are naturally sweetened with coconut sugar, making this a Dutch apple pie with no refined sugar.
- Simple apple filling: You only need apples, lemon juice, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and arrowroot powder.
- Buttery crumb topping: Instead of fussing with a second crust, this pie gets a generous layer of cinnamon crumble.
- Perfect for fall: This cozy homemade apple pie is perfect for apple season, Thanksgiving, or anytime you’re craving an old-fashioned apple dessert.
Tips for a Flaky Gluten-Free Pie Crust
The bottom crust is one of the trickiest parts of any homemade apple pie, especially when working with gluten-free pie dough.
I use my gluten-free pie crust recipe and par-bake the crust before adding the apple filling. This gives the bottom crust a head start before the juicy apples go in and helps create a flaky crust rather than a soggy or dense one.
When making the crust, keep your butter cold and avoid overworking the dough. A food processor makes the process especially easy, although you can also cut cold butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or pastry cutter.
Serving and Storing
The hardest part may be waiting to cut it! Let the pie cool for at least 3 hours after baking. Cutting it while it’s still hot can cause the apple filling to spill out rather than hold together in neat slices.
Serve it as-is or slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator. You can enjoy individual slices cold or gently reheat them before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dutch apple pie gluten free?
Traditional Dutch apple pie isn’t usually gluten free because both the pie crust and crumble contain wheat flour. This gluten-free Dutch apple pie recipe uses a gluten-free crust and gluten-free 1-to-1 flour for the crumble.
Can I use cornstarch instead of arrowroot powder?
Yes. Substitute 2 tablespoons cornstarch for the 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder in the apple filling.
Can I make this gluten-free Dutch apple pie ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, this is a great dessert to make ahead because the filling benefits from several hours of cooling. You can bake the pie earlier in the day or the day before you plan to serve it.
Do I need to refrigerate leftover Dutch apple pie?
For longer storage, I recommend covering the leftover pie and keeping it in the refrigerator. Bring individual slices closer to room temperature or gently warm them before serving.
Final Thoughts
This gluten free Dutch apple pie recipe has all the things I want in a homemade fall dessert: a flaky gluten-free pie crust, tender cinnamon apples, and a generous buttery crumb topping. And because both layers are sweetened with coconut sugar, you get all that classic apple crumble pie flavor without refined sugar.
More Reader Favorite Homemade Apple Recipes
If you do give this recipe a try, I want to know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @wholisticmandy on Instagram. Your reviews help support this blog and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love.
Gluten Free Dutch Apple Pie
Equipment
- 1 9" pie pan
- 1 apple peeler corer slicer optional
- aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 homemade gluten free pie crust or store bought
Apple Filling
- 2 1/2 pounds organic apples about 6 large apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour
- 1/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
Prepare & Par Bake the Pie Crust
- Prepare the gluten-free pie crust according to the recipe here.1 homemade gluten free pie crust
- Roll it out, and transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges, then chill for 20–30 minutes while the oven preheats to 375°F.
- Once it has cooled, line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the parchment and weights, brush the inside and edges with egg white and bake for another 3 minutes, until the bottom looks dry and set but is not fully browned.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before adding the apple filling.
Prepare the Crumble Topping
- Add the gluten-free flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a medium bowl and stir together. Pour in the melted butter and mix until the flour mixture forms crumbs. Leave some larger pieces for that classic buttery streusel texture. Place the crumble in the fridge while you prepare the apples.1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour, 1/3 cup coconut sugar, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp sea salt, 8 tbsp unsalted butter
Prepare the Apple Filling
- Peel, core, and slice the apples. I love to use an apple peeler corer slicer. It makes this step go so fast!2 1/2 pounds organic apples, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp arrowroot powder
- Add the apple slices to a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice. Add the coconut sugar, cinnamon, and arrowroot powder to the sliced apples. Toss until all of the apples are evenly coated
Assemble the Pie
- Transfer the apple mixture to the prepared pie crust, arranging the sliced apples in an even layer and slightly mounding them toward the center. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top of the apples. Don't press it down.
Bake
- Bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes, or until the apples are tender, the filling is bubbling, and the crumble topping is golden brown. If the edges of the crust or the top are browning too quickly, loosely cover them with aluminum foil. I recommend doing this about 20 minutes into baking.
Notes
- Use cold ingredients for the crust. Keep the butter, egg, and water cold when making the pie crust. Cold ingredients help prevent the butter from melting into the dough before baking, resulting in a flakier, more tender crust.
- Don’t skip the par-bake. Par-baking the gluten-free crust helps prevent the apple filling from creating a soggy bottom.
- Watch the crust as it bakes. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with a pie shield or strips of aluminum foil.
- Look for bubbling filling. The pie is done when the apples are tender and the filling is visibly bubbling around the edges.
- Let it cool before slicing. Cool the pie for at least 3 hours so the filling has time to thicken and set for cleaner slices.
