This gluten free apple pie is one of my favorite recipes to make, especially when fall rolls around. It tastes just like a classic homemade apple pie, and nobody would ever guess it’s gluten free.

The crust is flaky and buttery, exactly how a good pie crust should be. It holds together perfectly and doesn’t crumble apart like some gluten free crusts tend to do.

For the filling, I use Granny Smith apples because they hold their shape well and have that nice tart flavor that balances out the sweetness. A little cinnamon and nutmeg round everything out.

The whole process is pretty straightforward. You make the dough, let it chill, prepare the filling, assemble, and bake. Nothing complicated at all.

If you’ve been looking for a reliable gluten free apple pie that actually delivers on taste and texture, this is the one. It’s great for holidays, weekends, or really any time you’re in the mood for pie.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Finally a Gluten Free Pie Crust That Actually Works – If you’ve ever struggled with gluten free pie crusts that crack or fall apart, this one holds together beautifully thanks to the 1-to-1 baking flour and the cold butter technique.

Tastes Just Like Traditional Apple Pie – Nobody at the table will be able to tell this is gluten free. The buttery, flaky crust and warm cinnamon-spiced apple filling taste exactly like the classic version you grew up eating.

Uses Simple Everyday Ingredients – You don’t need anything exotic or hard to find here. Granny Smith apples, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a good gluten free flour blend are all it takes to make this pie happen.

Great for Holiday Gatherings – Apple pie is a staple at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and family get-togethers. Now you can bring one that everyone can enjoy, whether they eat gluten free or not, without needing to make two separate desserts.

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1 cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cubed
6 tbsp Ice Water

For the Filling

6 medium Granny Smith Apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cut into small pieces

For the Topping

1 large Egg, beaten
1 tbsp Coarse Sugar

How to Make

Step 1

Make the crust by whisking together gluten free flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or food processor until pea-sized pieces form. Drizzle in ice water and mix until dough just comes together. Divide in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, toss sliced apples with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice until evenly coated.

Step 3

Roll out one dough disc between parchment paper into a 12-inch round and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, trimming any overhang. Fill with the apple mixture and dot the top with small pieces of butter.

Step 4

Roll out the second dough disc and place it over the filling. Trim and crimp the edges together to seal. Cut 4 to 5 small slits in the top crust to vent steam.

Step 5

Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes at 400F, then reduce to 350F and bake 35 to 40 minutes more until golden and bubbly.

Step 6

Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing so the filling sets properly.

Helpful Tips

Keep Your Butter Ice Cold

The butter needs to stay as cold as possible the entire time you’re making the crust. Cut it into cubes and put it back in the fridge (or even the freezer for 10 minutes) right before you start mixing.

When cold butter hits the hot oven, it creates little pockets of steam that make the crust flaky. If the butter gets warm and melts into the flour before baking, the crust turns out flat and dense instead.

If you notice the butter getting soft while you’re working, just pop the whole bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes and come back to it.

Don’t Skip the Chilling Time

That one hour of chilling the dough discs in the fridge is not optional. Gluten free dough especially needs time to firm up and hydrate so the flour can absorb the water properly.

If you skip this step or cut it short, the dough will be too soft and crumbly to roll out. It will crack, fall apart, and be really frustrating to work with.

If you want to get ahead, you can even chill the dough overnight. Just let it sit on the counter for about 5 minutes before rolling so it’s not rock hard.

Roll Between Parchment Paper

The recipe says to roll the dough between parchment paper and this is the best way to handle gluten free pie dough. It keeps the dough from sticking to your counter and your rolling pin without needing extra flour that could dry it out.

If the dough cracks while you’re rolling, just press it back together with your fingers. Gluten free dough doesn’t have the stretch that regular dough has, so a few cracks are totally normal.

Peel the top sheet of parchment off, flip the dough over the pie dish, then peel the second sheet off. Work quickly so the dough doesn’t get too warm and floppy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the butter need to be really cold for the crust?

Cold butter is what creates those flaky layers in pie crust. As the pie bakes, the little chunks of cold butter melt and release steam, which puffs up the dough and gives it that light, flaky texture.

If the butter is too warm, it blends completely into the flour and you end up with a crust that’s dense and tough instead of tender. Cubing it and keeping it in the fridge until the last second really helps.