This simple apple pie recipe is vegan and refined sugar-free. Does it get better than that? It is made with love and sweetened with dates. (By the way, this is the best vegan pie crust recipe if you need one!)
This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclaimer for details.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic: Talk about a classic pie. I have simplified this recipe, though, and made it vegan, so I hope you enjoy it!
- Flavorful Apples: Surprisingly, Honeycrisp apples are perfect for pie making. They have a subtle tart flavor surrounded by sweetness. (This means you can use less sugar!)
- Versatile: This is a great recipe for apple pie to experiment with different sweet apple varieties. So, I would recommend using whichever sweet apples you can find at your local grocery store or farmers market.
Nutrition For Mental Health
When it comes to nutrition and mental health, that’s my jam. So, here at Raepublic, we research the main ingredient or nutrient’s impact on mental health and share that with you!
One raw apple contains 25.1 grams of carbs, 18.9 grams of sugar, 4.37 grams of fiber, 0.43 grams of protein, and 0.3 grams of fat. They are rich in antioxidants, including quercetin, catechin, and chlorogenic acid. Most apple varieties are a good source of vitamin C and potassium.
A comprehensive review found that several studies have successfully shown that quercetin (which is found in apples) has antidepressant effects.
Ingredients + Notes
Here are the simple ingredients for the best apple pie recipe!
- Pie crust: The base of this pie is a perfect buttery, flaky, homemade vegan crust. That being said, if you’re looking to save time, here are my top recommendations for a store-bought vegan pie crust.
- Apples: Honeycrisp apples are the heart of this pie. I know, I know. They are not your average apple for making pie. However, they taste amazing and require less added sugar. That’s a win-win if you ask me.
- Dates: These offer natural sweetness and a caramel-like flavor. Dates are a healthier alternative to refined sugars and contribute to this pie’s rich, full-bodied flavor.
- Lemon juice: A splash of lemon juice brightens the apple pie filling and gives it a light, citrusy bite.
A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations
This pie is packed with flavor. However, if you need to make substitutions, these are my suggestions.
- Apple varieties: Mix and match with Pink Lady, Gala, or Granny Smith apples for varied tart and sweet flavors. Keep in mind that if you use granny smith apples, you will need to use actual sweetener, or your pie will be very tart.
- Crust options: I used a homemade vegan pie crust. However, you can use this guide to find the best vegan pie crust at your local store.
- Sweeteners: This simple apple pie recipe uses Honeycrisp apples to reduce the need for added sugar. In lieu of traditional added sugar such as brown sugar or cane sugar, this recipe uses for dates. You could add maple syrup, agave nectar, or stevia to the apple pie filling mix for an even sweeter pie if you like.
How To Make A Simple Vegan Apple Pie
Here are east-to-follow instructions for this easy vegan apple pie.
- Preheat oven to 425 °F/218 °C and prepare your pie crust according to package instructions or recipe. Grease bottom of 9″ pie dish and par-bake the bottom crust.
- Add apple slices to a large bowl, followed by spices, salt, and dates, and combine thoroughly.
- Pour lemon juice into the bowl and stir once more. (This finished your easy apple pie filling.)
Would you like to save this?
- Scoop simple apple pie filling into the pie pan and lay the remaining dough over the top. Cut the design or slits into the top of the pie dough.
- Bake for 45 minutes. (Add a pie shield or aluminum foil to the edges if the top crust begins to brown too much.) Pro tip! Place a baking sheet underneath the pie dish just in case the filling boils over.
- Serve with vegan whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Serving Ideas
Serve your vegan apple pie with a generous scoop of vegan ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream for an extra special treat.
For more serving ideas, I recommend sipping on some cranberry lemonade or pumpkin lemonade while enjoying this simple apple pie recipe!
Storage Tips
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. This helps maintain the freshness and texture of the entire pie. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
FAQ
No. You don’t need to cook apples ahead of time when using them in a pie. (They will be baked in the pie and cook just fine that way.)
Most apple pies use tart apples, such as Granny Smith. However, using sweet apples such as Honey Crisp or Gala apples reduces the amount of sugar you need to make the pie nice and sweet. The average classic apple pie recipe calls for an entire cup of sugar! Whereas this simple vegan apple pie uses dates to sweeten it. So, it has zero added sugar.
You can add a thickener like cornstarch or arrowroot powder to the filling to make an apple pie less juicy.
Cornstarch is the most commonly used thickener. It does a great job of thickening a simple apple pie filling.
If you tried this Simple Apple Pie Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Simple Apple Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Vegan Pie Crust
- 6 medium Honeycrisp apples, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 Medjool dates, minced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice, (juice from 1 lemon)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 °F/218 °C and prepare your pie crust according to package instructions or recipe. Grease bottom of 9" pie pan and par-bake the bottom crust.
- Add apple slices to a large bowl, followed by spices, salt, and dates, and combine thoroughly.
- Pour lemon juice into the bowl and stir once more.
- Scoop apple pie filling into the pie pan and lay the remaining dough over the top. Trim, form edges, and cut slits in the top to vent.
- Bake for 45 minutes. (If the top crust begins to brown too much, add a pie shield or aluminum foil to the edges.) Pro tip! Place a baking sheet underneath the pie dish just in case the filling boils over.
- Serve with vegan whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Notes
- You don’t need to cook apples ahead of time when using them in a pie. (They will be baked in the pie and cook just fine that way.)
- If you feel like your filling is a little on the liquid side, you can use cornstarch or arrowroot powder to thicken it. I would start with one teaspoon.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container. This helps maintain the freshness and texture of the entire pie. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Did you make this recipe?
We’d love to see! Tag @raepublic on Instagram!
Reference
Chen, S., Tang, Y., Gao, Y., Nie, K., Wang, H., Su, H., Wang, Z., Lu, F., Huang, W., & Dong, H. (2022). Antidepressant Potential of Quercetin and its Glycoside Derivatives: A Comprehensive Review and Update. Frontiers in pharmacology, 13, 865376. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.865376
This is my favorite pie!
So glad you like it!