This simple apple pie recipe is vegan and sugar-free. Does it get better than that? It is made with love and sweetened with dates. Extra cozy with warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and enveloped in a perfectly flaky vegan pie crust. It’s a classic made healthier, and it actually tastes amazing!
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Table of Contents
Talk about a classic pie. I have simplified this recipe, though, and made it vegan. My main goal was to cut the amount of sugar!
Surprisingly, Honeycrisp apples are perfect for pie making. They have a subtle tart flavor surrounded by sweetness. (This means you can use less sugar!) This recipe specifically uses chopped up dates to sweeten instead of your average cup of sugar. The combination of using sweeter apples as the base and finely chopped dates means you don’t have to add any sugar and it’s still delicious.
This is my absolute favorite pie to make in winter. Think Christmastime. Make it a full feast with stuffed acorn squash, leek and potato soup, orange fennel salad, dairy-free mashed potatoes with vegan gravy, roasted carrots and sweet potatoes, and the perfect pomegranate mocktail. Oh, and for something a little extra indulgent, this vegan peppermint bark is amazing!
Nutrition For Mental Health
As a nutritionist, I love apples. (I mean who doesn’t, right?) 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. If you don’t have any Honeycrisp on hand, then opt for Pink Lady or Gala apples.
- 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. Alternatively, you could use some date sugar or date syrup or in a pinch a drizzle of maple syrup.
- 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.
How To Make A Sugar-Free 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.)
- 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.
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- 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!
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.
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 Vegan 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
Vegan 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!
Video
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?
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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!