Vegan Apple Pie With Streusel Gluten Free Recipe

I will fully admit that the combined aroma of cinnamon and apple coming from my kitchen is one of the most addictive smells ever. From this Apple Crisp Without Oats to these Vegan Apple Muffins with streusel topping, I’ve got several delicious cinnamon and apple desserts to enjoy on this blog. They’re comforting, warm, and perfect for the cooler fall and winter months (and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas) – but can also be enjoyed year-round!

A Comforting Vegan Apple Pie With A Streusel Topping

This vegan apple pie recipe is comfort food at its best; combining a warming cinnamon apple pie filling with a gluten-free pastry crust, and a streusel topping. The combination creates a dessert that is tender, yet crisp and crunchy – with a lightly fruity middle and buttery, rich crust and topping. Could it get any better? By omitting the dough pie topping, you get to avoid rolling out a second load of dough and enjoy a slightly lighter, crispier dessert. It’s great for anyone who isn’t keen on dough-heavy pies. It’s also easier to deal with – simply crumbling over the top of the filling rather than combining into a dough, rolling out, cutting, crimping, etc. as a top crust.

Best of all, this apple streusel pie recipe is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can be made nut-free and grain-free! Perfect for large gatherings where you need your apple dessert to appeal to all. I’ve shared this apple pie with non-vegan or gluten-free friends on several occasions and have never heard anything but compliments!

The Best Apples For Apple Pie

When making any apple dessert, the star ingredient is, of course, the apples you use. So making sure to use a variety that will give you the best flavor and texture is critical. For this vegan apple pie, you can use any of your favorite baking/cooking apples; Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, or Braeburn will all work. You can also combine tart vs. sweet apples for more depth of flavor. For example, Granny Smith (tart) with Honeycrisp or Gala (sweet). Tip: How soft the apples are will lead to a dessert with more discernible chunks vs. The apple breaking down into a fluffy consistency. i.e. McIntosh and Red/ Golden Delicious apples are all soft and not great for baking.

The Step-By-Step Instructions

Note: For the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepare the vegan, gluten-free pastry

The pastry will be used for the vegan pie crust and the streusel topping.

First, prepare the flax eggs by combining the flaxseed and water and set aside for five minutes. Then, add all of the ingredients for the pastry into a food processor and blend until it starts to clump and form a dough. If the dough seems a little dry or crumbly then add a little more water or vegan butter, 1 tsp at a time until a dough forms. Once ready, roll the dough into a ball and chill in the fridge, wrapped in cling film, for 30 minutes.

You can also do this process by hand in a bowl, though it will take longer.

Step 2: Prepare the apple pie filling

Peel, core, and chop the apples before heating with the remaining filling ingredients in a large pot. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes, taste, and adjust the amount of sugar if preferred.

The type of apple/s you use will change the amount of sweetener you may want to add to the recipe, so it’s always a good idea to taste and adjust as you go along. If you’re wanting to make a sugar-free apple pie, use sweeter apples and then just a little of your favorite sweetener keto/low carb sweetener.

Once ready, the mixture will cool slightly as the dough chills in the fridge.

Step 3: Prepare & fill the pie tin

First, preheat the oven to 360F/180C and lightly oil or butter your pie tin. Remove the dough from the fridge and remove around 1/3 of it to use as the streusel topping. Roll out the remaining dough and fit the vegan pie crust to the bottom of the pan, large enough to go about 2-inches (5cm) up the sides of the tin. Add the filling and then crumble the remaining dough over the top of the vegan pie.

Step 4: Bake & serve the vegan apple pie

Bake the apple streusel pie in the oven for 45-50 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown then remove from the oven. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy this apple pie alone or with your favorite dairy-free vanilla, caramel, or cinnamon ice-cream, a vegan vanilla pudding, whipped cream, or even caramel sauce.

How To Make Ahead & Store

To make ahead:

Prepare the dough and filling; roll out the vegan pie crust into the tin and leave the streusel crumbles in a bowl covered with cling film. Leave the apple pie filling in a separate bowl, covered, and leave everything to chill in the fridge up to a day in advance. When you’re ready to bake the gluten-free apple pie, add the filling and topping to the pie tin and bake. You may need to add an extra couple of minutes to the baking time as it was chilled.

To store the gluten-free apple pie:

Store any leftovers of this vegan pie on the counter, covered, for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. You can also freeze the cooked and sliced vegan apple pie for between 3-4 months, though the texture of the dough/streusel may slightly change. When you want to eat it, allow the apple crumble pie to thaw on the counter or in the fridge then reheat in the oven until warmed through.

Recipe Notes

Feel free to add a dusting of cinnamon powder and sugar over the streusel topping, for a sweeter topping. You could leave the apples unpeeled for added nutrients and fiber. Often, the baking process breaks them down enough that you can hardly tell they’re there. You can optionally sprinkle some chopped nuts over the streusel topping. Almonds, walnuts, and pecans will all work well. Optional Add-ins: You could add a little vanilla extract, rum extract, raisins, or other dried fruit to change up the apple pie filling. For a refined sugar-free apple pie, you can use the sweetener of your choice, such as Erythritol or Stevia.

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If you try this vegan apple pie recipe, I’d love a comment and recipe ★★★★★ rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan/ #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.