Slice of apple pie on a white plate sitting on a wooden table next toan apple pie in a glass pie dish and some fresh apples.

The Best AIP Apple Pie Recipe – Paleo, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free & Allergen-Friendly

ByUli

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While this pie looks like a classic apple pie, it might taste even better. And best of all, it is grain-free, egg-free, dairy-free, basically it is allergen friendly and compliant with the Paleo diet as well as the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) core elimination phase. 

Dish of apple pie with fresh apples and fall leaves in the background.

Why I love this Apple Pie 

This apple pie is hands-down the best I’ve ever had. Even before going gluten-free in 2008, and throughout my gluten-free years before starting AIP, I never came across an apple pie this good. It’s perfectly balanced: not overly sweet, with warm and comforting spices. 

And this apple pie recipe is free from allergens, meaning it is dairy-free, gluten-free, grain-free, egg-free. It is compliant with the Paleo diet and is also perfect for vegetarians and can be adapted for vegans. This truly is a one size fits all and it does not compromise on taste one bit. 

As part of testing this recipe I handed out quite a few slices of this apple pie. Some of my friends are exceptional bakers, and even they couldn’t stop raving about it!

The dough is different. It is not the traditional flour that homemade pies are made of, so of course the texture and flavor is different. But this pie crust just works with this apple mixture! Perfect as an AIP dessert for Thanksgiving!

I am so happy I can share this recipe with you and really hope you love it!

Top image showing a whole apple pie with some fresh apples and the bottom images shows a slice of apple pie on a white plate. Text reads Apple Pie - Paleo, Gluten free and AIP.

What you need to make this Allergen Friendly Apple Pie

While this is a longish list of ingredients, you will realize that every element plays an important role. But feel free to play around with the spices in the filling to adjust them to your liking.

Spices for the AIP apple pie filling. In two white ramekins are Lemon juice and maple syrup. On a blue plate are Tapioca Flour, Ground Cloves, Mace, Ginger Poweder and Cinnamon
On a wooden cutting board, there are 2 whole apples one peeled apple and a few quartered and slices apples lying next to a kitchen knife.

For the apple pie filling

  • Apples
  • Maple syrup
  • Cinnamon
  • Mace (you can use nutmeg if you are on Paleo or have reintroduced seed based spices)
  • Ground cloves
  • Ginger powder
  • Coconut oil
Ingredients for AIP apple pie crust lined up on a wooden counter. Coconut oil, salt, Tigernut flour, Cassava flour, Honey, Baking Soda and water.

AIP Pie Crust

  • Cassava flour
  • Tigernut flour (can be substituted with cassava flour if on AIP, or possibly with coconut flour. For paleo, almond flour might also work)
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Honey (replace with maple syrup to make this recipe vegan friendly)
  • Coconut oil 
  • Water

See the recipe card for quantities.

Equipment

  • Vegetable peeler
  • Cutting board
  • Sharp kitchen knife
  • Saucepan or frying pan
  • Spatula
  • Mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 9” Pie plate

What are the best apples for this pie?

Choosing the right apple makes a big difference in texture and flavor. Ideally you want a tart apple that holds its shape well. But you can probably get away with using any apple. I was given a bag of Cortland apples from someone’s backyard and they were great.

I also tried it with SweeTango apples. They were less tart and not as firm, but still held up OK in the pie. Many bakers say Granny Smith apples are the best apples for making apple pie because they are super tart and very firm. Firm apples hold up well during the baking process unlike varieties such as McIntosh which kind of turn to mush.
Other great varieties are: Honeycrisp, Jonathan, Jazz, Golden Delicious, Jonagold or Pink Lady

Choose whatever apple you can get your hands on, and if you find they are very sweet apples perhaps reduce the maple syrup in the apples. And if they are not very firm, reduce the cook time of the apples, before adding them to the base.

These apples also work really well in AIP apple muffins.

Slice of apple pie on a white plate with a tree in the background. Text reads "as good as classic apple pie, AIP, Paleo, Vegan"

How To Make this AIP Apple Pie from Scratch

How to make AIP apple pie filling:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).

Small bowl containing all the spices and maple syrup and lemon juice for the apple pie filling, with a blue spatula mixing the ingredients together.
Apple pie filling an a frying pan being stirred by a spatula.

Start off by washing and peeling 6 medium to large sized apples. The quarter then and slice them into slices approximately 1/8 of an inch thick. In a small mixing bowl or cup, add the lemon juice and maple syrup. Then mix all the spices into the cup. Make sure it is well mixed.

Preheat a frying pan or saucepan on the cooktop and add a little bit of coconut oil to the pan. Then add the apples. Then add the mixture of spices and maple syrup to the pan and mix through. Keep stirring the apples to ensure they are evently coated with the mixture and get evenly cooked. Once the apples have softened, they are ready. Don’t overcook them as otherwise they will turn into mush.

How to make AIP pie crust:

Hand holding a ball of AIP pie dough
Hand pressing dough into a pie dish to make pie crust.
Hand making the top crust of an AIP apple pie.

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients (cassava flour, tigernut flour, salt, baking soda) together and then add the honey and coconut oil. It is easier to mix when the coconut oil is liquid, but solid coconut oil works fine too. Once this is well mixed, slowly add the water, little by litte. Work the dough with your hands.

Some flours have more moisture content than others and not all require the same amount of water. Stop adding water when you can form a well shaped ball with the dough.

Grease the pie dish by taking a small amount of solid coconut oil and with your fingers rubbing it into the pie dish. Make sure to cover the entire base and the sides.

Split the dough ball into roughly half and use the bigger half to make the base of the pie. You do this by placing small pieces of dough into the pie dish and using your fingers, pressing it down as evenly as possible intothe entire pie dish and up the sides. If you need a bit more, take from the other half. There is plenty of dough.

Add the pie mixture into the finished pie base. And then to make the top crust, take small pieces of dough and make flat discs in youd hands. Try to keep the thickness for all discs even, and a similar thickness to what your base is. Place these discs on top of the pie filling to make the top crust. Use smaller pieces of dough to close any gaps.

Once ready, please your pie in the preheated oven and bake for 13 minutes until golden brown. Don’t let the pie get dark brown, cassava gets bitter when it is overbaked.

Freshly made apple pie before being baked
Freshly baked apple pie

Pie Variations and Substitutions

I know tigernut flour is not cheap and not always easy to come by. The tigernut flour makes the dough a bit less dense, that’s why I like to add it. But if you don’t have any, you can easily substitute it with cassava flour (one-for-one). Note however that it will change the texture and flavor a bit. And if you do use only cassava flour I would recommend you keep the top crust as thin as you can, and do not overbake it. If cassava flour bakes for too long and gets too dark it will get bitter. Coconut flour is also another option you can try, but I have not yet tried that.

Paleo is a little bit more flexible than AIP, so you could probably substitute the tigernut flour with almond flour perhaps. 

I have not yet baked with palm shortening, so I don’t know how it responds in baked goods. But I am pretty sure that you can use palm shortening instead of coconut oil if you want a coconut free apple pie. The palm shortening might actually help the dough stick together a little bit better. And I think it would be a one for one substitution. But as I said, I have never used it before, so this is only a guess.

For those that have successfully reintroduced butter, you can also use butter instead of coconut oil. I have not tried that, because I am still mostly following the core AIP diet. But once I have reintroduced foods, I will play around with this recipe some more.

I mentioned the different apples you can use above. If you are using sweeter apples, a little bit more lemon might add some more tart. So use what you can get your hands on. Don’t let the apple variety be a hindrance to making this delicious AIP and Paleo friendly apple pie.

Slice of apple pie with a fork holding a bite of the pie.

How to serve this AIP and Paleo friendly apple pie

Just like a good curry or a spiced cake, this pie only gets better with time. The warm spices (think cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) continue to mingle and deepen overnight. So try and not eat it all at once!

I also find this apple pie is best served warm. A few seconds in the microwave is all it needs. The warm temperature brings out the flavors and makes this an incredibly warming and comforting dessert.

However, I find it a little bit tricky to get it out of the pie dish when it is warm. The base is quite soft. We slice it up after we take it out the oven, while it is still slightly warm. The crust on top slices very well while warm. Once it has been in the fridge or cooled down completely, it is a lot easier to get it out. When we want a piece, we dish it up and then warm it in the microwave.

In my non-AIP life I probably would have had some cream or ice cream with it, but I don’t miss that stuff. And we love it just as is! No other flavors to distract away from the spices in the apple pie mixture! 

If you really want to add something that is AIP or Paleo compliant, maybe experiment with some whipped coconut. Not sure what else would go with it. Let me know if you find something and I would love to add your recommendation here.

White plate with a slice of AIP apple pie sitting on a wooden table. Next to it is the rest of the pie in a glass dish and three fresh apples.

Storage Instructions

This pie is so delicious that I doubt it will last very long. It definitely does not last in our house! The best way to store it is in the pie dish or on a plate with a covering in the fridge.

Leftover pie can also be stored in the freezer.  Simply place the apple pie slices in an air-tight storage container to freeze. It should easily last for up to two months.  When ready to eat, defrost it on the countertop, oven or in the microwave.

Slice of apple pie on a white plate sitting on a wooden table next toan apple pie in a glass pie dish and some fresh apples.

AIP Apple Pie Recipe

This apple pie is AIP compliant, Paleo friendly, vegetarian, and gluten-free. A warm, spiced dessert perfect for fall and holiday gatherings. No allergens, just flavor!
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 13 minutes
Apple Filling Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 28 minutes
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, British, Paleo
Servings 8 servings
Calories 350 kcal

Equipment

  • cutting board
  • Vegetable Peeler
  • sharp kitchen knife
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • small mixing bowl or cup
  • Spatula
  • saucepan or frying pan
  • mixing bowl
  • 9" pie dish

Ingredients
  

For the filling

  • 6 Apples
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 2 pinches Mace
  • 1 pinch Ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon Coconut oil
  • 3 tablespoons Maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons Lemon (fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon Tapioca or arrowroot flour

For the crust

  • 1½ cups Cassava flour
  • ½ cup Tigernut flour
  • ½ cup Coconut oil
  • ½ cup Water
  • 4 tablespoons Honey (replace with maple syrup to make this vegan)
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Baking soda

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).
  • Using ½ teaspoon of coconut oil, grease the pie dish. Use your fingers to spread it evenly across the dish.

For the apple pie filling

  • Wash and peel all your apples. Once peeled, cut all blemishes out, quarter the apples and remove the cores.
  • Slice the apples into evenly thick slices, approxmately ⅛th of an inch, not thicker than ¼ of an inch.
  • Preheat your frying pan or saucepan on medium heat and add the coconut oil and your apples.
  • In a small bowl or in a cup, mix the ginger powder, cinnamon, mace, cloves and tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour) with the maple syrup and lemon to make a slurry. By mixing it first it is easier to mix it into the apples without having clumps of spices.
  • With your spatula, mix the spice mixture into your apples and mix through.
  • Keep stirring the apples until they soften up. This should take around 15 minutes. But if the apples soften before then, stop as you don't want them to become too soft.

How to make the AIP pie crust

  • Measure out the cassava flour, tigernut flour, baking soda and salt. And mix them together.
  • Add the coconut oil and honey and mix into the dry ingredients.
  • Measure out the water and slowly add it to the mixture. Add little at a time. You may not need all the water, you may need a little bit more. All flours are different and have different moisture content.
  • Once you can form a ball with the dough, stop adding water. It will be crumbly and does not hold together well, but more water will not change that.

Assemble the pie

  • Break the ball of dough into approximately half and use the bigger half to make the base of the pie crust. Using small pieces, lay out the base and with your fingers work the base to be even thickness along the bottom and sides.
  • Add your AIP apple pie filling to the pie dish, spreading it evenly.
  • Now for the top crust. Because this dough does not hold together well, you have to work in small sections. Take a small piece of dough, flatten it between your palms and fingers to make a thin disk approximately ¼" thick.
  • Place the disks on top of the pie, making a continuous top crust. Use crumbs and smaller pieces to fill any gaps.

Bake the pie

  • Once assembled, place the pie in the middle of the oven on the middle rack.
  • Bake the pie for 13 minutes. Your first pie you might want to bake for a minute or two less, to make sure it does not over cook.
  • If the pie crust is an even gold, it is ready. If the edges turn dark brown, you will have slightly overbaked it. Dark brown crust does not mean it is burnt, but it will taste a bit more bitter. So start with slightly shorter time and work up from there.
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool. Once cooled it is ready to slice up and serve. This pie is best served warm. If eating it the next day, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, British, Paleo
Keyword dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free

Made this recipe and loved it? Please leave a ⭐star rating and a comment below. I love to receive feedback and would love to connect with you! Snap a picture and tag me on Instagram or find me on Pinterest.

Commonly Asked Questions

Ideally you want a tart apple that holds its shape well. 

I used Cortland apples for this recipe and they worked really well. I also tried it with SweeTango apples. They were less tart and not as firm, but still held up OK in the pie. Many bakers say Granny Smith apples are the best apples for making apple pie because they are super tart and very firm. Firm apples hold up well during the baking process unlike varieties such as McIntosh which kind of turn to mush.
Other great varieties are: Honeycrisp, Jonathan, Jazz, Golden Delicious, Jonagold or Pink Lady

Choose whatever apple you can get your hands on, and if you find they are very sweet apples perhaps reduce the maple syrup in the apples. And if they are not very firm, reduce the cook time, before adding them to the base.

Whether or not to peel your apples is totally up to you. Leaving the skins on adds a rustic charm and a bit of extra fiber, while peeling them gives you that classic, melt-in-your-mouth texture. I prefer to peel them, but it really comes down to your personal preference and how much time you have!

When making the apple pie filling, cut the apples into 1/8″ thick slices. Thinner slices will mean your apples turn to mush easier. But this apple filling is very forgiving, as long as you adjust the time you cook the apples before adding them to the apple pie base.

I did not really come across this problem. The pie is baked for so short, there is not much time for it to become soggy. But what I did was to make sure the oven is up to temperature before I add the apples to the pie dish. And then I worked on the top crust fairly quickly to get the pie into the oven as soon as possible. 

The apples do not leave a lot of moisture in the pan and using tapioca to thicken that little bit of moisture helps reduce liquids that could potentially cause an issue. If you do run into this issue, please let me know so I can help troubleshoot it.

This apple pie is baked for less than 15 minutes, which is not really enough time to soften up the apples. So for this recipe, yes, I highly recommend cooking the apples for a short while, as I described in the recipe. 

An unbaked apple pie should be good in the freezer for up to 2 months. Once you have fully assembled your pie, following the steps in the recipe above, you can place the unbaked pie in the freezer. Once it is completely frozen, tightly wrap it with plastic wrap or place it in a freezer bag. You will want to freeze it first to make sure none of the crust sticks to the plastic. 

First you have to let the pie cool completely. If you want to freeze it whole, you can gently cover it with some plastic wrap and then freeze it. Or you can freeze it first, and then wrap it. This might be better as you can ensure all the air is squeezed out. A baked apple pie should be good in the freezer for up to 4 months.
When you are ready to serve, let the pie thaw at room temperature for at least one hour. Reheat the pie in the oven at 375°F (190°C) on the lowest oven rack until heated through, probably around 20-40 minutes depending on your oven.

Absolutely. If you’re short on time or ingredients, you can make this as an open-faced pie or a rustic galette-style tart. Just make sure the filling is thick enough to hold its shape. And as for the dough, you will need about half of the dough for the base, so it will be easy to adjust the recipe.

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4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This made me feel like I can actually enjoy the holidays! Apple pie is my favorite and this is just as good if not better than noncompliant versions I’ve had!

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for the feedback Lauren! This means so much!
      I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
      Happy Holidays!

      Reply
  2. STEPHANIE RAMER says:

    5 stars
    Wonderful recipe – easy to follow.. My non-AIP family members loved it too! Really good, thank you!

    Reply

    1. Thank you Stephanie! I appreciate that you came back here to leave a comment! Hearing this makes me so happy!

      Reply

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