Fruit Sweetened Paleo Apple Pie
A dessert that could be breakfast! Sweetened only with apples, dates, and raisins!
What I love about this recipe is that the sweetener is only fruit. The apples plus the dates and raisins give the right amount of sweetness without adding maple syrup, coconut sugar, honey, or any other natural sweetener. You could almost have this fruit sweetened paleo apple pie for breakfast, as it's primarily fruit, spices, and crust.
How to Make Fruit Sweetened Paleo Apple Pie
The Crust
The first step is to make the paleo pie crust. You'll need to double the recipe as both a top and bottom crust are needed. After the dough is made, break it into two dough balls. The dough for the bottom crust should be slightly bigger than the other ball dough for the top crust. Roll out the bottom crust and press into the pie pan, mending any broken pieces and building up the edges as you go. Keep in mind that this dough does not have gluten, therefore it is very fragile and needs to be handled with extra care. Blind baking the crust ensures that it will not be soggy. Place it in the oven to partially bake.
Wrap the smaller dough ball in plastic wrap and keep on the counter if using immediately. If it's not being used right away and you plan to make your fruit sweetened paleo apple pie the next day, place the top crust dough ball in the refrigerator. Take it out the next day to sit at room temperature so it becomes pliable again prior to rolling it out.
The Filling
While the crust is blind baking, gather the ingredients for the filling. Peel the apples, then cut them into thin slices, about 1/8". This is important as thick slices will not bake as well. Place them in a medium sized bowl. Remove date pits from the dates and add to a food processor along with the water. Blend this so it turns into a date puree. It can be a little lumpy and doesn't need to be perfectly smooth. It should be the consistency of applesauce.
Add the spices and tapioca flour to the apples and stir to combine. Then add the date puree, raisins, and lemon juice and mix thoroughly.
Putting it Together
When the bottom crust is finished with the blind baking (partial bake), remove from the oven. Pour in the apple filling and spread out over the bottom crust, making sure to pat the apples down to avoid big gaps.
Roll out the top crust in the same way that was done with the bottom, then and gently flip over onto the apple filling. Tuck in the edges and mend any potentially broken pieces. With any remaining dough, it can be used to fill any gaps or broken pieces. You can also cut some designs to place on the top. Additionally, cut some slits on the top to create a vent for steam to escape. If you choose to add the egg wash, whisk an egg with water and lightly brush the wash over the entire pie.
Please note that it may be difficult to get a perfect looking pie with a paleo crust due to the delicacy of the crust. Without gluten, the crust lacks strength. Tapioca flour helps to act as a binder, but the dough is still fragile. Personally I like the look of a homemade pie made with love, so perfection does not need to be a factor when making this pie.
Bake at 425 for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 and bake for an additional 40 minutes. The filling should be bubbly around the slits and possibly around the edges. You can also insert a toothpick into one of the slits to determine how cooked the apples are. Then remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
Slice and Serve
Serve your cooled fruit sweetened paleo apple pie with a dollop of coconut milk whipped cream, and perhaps a cup of coffee on the side. Enjoy!
Storage
To store leftovers, cover the pie pan with aluminum foil, or remove the pie from pan and place in a covered container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Apple pie can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Fruit Sweetened Paleo Apple Pie
Equipment
- 1 8-9" pie pan
- 1 food processor
Ingredients
- 2 paleo pie crusts top and bottom crust
- 2.5 lbs apples (or 6-7 medium to large apples) such as pink lady, gala, & honeycrisp
- 12 medjool dates
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- egg for egg wash optional
- coconut whipped cream if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Make the paleo pie crust with the recipe doubled and follow the instruction for the top and bottom crust. The bottom crust should be partially baked for 15 minutes at 350 degrees prior to adding the filling. (see link for instructions)
- When bottom crust is removed from the oven, preheat to 425°F.
- Peel apples, then slice into thin slices about 1/8" (1/4" at the most). Place in a medium sized bowl. It's important to keep the apple slices consistently thin.
- Remove pits from dates. Add to a food processor with water. Blend until it makes a thick puree. It should have the consistency of applesauce.
- Add spices and tapioca flour to the apples and stir to combine. Then add the date puree, lemon juice, and raisins and stir to mix thoroughly.
- Scoop the apple filling into partially baked pie crust bottom. Add a little at a time, pressing down the apples so there aren't gaps.
- Roll out the top crust in the same way as the bottom. Very gently flip over onto the top of the apple filling. Tuck in the top crust around the sides, mending any broken pieces. If there is extra dough, use it to mend any gaps. You can also cut some designs to place on the top of the pie. Using a knife, cut a minimum of three slits on the top crust. The egg wash is optional but gives a nice darker color to the crust. Add a teaspoon of water to an egg and whisk, then lightly brush over the top of the pie.
- Place the pie in the oven and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for another 40 minutes or when the filling is bubbling around the slits. You can also check the apples for doneness by inserting a toothpick through one of the slits. (see note below) If the crust is looking too dark, cover with a pie crust shield or aluminum foil with a hole cut in the center so the aluminum foil only covers the outer edge.
- Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. Cut into 8 pieces. Make coconut whipped cream if desired (see link above) and add a dollop when serving.