There’s no pie like a gluten-free apple crumble pie! Our gluten-free apple pie recipe combines flaky crust, sweet cinnamon apple pie filling, and a buttery crumble topping that makes it unforgettable. The rave reviews say it all!
I started making this apple crumble pie in 2008, before I went gluten-free. I’ve taught pie-baking classes where this pie was the star, and it never fails to deliver. The reviews are SPARKLING on the blog, on Pinterest, and in my email inbox.
This Dutch Apple Pie Gets RAVE Reviews!
I’m not exaggerating when I say this is THE BEST apple pie recipe I’ve ever eaten, and the reviews back me up! Gluten-free or not, store-bought or homemade, this pie beats them ALL. From the cinnamon-spiced apple filling, to the generous crumble topping, this apple pie has it all! For instance…
🥧 EASE: Even though this homemade apple pie looks impressive, it’s made from simple ingredients & has pretty straightforward instructions. (Especially since we swap out the top crust of a traditional pie with a Dutch-style crumb topping!) Other than the pie crust, it’s just simple slicing, mixing, stirring & sprinkling! Follow the instructions, and you’re good to go!
🍏 FLAVORS: Tart apples, brown sugar, warm cinnamon, vanilla, and plenty of buttery crumble topping in every delicious bite. Add some ice cream (and maybe caramel sauce!) for serving, and every bite is apple pie heaven!
🍎 VEGAN-FRIENDLY! You can make this gluten-free Dutch apple pie recipe vegan by swapping vegan butter into the crumble topping and using a vegan-friendly pie crust. Works like a charm!
🍨 TOP TIPS: Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream for sure, and add a drizzle of caramel sauce to make it even more incredible!
Happy baking! xo, Emily
Gather Your Ingredients
How To Make Gluten-Free Apple Crumble Pie, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Make or set out your pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan. Set out a baking sheet for later to catch any possible drips or spills.
- Combine Filling. In a large bowl, by combining apples, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine, until the apples are evenly coated. Pour apple pie filling into pie shell and gently shake a bit to let the apples settle. I like to make sure the apple slices are fairly closely packed so the filling doesn’t collapse as much as the pie cools.
- Next, Make The Crumble Topping. In a medium bowl (or the same bowl you used for the filling!), combine brown sugar, butter, oats, flour, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a pastry blender, two forks, or clean hands until the dry ingredients are evenly coated in butter and small clusters form.
- Layer. Carefully scoop or spoon the crumble topping on top of the apples, and gently pack it together slightly with your hands. (Just a tiny bit of gentle pressure to help it stick together!) The pie will be very tall at this point!
- Bake. Place the pie pan on the sheet pan to catch any spills or drips in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the pie filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown. Check your pie at the 30 minute mark and again at the 45 minute mark to check for browning. If your crust is browning too quickly, you can carefully tent the crust with strips of aluminum foil, or move the pie to a lower rack in the oven.
- Cool. Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting and serving. (If you slice into a hot or warm pie, the filling may not be properly set yet!)
- Serve & Store. Cut into slices and serve individual slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of caramel sauce, as desired. Cover the leftover pie and refrigerate 2-3 days.
Which Apples Are Best for Apple Pie?
Great question! This changes all the time as new varieties of apples are constantly being cultivated, but some of the best apples for apple pie are:
- Granny Smith – A little tart, these hold their shape well.
- Honeycrisp – My all-around favorite apple. It’s good for everything!
- Jazz – A friend of the honeycrisp, these are easier and easier to find.
- Golden Delicious – Mild, sweet and a little softer, these are good with higher spiced pies.
- Pink Lady – One of my favorites for munching, this tart-sweet apple is great for baking.
- Jonagold – Jonagold are a cross between Jonathan + Golden Delicious.
- Braeburn – Lots of folks think these have a slightly citrus-y taste to them. Really good!
- Northern Spy – Harder to find outside of the New England area, but a big win when you can!
Other apple varieties will work too, but not all. Some of the WORST apples for apple pie are:
- Red Delicious – These go mealy when cooked and disintegrate
- MacIntosh – These are EXCELLENT for applesauce, but disintegrate for pie.
- Cortland – Same. Great for applesauce or eating, not as good for holding their shape in pie.
For this pie, I most often use Granny Smith apples since they’re easy to find and the tartness is so nice with the super sweet crumble topping. It’s also really nice to combine a few different pie-friendly apples to get a more interesting flavor. Use what you like and what you can find at your local grocery stores, apple orchard, or farmers market!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Apple Crumble Pie
Make it Ahead! You can totally make and assemble this pie ahead of time, which is an easy way to free up time on Thanksgiving or for parties. Make and assemble the pie all the way (crust + filling + crumble topping), then place the whole pie on a baking sheet and freeze till solid (this is called flash freezing). Cover with plastic wrap and foil or a freezer safe bag, and you can store it in the freezer for about a month.
To Bake From Frozen, remove the plastic wrap and foil. Then, place on a baking sheet, and place the frozen pie in a cold oven. (Don’t pre-heat it. Putting a frozen pie in a hot oven can cause a glass or ceramic pie pan to freak out and burst). Set the oven to 350 degrees, then bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbly.
Your Pan Material Matters! While I LOVE the look of ceramic and glass pie pans, I’ve actually switched almost exclusively to metal pie pans in the last few years. I find they bake more evenly and more quickly. If you use a glass or ceramic pie plate here, your pie will still work, but it may take longer to bake, and the bottom crust may not be quite as evenly browned.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Apple Crumble Pie recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Apple Crumble Pie (Gluten Free & Dairy Free Friendly!)
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch gluten free pie crust (or traditional pie crust, if not gluten-free)
Pie Filling:
- 7 cups peeled, sliced apples such as Granny Smith (about 5-6 apples)
- 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour or white flour (22 grams)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (67 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Crumble Topping:
- 1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
- 1/2 cup slightly softened butter or vegan butter, cubed (not melted) (113 grams/8 Tablespoons)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free quick oats can sub old-fashioned (45 grams)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free flour or white flour (60 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
To Serve:
- Vanilla ice cream
- Caramel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F and arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Make or set out your pie crust in a 9-inch pie pan (I recommend a metal pie pan). Set out a baking sheet for later to catch any possible drips or spills.
- Combine Filling. In a large bowl, by combining apples, gluten-free flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine, until the apples are evenly coated. Pour apple pie filling into pie shell and gently shake a bit to let the apples settle. I like to make sure the apple slices are fairly closely packed so the filling doesn't collapse as much as the pie cools.
- Next, Make The Crumble Topping. In a medium bowl (or the same bowl you used for the filling!), combine brown sugar, butter, oats, flour, vanilla, and salt. Mix with a pastry blender, two forks, or clean hands until the dry ingredients are evenly coated in butter and small clusters form.
- Layer. Carefully scoop or spoon the crumble topping on top of the apples, and gently pack it together slightly with your hands. (Just a tiny bit of gentle pressure to help it stick together!) The pie will be very tall at this point!
- Bake. Place the pie pan on the sheet pan to catch any spills or drips in the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the pie filling is bubbling around the edges and the top is golden brown. Check your pie at the 30 minute mark and again at the 45 minute mark to check for browning. If your crust is browning too quickly, you can carefully tent the crust with strips of aluminum foil, or move the pie to a lower rack in the oven.
- Cool. Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting and serving. (If you slice into a hot or warm pie, the filling may not be properly set yet!)
- Serve & Store. Cut into slices and serve individual slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle of caramel sauce, as desired. Cover the leftover pie and refrigerate 2-3 days.
Notes
- Gluten & Dairy Free Notes: As I said, this pie can be made gluten & dairy free. You start with a gluten free crust (store-bought or homemade), and use gluten free 1:1 all-purpose flour for the pie/crumble topping. I recommend King Arthur Measure-For-Measure gluten-free flour. For dairy free, swap in vegan buttery sticks (like Earth Balance) in place of the butter.
- Make it Ahead! You can totally make and assemble this pie ahead of time, which is a great way to free up time on Thanksgiving or for parties. Make and assemble the pie all the way (crust + filling + crumble topping), then place on a baking sheet and freeze till solid (this is called flash freezing). Cover with plastic wrap and foil or a freezer safe bag, and you can store it in the freezer for about a month.
- To Bake From Frozen, remove the plastic wrap and foil, place on a baking sheet, and place the frozen pie in a cold oven. (Don’t pre-heat it. Putting a frozen pie in a hot oven can cause a glass or ceramic pie pan to freak out and burst). Set the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Best Apples For Pie – This changes all the time as new varieties of apples come out, but some of the best apples for apple pie are: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jazz, Golden Delicious, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Braeburn, and Northern Spy.
- Your Pan Material Matters! While I LOVE the look of ceramic and glass pie pans, I’ve actually switched almost exclusively to metal pie pans in the last few years. I find they bake more evenly and more quickly. If you use a glass or ceramic pie plate here, your pie will still work, but it may take longer to bake, and the bottom crust may not be quite as evenly browned.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/scrumptious-apple-crumble-pie/Originally posted June 2008. Fully updated with improved recipe notes, new photos, and video and republished October 2025.
This is THE BEST apple pie I’ve ever had in my life. I love making pies and made this many years ago. It’s now become a Thanksgiving staple and is always the first one gone! Absolutely delicious and pretty easy to make!
I love this pie. A lot. I could eat this all year round and be delighted every time. The spices are perfect and the crumble topping is my absolute favorite
This might be our most favorite pie ever! I’ve made it year round, but I’ve also made it for at least 5-6 Thanksgivings and it’s always the first one to go. Do yourself a favor and try this!
I found this recipe 6 or 7 years ago and love it! My husband requests it every year for his birthday. Thank you so much for creating something that is able to meet different dietary needs!
This totally made my day Katy! It’s an all-time favorite around here. THANK YOU so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review!
I just wanted to pop by and let you know how delicious we thought this pie recipe was! My housemates have been going through a tough time and I wanted to make them some comfort food and settled on an apple pie…only problem is that my one roommate has food sensitivities. To say I was nervous is an understatement. I had no need to be. I used the PC brand gluten free vegan frozen pie crust, and from there everything was so so easy and everyone raved about how delicious it was! I used Red Prince apples which were very good but I think I’ll try granny smith next time or omit a little of the sugar in the filling but still so good! Thanks again!
Are you out of your mind???!!
I have a co worker that is Epi pen allergic to dairy and your recipe calls for BUTTER??!!.. what are you doing?? Trying to kill people?? This is irresponsible and dangerous!! Get a grip a try to post recipes that won’t kill people?! WTF!!!!
Katherine – Hi! It looks like you missed the dairy-free modifications I wrote in four different places in the post (two in the body of the post, and two in the recipe card). This recipe is labeled as “dairy-free friendly” rather than “dairy-free” because it requires that modification. I recommend reading the post all the way through (or at least the notes & tips section!) so you can make recipes safely for your coworker.
Could I use coconut oil in the topping instead of dairy free butter? ( not a fan of how processed those are)
Tina – I find that for a crumble topping like this one, coconut oil doesn’t work great as a substitute since the flavor and structure are so different. If you’d prefer a crumble topping with coconut oil, you can try swapping for this one that’s made from healthier ingredients.
Ummmm WOW. WE HAD FRESH-picked honey crisp apples destined for a pie. I’m gluten and dairy free and had some pre-made crusts I found a Trader Joe’s that I was eager to try. This was AMAZING. And I omitted the sugar from the filling! The apples were plenty sweet and could sing their own song, especially coupled with that crumbly top. I used coconut sugar in place of the brown in the topping. I mean, WOW. Best apple pie I’ve had. Saving this recipe for sure!!
Is there ANYTHING better than freshly picked apples?! YUM! I bet this was extra amazing with those sweet, lovely apples! Yum! (Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review–I appreciate it so much!)
Made gf and df and loved it. Also loved that it barely has any sugar. It was so good.
I’m SO GLAD you loved it! It’s our most-requested pie at holidays + family get-togethers. We Lovet it!
I made this wonderful pie for our Thanksgiving dessert this year. It was a huge hit! I will be making this again and have so many requests to share the recipe with friends. Thank you!
How wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Patti! (And happy Thanksgiving!)
Holy smokes. Great recipe. I used a premade crust and dairy free butter. It’s smells phenomenal in my kitchen.
I’m SO glad you loved it Mary! It’s a family favorite here, too 🙂
Oh my this looks great, but just found this after already buying a pre-made GF/Vegan pie crust, which is frozen. Do I need to thaw the crust before I put in the filling or can I fill while frozen and then put in the oven? Suggestions? Next time will try making your crust and am so excited to make your crumble topping. Thanks for any help.
You can TOTALLY use a pre-made GF crust! If it’s in a metal foil container, there’s no need to thaw it beforehand. Just add your filling to the frozen pie crust and pop it in the oven! 🙂 I hope you love it!!!
Where did you get the vegan pie crust?
Thanks for sharing! I have heard some oats have gluten residue. What kind do you have?
You need to look for certified gluten free oats. Bob’s Red Mill & Trader Joe’s brands are my favorite!
Yay it’s fall again! Time for this pie! Our favorite recipe 🙂
Hello,
I made this recipe last night to have with lunch today and just wanted to say thanks for sharing. It looks and smells incredible!
For any other UK peeps wanting to make this, you need to buy trex (don’t use lard as that’s pigs fat, not vege fat). I got mine at Tesco and its next to the butter in a white box with blue writing.
Xox
I just want you to know that I used this recipe for Thanksgiving last year and it was a huge hit! My husband loved it so much that he asked me to make it for his birthday cake…yeah it’s THAT good 🙂 All of your recipes are delicious!!!
I have STRUGGLED with pie crust for AGES and yours is perfection. My husband won’t stop raving about this pie!!! Thank-you for a great recipe that will go in my permanent repertoire!!! Do you guys have a twitter for your site??? I posted a picture of my pie and want to tweet you!! Can you tell I’m super excited?!?!?
Jessica – That’s EXACTLY how I felt before I started using this recipe! I’m so glad it worked for you. We DO have a twitter account. it’s here: https://twitter.com/onelovelylife Can’t wait to see your picture!