Homemade Gluten-Free Apple Pie (No Soggy Bottom!)

Ready to make the best homemade gluten-free apple pie? All you need is an exceptionally flaky gluten-free pie dough, a juicy deep dish apple filling, and the easy tips shared here! This apple pie with gluten-free crust is foolproof using my easy hacks for a crisp pie crust, perfectly cooked apples that are neither liquidy or mushy, and a golden double lattice crust. I will teach you, step-by-step!

Gluten-Free Apple Pie with Flaky Crust

The very first pie recipe I made was a homemade apple pie. I remember the extremely vague directions my mom gave me – make a homemade crust, slice apples, mix with a little sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon, top with another crust and bake.

Miraculously it did turn out, but had two things going for me. I already knew how to make pastry dough. Plus, it wasn’t gluten-free, which means it was a lot harder to mess up!

Now that I’ve fine tuned many gluten-free baking tips, I’ve learned to make foolproof gluten-free pie recipes with ease. I used this expertise to make the best gluten-free apple pie recipe, void of all common shortfalls – lackluster pastry, soggy bottom crust, mushy apples, or a liquidy filling.

If GF pies contain a lot of moisture in the filling, there are easy ways to make sure the crust stays crisp. One method is to parbake the pie before filling, which is a technique used in this easy gluten-free pecan pie recipe.

Apples contain a lot more moisture, though. This especially causes issues with gluten-free pie crust because the starches have a different threshold for moisture, and how it affects them. Therefore, a gluten-free recipe for homemade apple pie needs to go a step further.

Fortunately, the fix (borrowed from this perfected gluten-free pumpkin pie crust) is even easier than par-baking the crust! Simply place the pie directly on a hot, preheated baking sheet to bake. The heat from the metal conducts up towards the bottom crust, so it becomes golden and crisp as the apples bake to perfection.

For a perfectly cooked gluten-free apple pie filling it’s best to slightly soften the apples and thicken the filling first, before pouring it into the crust. With the sauce already thickened, less moisture seeps into the crust as it bakes.

Whether you are intimidated by making a from scratch apple pie, or looking for some easy next level baking tips, find it all here! With step-by-step photos, an easy tutorial, you’ll learn how to make a deep dish apple pie complete with a gluten-free lattice pie crust!

BEst Apples to Use for Pie

The ingredients for apple pie are simple, with the superior results coming baking tips. However there is one ingredient that will make or break your pie – the best variety of apples!

The apples listed below make excellent choices for gluten-free apple recipes. They maintain their shape, don’t break down or become mushy during baking. However, some are preferred for making apple pies.

If you like a tart filling, Granny Smith are a good choice. This gluten-free apple pie filling contains less sugar, though, so I found Granny Smith to be a little too tart, and not the best balance of flavor.

My number one choice are Golden Delicious, which is also what I use for my favorite gluten-free crisp recipe. They have a perfectly balanced flavor, not too sweet or too tart, and hold their shape. 

• Golden Delicious (preferred variety)
• Honeycrisp
• Granny Smith apples (very tart, so may want to pair with something else)
• Jonagold
• Braeburn
• Pink Lady

how to make Gluten-Free Apple Pie

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. While the pie dough is chilling, start the filling on the stove top. This starts the cooking process so fresh, crisp apples end up with the ideal soft texture in a perfectly thickened sauce. In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine the apples, sugars, butter, spices, salt, and lemon juice.
2. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. The apples should be slightly softened, but not breaking down or losing their shape.
3. Mix together the cornstarch with water. Pour into the apple mixture and cook for another 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Before the apples go into the prepared pie crust, they must fully cool. Either leave out at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, or speed up the process by spreading on a baking sheet and transfer to the refrigerator.

Gluten-Free Pie Crust

Besides a mile-high apple filling, the other essential competent is a buttery, flaky, foolproof gluten-free pie crust recipe. Of course, I turned to my tried-and-true recipe that has fooled many people into thinking they were enjoying a “traditional” crust, instead of one made with a gluten-free flour blend.

Below are the basic steps for how to make gluten-free pastry dough, with more details included in the recipe card. To achieve a perfectly baked crust, without a soggy bottom, see the bonus baking tips in the Tricks for Crispy Crust section.

1. Blend together the gluten-free flour, sugar, and salt. Add the chilled butter and process until evenly dispersed throughout.
2. Whisk together the liquid ingredients – ice water, vinegar, and sour cream. Add to the flour / butter mixture and pulse until the dough comes together in small, wet clumps.
3. Divide the dough onto two large sheets of plastic wrap and flatten into a thick 1″ disk. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or freeze for 30 minutes.

Making Lattice Crust or Double Crust

While a lattice crust requires a few extra steps, it’s actually easy to pull off and looks so impressive! However, if you want to save time and still enjoy the best gluten-free apple pie, I included an option for a double crust pie as well.

How to Make a Lattice Crust:

1. Use a pastry rolling bag (so much easier to work with!), or place the chilled dough between two large sheets of parchment paper. Use a rolling pin to press and spread out down from the middle out. Roll out into a circle slightly larger than your pie dish, about 11-12 inches. 
2. Remove the top paper, and invert into a pie dish. Add the cooled apple filling and transfer to the refrigerator while making the top lattice crust.
3. Roll a second 12-inch circle. If using a pastry bag, invert the rolled dough onto a sheet of parchment. Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice the dough in 12 1-inch strips. Lay 6 strips, evenly spaced, across the pie. 
4. Fold back 3 alternating strips almost all the way off of the pie. Take one unsused strip and lay it right against where the strips are folded back. Return the strips back over the pie so they cover the strip just placed. Repeat folding back the alternating strips until all the strips are placed.
5. Fold the excess dough edges under, sealing the lattice crust strips with the bottom crust. Use your finger and thumb to make a decorative edge. Freeze the pie for 15 minutes before baking. For a shiny, sugared crust brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar crystals before baking.

How to Make a Double Crust:

1. Invert the top crust over the filling. If necessary, trim the edges so there is an even ½ inch overhang all around the edges.
2. Seal the top and bottom edges together, tucking under, and then use your finger and thumb to make a decorative edge. Freeze the pie for 15 minutes before baking.
3. or a shiny, sugared crust brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar crystals. Before baking, cut 3-4 slits in the middle so steam can escape as the pie bakes.

Baking Tips for Crispy Bottom Crust (Not Soggy)

For an apple pie, especially a mile high, deep dish variety, I wanted to make sure the crust held up to the filling with a golden, crispy bottom. This requires a little extra finesse when making an apple pie with a gluten-free crust.

GF pastry dough has a harder time absorbing fat, which is where the common problems of dense crust or soft bottom layers comes from. Fortunately it’s not hard to rectify this problem using the easy tricks below!

• Be sure the pie is well chilled before going in the oven. Freezing for 15 minutes before does the trick. It’s important to bring the fat (butter) back down to a cold temp before baking.
• While the oven is preheating, place a metal baking sheet in the oven, which the pie will sit on to bake. The extra heat from the pan reflects into the crust, making it crisp.
• For best results use a deep dish metal pie pan, rather than glass or ceramic. When coupled with the heated baking sheet, you are guaranteed great results.
• Start at a high oven temperature for first half of baking time. With the cold butter, hot metal baking sheet and pie dish, it crisps the crust quickly. Finishing baking at a slightly lower temp.
• Use a silicone pie shield to protect the outer crust. While we are using excess heat to crisp the bottom and sides, you do not want the edges to become overly browned and tough.

Make-ahead and storage tips

For maximum flakiness, enjoy an apple pie with a gluten-free pie crust the day it is made. The crust becomes softer after 24 hours as it absorbs the moisture from the apples.

Since this pie requires a long baking and cooling time before serving, it may not be possible to make the day you want to serve it. No problem, there’s an easy solution!

For a make-ahead apple pie, follow the recipe for assembly until right before baking. Freeze until solid and then wrap securely with plastic wrap and foil. Return to freezer up to 2 months.

When ready to serve, bake directly from frozen, do not thaw. Unwrap the pie and bake as directed with the preheated baking sheet. Once the oven temperature is lowered, it will required about 10-20 minutes additional baking time. Be sure the edges are covered with a pie shield and foil loosely tented over the top.

When storing leftovers, leave at room temperature and loosely tent foil over the top, not securely, so moisture can escape. Enjoy within 3 days, but the crust will became softer on days 2 and 3.

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