If you love some vegan pie, be sure to try vegan strawberry pie, vegan peach pie or vegan pecan pie. That’s the best apple pie I’ve ever eaten! If those are the words you would like to hear when your family and friends dig into dessert, this vegan apple pie recipe is all you need. The pie has a crispy, perfectly flaky crust, and the apples within cook up perfectly jammy and juicy with the heady flavor of cinnamon, cardamom and ginger woven through. I’ve been making this apple pie for years and I’ve assembled my best tips and tricks for you here. This is a dessert that always brings oohs and aahs from guests, including those who are assuredly not vegan. It’s cozy and comforting and delicious, and the only problem you might run into is that everyone will want more. But then that’s a good problem to have.
Why you will love this vegan apple pie
The perfect homestyle dessert. Apple pie is synonymous with comfort food, and this vegan apple pie lives up to that ideal, and how! It is comforting, delicious and utterly satisfying. Classic vegan apple pie. Although this recipe is vegan, it really captures all of the flavor and nostalgia of the classic apple pie. That’s because apart from using vegan butter we stay pretty true to a traditional apple pie recipe. Delicious flavors and textures. The cardamom, ginger and cinnamon infuse the apples with a delicate sweetness and aroma. The juices thicken and gel perfectly so there’s no liquid pooling at the bottom of the pie plate: a problem that plagues so many fruit pie recipes. The texture of the soft filling plays perfectly with the contrasting texture of the crispy, flaky crust. Soy-free and nut-free recipe. You can make this recipe with a gluten-free pie crust.
Ingredients
Two vegan pie crusts. You can use my vegan pie crust recipe or use storebought pie crust. Apples. I used just golden delicious apples this time, although I also love a combination of golden delicious apples and pink lady apples in my apple pie. They play together beautifully and result in a filling that holds its shape. You can choose from a variety of apples that work well in apple pie, including Granny Smith, honey crisp and gala apples. Spices: The combination of cardamom, cinnamon and ginger creates the perfect warmth and flavor in this vegan apple pie filling. You can replace the cardamom with nutmeg, if you like, or use cinnamon alone in the filling. Cornstarch or tapioca starch. The starch helps the juices that the apples release during baking to thicken. Don’t use more than a quarter cup, though, because you don’t want the filling to taste starchy and gummy. Sugar. Use any granulated sugar. I like the richness turbinado sugar or coconut sugar add to this filling, but cane sugar is perfectly good too. Lemon juice and zest. Adding the juice of ½ a lemon to the filling will help keep the apples from browning. The juice and the zest also add a pop of unexpected, fresh flavor to the filling.
Tips for success
Keep the pie dough cool. This will keep the larger bits of vegan butter in the pie dough from melting as you work with it. You want the butter to melt in the oven, creating flaky little pockets of crunchiness. Roll out the dough on a cool surface like a stone or marble countertop, pr a metal baking sheet turned upside down, and chill the pie dough, then the shell and then the whole pie for a few minutes each before baking. Slice the apples evenly. You can cut the apples lengthwise, into ¼-inch thick slices, or you can halve each slice, like I did. But making sure the slices are uniformly sized will ensure everything cooks at the same time. Bake the pie on a rack in the lower third of the oven. This will ensure the filling cooks thoroughly without the top crust burning or browning too much. No need for a pie shield! Use a deep-dish pie pan. Use a pie pan or pie dish that is 10 inches wide and 2 inches deep. There are seven apples in this pie, which is quite a lot. They will reduce in size as they bake and release their juices, but you still need a pie pan big enough to hold all that goodness in. Cool the pie thoroughly. It’s so tempting to eat that pie right away, I understand, but be patient. Let the pie cool at least six hours or overnight so the juices will thicken up nicely.
Storage instructions
Refrigerate: Store the vegan apple pie in the fridge for up to six days. Freeze: You can freeze the filling and the pie crust separately for up to three months, then thaw in the fridge and assemble before baking. Or freeze the assembled but unbaked pie for up to three months. You can also freeze the baked pie for up to three months. Thaw and warm in the oven before serving.
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