This Vegan Apple Pie is every bit a classic, offering all the sweet and spice that you crave when you think of apple pie.
It will satisfy everyone at the table and is a great option to bring to any holiday gathering, vegan or not! For years we have celebrated holidays with non-vegan family members and I always make sure that there is amazing food for the vegans at the table (and the non-vegans enjoy it too) and this Vegan Apple Pie is a frequent contribution.
Apple Pie for Family Dinners
People close to me know that I am a huge fan of family dinners and I tried to have them as much as possible when our children were living with us. I consider every family dinner at the table an important gathering and I usually honor that with a nice dessert.
The downside to pies is that they take some time, especially if you make your own crust – which I do. But every now and then I’d whip out the rolling pin and that family dinner dessert would be a pie. This one was a favorite.
Making Recipes Your Own is a Process
My first apple pies came from an old cookbook that my mother gave me many, many years ago. When I try recipes in my cookbooks I always make notes as I tweak them. This recipe for Vegan Apple Pie comes from years of those tweaks. At one point I doubled all the spices, then I added some cornstarch to keep the bottom from being wet then I changed it again when we became vegan. The recipe now is just a nod to the original, but I keep the cookbook around because the page -stained and marked and dog eared- is dear to me. It brings back memories of countless holidays, family gatherings, and memories of my children stealing apple slices while I was making the pie. I am delighted to share the recipe with you and hope that it creates some memories for you too.
Choosing Your Apples For The Best Vegan Apple Pie
A word about apples: There are many varieties of apples and some are better for baking than others. My go-to variety is Granny Smith because I like that they are tart and firm and keep their shape when cooked. I am not a fan of mushy apple pie and I think Granny Smith are a great balance for the sweet ingredients. Braeburn and Honeycrisp are also good options for baking.
Sometimes if the Granny Smiths are particularly tart, I will replace 2 or 3 with sweeter apples. It’s a personal preference call that might take a few pies to figure out (I’m sure no-one will complain about a few pies!). That being said, the recipe calls for 3/4 to 1 cup sugar. The amount of sugar used really depends on the tartness of the apples and your personal sweet tooth. If you are uncertain, go with the full cup.
It all starts with apples, of course. But don’t forget the lemon!
Let’s Make Vegan Apple Pie
For many people, their first time making a pie is scary. If that’s you, don’t worry. Really, it’s not hard, and it may not be perfect your first time, but it’s just pie, and the rewards of making your own are absolutely worth it! You’ve got this! To help you out a bit we’ve got some process photos below (and a foolproof pie crust recipe that you must try!). If you’re ready to go or are an old hand at pie-making, scroll right down to the recipe! Enjoy your pie and please leave us a comment below!
Ingredients and Process for Vegan Apple Pie
The dry ingredients: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sugar, cornstarch, saltCarefully remove the apple skin from your wedgesYour apple wedges should look about like this after cutting, trimming, and tossing with the spicesApples piled high in your pie!After dotting with non-dairy butter, wet the crust before adding your top crustAdd the top crust and trimCrimp the crusts together with a forkPrint
2 Tbs flour, plus a little to dust the bottom crust
3/4 to 1cup sugar
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbs cornstarch
1/2 large lemon, zested and juiced
2 tsp vegan butter
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place rack in the center of the oven.
Prepare the pie crust. Roll out the bottom crust and place it in a 9 or 10-inch pie plate with crust overlapping the edges. Dust the bottom with a little flour. Place in the fridge while preparing the filling.
Toss the apple slices with the lemon and zest in a large bowl. This will keep them from browning once prepared.
In a separate bowl combine the sugar, flour, spices, salt and cornstarch. Add to the apples and toss until well and evenly coated.
Fill the prepared bottom crust with the apples, distributing evenly and dot with the vegan butter. Don’t be alarmed if the pile is high. It will reduce a bit as it cooks. Pour any liquid and spices on top if there is some remaining in the bottom of the bowl.
Roll out the top crust. Before placing it on the top, use a pastry brush to wet the edges of the bottom crust where they will meet on the pie plate rim.
Place the top crust on the pie. With a knife, cut around the perimeter of the pie plate and crimp the crusts together with the tines of a fork.
Cut 4 or 5 air vents (about 1 inch each) in the top crust to release the steam as the pie cooks.
Place the pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 40 minutes.
Georgia is an unpretentious foodie who, at 50, transitioned from a vegetarian diet to a whole foods plant based diet and is loving it. She works as a nurse, plays as a quilter, loves to run, hates to race.
She thinks dogs are actually angels (in dog suits).
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