And just like that, fall is upon us! Phewwww…. Where did this year go? I know I can’t be the only one feeling like I’ve been put through a time warp. Between finding a new house, moving, and starting a new job this summer was a blur. Time warp or not, I can’t complain. I love the cozy fall season more than any other. It is a time for coffee and cozy blankets, good conversations with family, and a big slice, or two, of apple pie.
I’ve always been a crumble pie kinda gal. I love the texture. I love the flavor. I love that I don’t have to roll out two pie crusts – I blame my lack of pie dough rolling skills. Crumb topping is easy to throw together, we’re talking five minutes here, and makes for a fun twist on the traditional apple pie.
This pie is pretty simple. I like to make my crust the night before and let it rest in the fridge overnight. Then, the next morning, you just roll out the dough. We’re not going for perfection here. Patch, reposition, and flour as needed. Remember: no one rolls a perfect pie crust. (If you do, please come teach me!) Next you prep the apples, cook them for a few minutes on the stove till they soften, and throw together your crumble. Assemble the pieces and get this pie into the oven!
The best thing about this pie? It is for everyone (though the smell of it baking is a close second!). I am a firm believer that no eater should have to forgo apple pie during the holidays – allergies or not. This pie is dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free, nightshade-free, refined sugar-free. It’s basically all the -free’s. Except for taste-free. I have fed this pie to allergy eaters and non allergy eaters alike, and I am happy to say that it’s always a hit.
And if you are looking to do an allergy-free pumpkin pie, this, with its caramel nut praline crust I might add, was a big hit last year.
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Be sure to let the crust chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before rolling out. This step creates an ultra flaky and delicious crust!
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 1/4 cup oat flour
- 1/4 cup teff flour
- 1/2 cup palm oil shortening
- 2 tablespoons cane sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla vodka
- 3–5 tablespoons ice cold water
- For the filling:
- 2 1/2 lbs . apples (, peeled cored and cut into thin slices, about 1/8 of an inch)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons potato starch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Pinch salt
- For the crumb topping:
- 1 cup 1 to 1 blend baking flour ((I used this mix))
- 1/3 cup cane sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- For the crust: Cut the palm shortening into ¼ inch cubes. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes to get super cold. This makes for a flakier crust. Place the oat flour, teff flour, and sugar in a food processor. Add in the frozen palm shortening and process until the shortening is in small clumps. Transfer to a bowl. Add in the vanilla vodka and 2 tablespoons of the water and stir to combine, working with your hands if necessary to form a dough. Add in up to 3 more tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough has come together, but is not sticky. It should look like traditional crust dough. Form into a ball and wrap in saran wrap. Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours. Remove from the fridge and allow to warm up for about 20 minutes at room temperature. Roll out on a piece of wax paper, using as much flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Roll out to fit a 9 inch pie dish. Using the wax paper, transfer the dough to the pie dish. Return to the fridge.
- For the apple filling: Whisk together the maple syrup, potato starch, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Add to a large skillet or dutch oven. Add in the apples and begin to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce begin to thicken and coat the apples, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside while you start on the crumb topping.
- For the crumb topping: In a small bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add in the coconut oil and mix, using a fork or your fingertips, until the crumble comes together and there is no dry flour.
- To assemble: Remove the pie crust from the fridge and fill with the apple mixture. Evenly sprinkle the crumb topping over the pie and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes and serve
Looks absolutely delicious!
I’ve never used teff flour before, but this recipe looks like the perfect place to try it out! X
Thank you so much Teffy! I add it to give the crust a better color since I find that gluten-free and vegan pastry doesn’t brown very well, I like the darker color it lends to the finished product.
I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving and I was wondering if the vanilla vodka is a key ingredient. Can it be replaced with plain vanilla extract?
Hi Busy Spoons! The vanilla vodka helps make the crust flakier in this recipe. Vodka evaporates during the baking and creates a lighter texture. You could definitely try something else though! I would recommend plain vodka first as an alternative, but you could also mix 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with with 2 teaspoons of water as a replacement. I haven’t tried that yet but I bet it would work :) Let me know how it goes for you! Happy Thanksgiving!!!