Low Carb Keto Apple Pie Recipe – w/ the Flakiest Crust

This Keto Apple Pie recipe is a delicious way to have low carbs but still have pie. In fact we use a secret ingredient which to my surprise, and pleasantly at that, make it taste just like the real thing! So it’s apple pie without the apples!

Well, when I found out I had to drastically change my diet, I had to avoid a lot of the foods that I was used to eating and love, Pie was one of them.

Not that I ate pie all of the time, usually just when company came over, and one of those times being whenever we would make a turkey dinner for friends about once a year. 

I’m sure if you are on a low carb diet you feel the same way, and miss some of your favorite foods too!

Since then we have mastered a couple of different types of pie using an almond flour recipe for the crust. However, I never thought Apple Pie would be one of them because apples are pretty high in sugar and carbs, especially since you need quite a lot of apples to make just one pie.

Well, now we have a Low Carb “Apple Pie” recipe that I will admit sounded strange but in reality, it tastes just like Apple Pie!

Even more surprising is that I’m a fussy eater and even I was impressed. So we are very happy to share this with you so you too can make Keto Apple Pie. 

It’s made very much the same way as our Keto Apple Crisp, and just as delicious!

In fact it tastes so good that we made quite a few pies for our friends and family to taste, and after eating an entire piece none of them even knew that they weren’t eating apples. A true hit!!! 

What to Use Instead of Apples?

Apples are high in carbs, even though they are packed with lots of fiber and vitamins. There are about 15 grams of carbs in one cup of apples.

The problem is that you need more than 1 cup of apples in a slice of the pie, so you’re going to have, way more than 15 carbs.

There sure are a lot of carbs in them, that’s why the best alternatives to apples are Zucchini and Yellow Squash.

Yes you heard me right, Zucchini and Squash are 2 great substitutes for apples and they cook up and taste very similar. You can barely notice the difference. You even peel them just like you would peel apples. 

There’s also a big difference in carbs between apples and zucchini/squash. Instead of the 15 grams per cup of carbs for apples, in Zucchini and Yellow squash, there are only about 3 grams of carbs in one cup. Yet another reason to use squash instead of apples. 

Unfortunately, if you are strictly counting your carbs, like me and so many other people, apples have 5 times more carbs than squash has.

Why use up all your carbs for the day on a tiny little piece of apple pie when you can use up a lot less and eat more with this Keto/Low Carb Apple Pie?? 

Now in this recipe you can choose if you want to use just one type of squash for a Keto Apple Pie filling, or you can even mix them. In this particular pie we used yellow squash only, but test them out and see which you like better.

I was very skeptical and really didn’t want to make it since it sounds kind of weird at first, but since everyone is searching for this type of pie, we decided to give it a try.

We put in apple pie spices and to our surprise, were so impressed with the taste and texture too. 

We honestly did not know that it was squash, and neither did our family and friends that ate a slice. They were also all surprised that they were not eating apples!!!!  

You’re going to be amazing at how good it tastes, trust us!

What Other Ingredients are in This Recipe?

Granulated golden monk fruit – Monk Fruit, in general, is a great sugar substitute for regular granulated sugar. It also converts to a 1 for 1 ratio, meaning it measures the same as regular white sugar.

The golden color makes the color of your pie filling more golden in color than if you used the Monk Fruit that’s white so that’s why we went with it.

Butter -This is a major ingredient when you are baking desserts. It not only acts as your fat in your pie but the flavor is not like anything else. It gives your baked goods a real rich delicious flavor. After all who doesn’t like butter!

Cinnamon -an essential ingredient in apple pie, it’s such a good and authentic spice to flavor your squash so that it tastes just like apple pie.

Nutmeg, allspice, ginger, – also all great spices that add to the authenticity of the apple pie flavor.

Xanthan Gum – this is a thickening agent that acts like flour or cornstarch to thicken your pie filling but without all the carbs that those other typical thickeners add to a pie. It’s a must imo.

Lemon Juice – Since you are not really eating apples, which normally have a tartness to them and squash does not have any tartness either. Enter the lemons.

Lemon juice makes you really think that you are eating apples, so again it’s a must to put in here if you want this low carb apple pie recipe to come out good.

What’s in a Low Carb Apple Pie Crust?

As you know, when you are on a low carb diet you can’t use regular flour to make your pie crust. It’s especially important if you are on a special diet for your health and can’t eat some of the same foods you used to eat. 

It takes a little creativity to conform your favorite recipes over to low carb recipes.

The big difference in making a Low Carb Pie Crust is that you need to substitute the flour with another kind, such as almond flour, coconut flour, or any other nut flour.  In this recipe, we chose to use Almond flour. 

You may be used to using regular flour to make pie crust and almond flour doesn’t handle the same way. But we did find something that helps to hold your Keto Pie Crust together…Xanthan Gum.

Just a little bit goes a long way to help you with your crust so that it doesn’t fall apart easily. 

The cream cheese and cold butter mixed in also help hold it together and make it flakier.

How Many Carbs are in Keto Apple Pie?

If you cut your Low Carb Apple Pie into 12 slices, then each slice will be approx 8 carbs a piece. For a dessert, that’s really good.

What more could you ask for? A piece of the pie that tastes just like Apple Pie without all the carbs that Apple Pie has. So I guess you can “have your pie and eat it too”!!!

Other Keto Apple Pie Variations 

There are other variations you can make to Keto Apple Pie.  In our recipe, for example, we chose to prepare a lattice top because we love the way it looks.

We had previously made several different almond flour pie crusts with a bottom crust only, and once we mastered them, we decided it was time to try our hands at making a lattice top for our Low Carb Apple Pie. After all, it’s such a pretty picture when finished. 

Another way you can change our recipe is to make a flat top crust on the pie. If you do this, be sure to leave a few slits in the crust to let it breathe.

If you don’t want a full crust on top, then a crumb topping like you would make for apple crisp, which is sweet and crunchy, is a great addition to Keto Apple Pie.

If you are looking for anything else to put in your pie filling to make your Low Carb Apple Pie slightly different, try adding some cooked cranberries, which will add some color.

You could also add some walnuts or pecans for some added crunch and nutty flavor. If you are like me, I like nuts added to a lot of my desserts. I think they are a great addition to many sweet treats and are great for Keto.

How to Make Keto Apple Pie

Now that we’ve gone over the basics of what it is, we are finally going to see how to make our Keto Apple Pie.

We are going to learn how to make the bottom crust, the top crust, how to roll the crust, which in this case is made into a lattice design, and how to make the pie filling the low carb way with squash instead of apples….a very delicious way.

Making Low Carb Apple Pie Crust

Our first step is to make the pie crust.  First, mix all ingredients together in a food processor until well blended but do not overmix otherwise your dough will become hard to work with. 

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When it’s ready you should get something that comes out looking like this:

Take your pie crust dough, place it on top of a sheet of plastic wrap, and roll it together nicely and create a ball:

Next, wrap your dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled.

Repeat steps to make another batch for your top crust or a lattice crust.

Making a crust with almond flour is different than making it out of traditional flour. It can break apart more easily.

A trick to helping to hold your crust together is to use a little xanthan gum. 

The reason to use Xanthan gum in your pie crust is that it makes your dough a little softer and as a result makes it easier to work with and also keeps it from breaking when you try to roll it out or form it onto your pie plate. 

After mixing up your pie crust in a food processor, wrap the bottom and top crust individually in their own piece of plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator.

The Filling

The first thing you need to do to make your Keto Apple Pie Filling is to peel and cut your squash just like you would your apples.

One helpful tip is to buy small squash so that there are fewer seeds and that way they will seem more like apples…. 

Next lightly brown the butter in your pan

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…and then add your squash and sauté it up until desired tenderness. This step takes a while so be patient. Don’t put the heat too high or you will burn the squash, and you don’t want that.

Add your golden monk fruit and apple spices and stir. Then add the xanthan gum and lemon juice and blend until your mixture is ready.

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This is the general consistence you are looking for:

Rolling the crust

Since we have 2 crusts, the first one we’re going to work on is the bottom crust. The best way to roll your pie crust out is to put your pie dough in between 2 pieces of parchment paper. 

Sprinkle a little almond flour on top of dough to keep it from sticking, then take your rolling pin and roll out your dough to desired thickness and size.

Begin rolling from the center of the dough and work it out toward the edges.

When finished, place the pie crust into your pie plate or dish. Make sure that your crust is a few inches larger in size than your pie plate so that you have enough to form nice, fancy crimped edges around the edge of the pie plate.

Once you have formed your crust nicely in the pan, the next step is to pour the filling into your crust.

Now we’re going to move on to the top crust and making the lattice in the instructions below….

Top Crust with Lattice

Take your top crust out of the refrigerator and you are going to follow the same instructions to roll it as you did for for the bottom crust.

Once it’s rolled, take your top crust and cut it into long strips about 1-2 inches in width. 

Then take your strips and gently place them one by one over the top of the pie and weave them in and out to form the lattice.

Your strips will be delicate so again, be careful when removing them from the parchment paper and onto your pie. 

The first time we did this step we were so nervous. If you break the strips while weaving them, don’t get too upset. You can piece the broken pieces together and crimp them together.

Once the pie is baked you will not really notice that it is put together like a puzzle. 

Brush with egg wash for a nice golden and smooth crust

Place your pie in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Keep your eye on it so it doesn’t overcook. 

Halfway through the baking place a pie guard around the edges to prevent burning edges. This is key as the center of the pie usually takes longer to brown up and the edges will tend to burn if you don’t cover them.

Once your pie is golden brown, remove from the oven and wait at least 20-30 minutes for it to set.

Cut your freshly made Keto apple pie and watch the surprise on your guests’ faces when you tell them it’s not actually made from apples!

How to Get the Crust Super Flaky?

The first thing I learned when making pie crust, any pie crust, is not to overmix your dough. Just blend the ingredients together, don’t mix too much.

The second thing to remember is to use very cold butter in your crust. If it’s not cold enough your crust will not be flaky.

And the xanthan gum plays a big role in keeping your crust together so as a result, it will help with the ability to make your crust flakier 

Do I Need to Use Apple Flavoring?

If you want to add apple flavoring it certainly won’t hurt at all either and can do it, but it’s not absolutely essential.

You don’t have to use Apple Flavoring, because you do really think when you are eating your Low Carb Apple Pie that you are actually eating apples, not squash.

The spices add a lot of flavor so that you think it’s really apple pie!! Also, the texture is the same as apples when it’s cooked. 

Adding lemon juice to your pie filling has a tartness that makes it seem like you are really eating apples and it’s not to be skipped.

Important Tips for Low Carb Apple Pie 

I’m always eager to share some tips that we have learned while preparing and cooking our Low Carb Recipes. It’s always helpful, especially when you are new to something to have someone share their experience with you. 

After mixing the dough for your pie crust wrap it in a piece of plastic wrap and then put it in your refrigerator until chilled.

If it’s too soft then it will be too hard to work with and will stick to the parchment paper and make it too difficult to roll out. You will know when it’s chilled out enough because it will be easier to roll out.

If it sticks to the paper then put it back in the refrigerator until chilled. 

Make sure your butter is cold, it will help to make your pie crust flakier.

Don’t overmix your dough or it will become harder to work with.

Buy small squash so that the seeds are tiny instead of large. That way it will resemble apples more.

Other Diets this Keto Apple Pie is good for

Gluten-Free – When you use almond flour instead of wheat flour that automatically takes out the gluten because almond flour is just ground up almonds.

Sugar-Free – Instead of cane sugar we use a sugar substitute or natural sweetener called Monk Fruit which is not sugar but has the sweetness of sugar without spiking your blood sugar so it’s very good for diabetic

Vegetarian – Yes this pie can be eaten by vegetarians because they can eat butter and cream cheese without eating meat. We haven’t changed the recipe THAT much! 😉

What to serve with Keto/Low Carb Apple Pie?

2 things come to my mind right away of what to serve with your Low Carb Apple Pie…the same 2 things I serve with a lot of pies.

One thing would be low carb ice cream, which is made from heavy cream and a sugar substitute called Swerve, and the second thing is low carb whipped cream, also made from heavy cream and Swerve. 

The creamy and slightly melted ice cream and whip cream go so well with Keto Apple Pie. It’s such a good combo. Heat your pie and the ice cream or whip cream will melt just enough to make your dessert elegant!

Both of these pie toppings are very delicious and you would never know that you are not the real thing. I was so impressed and I am glad that I can eat Keto Ice Cream and Keto whipped cream which don’t have many carbs!! We have a recipe on our web site for each of them. 

Now since your probably reading this recipe in the Autumn, you might want to serve your Sugar-Free Apple Pie as part of a bigger Turkey Dinner.  In that case if you are looking for some main courses and side dishes for the same meal check out these other Low Carb options we just LOVE!

• The Perfect Turkey 
• Keto Gravy
• Low Carb Stuffing
• Keto Cranberry Sauce
• Low Carb Green Beans with Bacon
• Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

How to Store Keto Apple Pie

If you do not eat all of your Keto Apple Pie the first day that you make it, then just cover it up and put it in the refrigerator. Your Pie will be ok in your refrigerator for a few days if you don’t eat it all up by then. 

Once you are ready for a piece of your delicious Pie, then just stick it the microwave for a minute or two and serve with homemade Low Carb Ice cream or Low Carb Whipped Cream and you are all set!

Can I Freeze Sugar-Free Apple Pie?

Yes, you can freeze your Sugar-Free Apple Pie. If you want to make an apple pie for your guests but don’t have time to do it right before the date, making it ahead of time and then freezing it is a great option. 

As you might imagine, just wrap up your Keto Apple Pie airtight, place it in a freezer bag and stick it in your freezer. If you wrap it good, it will stay fresh for a few months. 

When you take your Keto Apple Pie out of the freezer, you can thaw it out on your counter for a few hours, or thaw it in your refrigerator for overnight.

You could also thaw it out in your oven at 250 degrees, and when warm, then serve your pie with Keto Whip Cream or Keto Ice Cream. Yummy!

As an alternative if you don’t want to make the whole pie ahead of time, just follow our instructions to make the pie crust ahead of time and freeze that.

Then the day of your feast, take the crust out to thaw and follow the rest of our instructions to finish the pie.

Similar Fall Dessert Recipes:

Since it’s Autumn time there are of course other low carb desserts that you will love such as our Low Carb Apple Crisp which is also made from squash instead of apples.

Our Keto Pumpkin Pie is to die for, so don’t miss that either! Both go well with our delicious ice cream and whipped cream

Low Carb Desserts:

If you’re in the mood for some other Low Carb Desserts, check out these:

• Low Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
• Keto Brownies
• Keto Pecan Pie

They all are Keto-friendly and low carb, and will be a hit at your next party, especially for a big meal!

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