As Thanksgiving gets closer, I wanted to give you some more pie options for your Thanksgiving dessert. Of course, pumpkin is probably the number one favorite pie on that day. But apple must be in the running as a close second. Therefore, I’d like to share with you two of my favorite apple pie fillings. The first one is a simple filling using apples and cinnamon. The second is a more sophisticated filling that uses sherry as the secret ingredient. Both are easy to make and both are delicious!
When you are thinking about apples to use, think about the taste you want. I like my pies to be sweet-but-not-too sweet, so I usually pick a mix of tart and sweet apples. Also, the one no-no: do not use Red Delicious apples. They are too mealy for pie.
Two Apple Pie Fillings
1. Apple-Cinnamon Pie Filling
Ingredients
1 recipe Flaky Pie Crust, Gluten-Free
6 large, firm but ripe apples of your choice, cored and thinly sliced (I don’t peel mine)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Jeanne’s Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour Mix
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoon unsalted butter (or shortening), cold and cut into small pieces
Make your crust and refrigerate according to directions. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place sliced apples into a large bowl. Add the next 6 ingredients (up through the lemon zest) to the bowl and mix with a large spoon to combine–be sure that all the apple slices are covered with the mixture.
Roll out 1/2 of your pie crust dough and use it to line your pan for the bottom crust. Place filling into lined pan. Dot filling with the 2 TBL of butter pieces. Roll out dough for top crust carefully place on top of mixture. Slash vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
If desired, brush beaten egg on top of pie crust and sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Bake pie at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until crust is brown, about 30-45 minutes longer (you want the crust to be golden brown but not burnt–start watching it about 30 minutes)
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.
2. Apple-Sherry Pie Filling
-inspired by Williams Sonoma’s Pies and Tarts
Ingredients
1 recipe Flaky Pie Crust, Gluten-Free
6 large, firm but ripe apples of your choice cored and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons Flaky Pie Crust, Gluten-Free
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sherry (dry or sweet)–I like to use Amontillado
2 tablespoon unsalted butter (or shortening), cold and cut into small pieces
Make your crust and refrigerate according to directions. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Place sliced apples in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and toss to coat the apples.
In a small bowl stir together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add to the apples and toss to combine. Add the sherry and toss until completely mixed.
Roll out 1/2 of your pie crust dough and use it to line your pan for the bottom crust. Pile the apple mixture into the pastry-lined pan and dot with bits of butter. Roll out dough for top crust carefully place on top of mixture. Slash vents in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking.
If desired, brush beaten egg on top of pie crust and sprinkle with a bit of granulated sugar. Bake pie at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until crust is brown, about 30-45 minutes longer (you want the crust to be golden brown but not burnt–start watching it about 30 minutes)
Note: If you use a different gluten-free flour mix, alter the amount of or eliminate the xanthan gum or use a different gluten-replacer, use dairy-free or egg-free substitutes, or change any other ingredients in this recipe, your results may not match my results.
This post contains affiliate links–which means that I get a tiny percentage of each purchase you make through the link (at no extra cost to you!). Thank you!
Hi! I tried your apple pie and flaky pastry recipe, it is soooo good. I just started gluten-free so it was great to use this recipe. My husband loved it very much so I will be making it again from here on in. My minister is gluten-free and we are having a dinner at the church so guess what I am taking. Thanks so much
Sharon: Yay! I’m so glad! Thanks for letting me know!
Do you use your gf flour mix to thicken up the apple juices as they cook in the pie? In the past I’ve used corn starch…
Thanks! And Happy Thanksgiving!
Kathleen
Kathleen: Yes! It works wonderfully!
Hi Jeanne,
Do you usually peel the apples for these pies? I didn’t because I didn’t see it in the directions…plus I love apple peel!
Emma: No I don’t peel my apples. We love the apple peel, too!
I love sound of the sherry filling. After a day with extended family I think a little alcohol is called for!
LOL! True!
MMMMMMMMMM,..this sherry apple pie filling sounds so tasty to me!!
The apple & cinnamon lemon filling sounds so good too!
I might make this tasty crust with your apple cinnamon filling & add speculaas spice to it! Yummie!
Well flavoured too!
Well, Jeanne, both of these fillings sound fabulous. But, man, that sherry one is soo calling my name! I can only imagine the depth of flavor that the sherry must add! Yum! I am looking forward to trying that one!
Hi sorry to post this here but just checked out your site to see if you had any information on chestnut flour and experience baking with it. The google search comes up with nothing. I ask because after reading your detail info on gluten free sourdough starter (I bake sourdough but with normal starter) you put so much detail into it I thought you might just be the sort of gluten free blogger that has had experienced with it, baking.
Azelias: Hi! Chestnut flour, being a nut flour, is high in protein. I would recommend using it like you would use almond flour. I think it tastes nice–but it still gives the baked goods a decided nut flavor. I don’t use it myself because I don’t tend to use nut flours. I know that they use it more often in Europe, especially Italy. I’m guessing you would find more recipes in an Italian baking book? If you wanted to experiment with it, I would use it as maybe 1/4 of a flour mix–using starchy flours as the remaining 3/4s. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help! Happy baking!