This delicious homemade apple pie is one whole food plant-based temptation that you can enjoy completely guilt-free. It’s one of those desserts that you cannot stop until you’ve gone through most of it. And you shouldn’t, it’s that healthy!
This amazing apple pie recipe is plant-based and completely free of processed sugar or oil. Definitely a healthier version of the classic apple pie. Yet the addictive aroma of baked apples, cinnamon, and cardamom fills the air and makes you feel cozy, at home.
Apples and cinnamon are some of my favorite combos. If you like the taste and aroma combined you can try this Quick & Healthy Purple Oatmeal. Another cinnamon recipes that we often make in my family are these Whole Wheat Cinnamon Cookies.
Ingredients for this vegan apple pie
All you really need are several simple whole food ingredients. This healthy apple pie recipe is free from processed stuff like sugar and oil. Here’s what you need:
- oats – I used rolled oats
- whole wheat flour – as it contains important micronutrients and fiber that are missing in all-purpose flour. You can also use oat flour if you are gluten-free.
- walnuts – use plain raw walnuts with no added salt, sugar, or oil
- dates – I used regular pitted dates as a sweetener instead of sugar
- apples – peeled, cored and sliced, try firmer sweet and sour sorts, like Fuji, pink lady, honey crisp
- lemon juice – freshly squeezed is best, balances the sweetness
- liquid – I used plain filtered water
- spices – you’ll need cinnamon and cardamom
For the full ingredients list, measurements, and instructions, please find the recipe card below.
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What makes this apple pie so healthy?
I always try to make my recipes completely whole food, plant-based. As you probably know, animal products, sugar, and oil are very rich in calories and they don’t pack a lot of nutrition or fiber.
Substituting them for whole plants reduces the calories while adding so much more micronutrients, fiber, and healthy complex starches. This way you feel full without eating too many calories, which is great for weight loss.
All that fiber and natural sugars in the dates, oat, and apples slow down your digestion so that your blood sugar level stays stable over time and you feel full for longer.
Those dates are also rich in copper, selenium, magnesium, and iron.
I also used whole walnuts, which are super rich in minerals and healthy omega-3 fatty acids that keep your brain and arteries healthy.
Recipe notes
- Chop the apples last just before you mix all ingredients in the bowl so they don’t turn brown. If you want to prepare them ahead you can squeeze some lemon juice over them.
- You can also use oat flour if you are gluten-free.
- The apple pie mixture should be thick and sticky with a lot of apples. Just spread it in the baking pan, smooth the surface with a spoon and bake.
- You can also add a dusting of powdered sugar on top if you like sweeter topping.
This Sugar-free Vegan apple pie is
- plant-based (vegan)
- whole food
- oil-free
- sugar-free
- rich in fiber
- very healthy
- made with simple ingredients
- easy to make
- so delicious
How to store
It is best to eat the apple pie when it’s baked and cooled. You can store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days on the counter or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Related Recipes
- Quick & Healthy Purple Oatmeal
- Whole Wheat Cinnamon Cookies
- Healthy Oats Apple Pie Bars
- Vegan Whole Wheat Crepes
If you try this Sugar-free Vegan Apple Pie recipe, please leave a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. I would love to hear from you. Also, don’t forget to tag me in your recreations on Facebook/ Instagram with #wellnessdove or @wellnessdove.
Sugar-free Vegan Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup (90 g) rolled oats, 3.2 oz
- 1¼ cup (160 g) whole wheat flour, or use oat flour (5.6 oz)
- ½ cup (60 g) walnuts, heaping or 2 oz
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 1½ cup (200 g) pitted dates, chopped, 7 oz
- 2 large (450 g) apples, peeled and cored (about ¾ lb/350g when cored)
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1½ cup (360 ml) water
For decoration:
- ¾ cup (80 g) walnuts, chopped, 3 oz
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Chop the dates into small pieces. After that, peel, core, and slice the apples into small chunks.
- In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients (oats, flour, chopped walnuts, cinnamon, and cardamom). Mix with a spoon.
- Then, pour the water and lemon juice into the bowl with dry ingredients. Stir once and then add the chopped dates and apples. Mix everything well.
- Line a 10 inch (25 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.
- Spread the apple pie mixture in the baking pan and smooth the surface with a spoon. Decorate it with the chopped walnuts on top.
- Bake for 40 mins and let cool before cutting. Enjoy!
Notes
- It's best to measure the ingredients by weight since different flours/dates can vary by volume.
- You can also use oat flour if you are gluten-free.
- Chop the apples last just before you mix all ingredients in the bowl so they don't turn brown.
- The apple pie mixture should be thick and sticky.
- You can also add a dusting of powdered sugar on top if you like sweeter topping.
Very good.I served it for Thanksgiving dessert and everyone loved it. Thank you for a healthy dessert option.
Thank you so much, Barbara! We’re delighted to hear the Sugar-Free Vegan Apple Pie was a hit at your Thanksgiving celebration. It’s wonderful to know everyone enjoyed it, and we’re thrilled to have been part of your holiday table. Thank you for choosing a healthy dessert option – we’re so glad it was a success! 😊
Can it be put in the freezer, and if so , for how long.
Hi Barbara, great question! I haven’t personally tried freezing the Sugar-Free Vegan Apple Pie, but it should be possible. If you’d like to give it a try, I recommend wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and placing it in an airtight container to protect it from freezer burn. It might keep well for up to 2-3 months, but the texture of the crust could change slightly after thawing. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it turns out! 😊
Can I soak the 200 g dates over night in 360 ml water and then to blend them and then add that paste over dried ingredients and apple?
Hi Dan, great question! Yes, you can soak the 200 g of dates in the 360 ml of water overnight and then blend them into a paste instead of chopping them. This should work well and create a smoother consistency, which can be mixed directly with the dried ingredients and apples. It’s a slight variation, but it should still yield delicious results! Let us know how it turns out if you give it a try! 😊
I really like this recipe. I used a food processor to chop the walnut and prep the apples, so i was ready in like 10 minutes, just had to wait for the baking 🙂 Its delicious, my bf also loved it, thank you!
Thank you so much, Orsolya! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the recipe and found it quick and easy to prepare with your food processor – what a time saver! 😊 So glad to hear it was a hit with you and your boyfriend. Your kind words mean a lot – happy baking!
We have homemade date paste, could that work in place of the dates? Looking forward to making this. Thank you!
Hi Trish, great question! Yes, homemade date paste could work as a substitute for the dates in the recipe. Just be mindful of the consistency – if your paste is thicker, you may need to adjust the amount slightly to match the moisture level the whole dates and water would provide. Start with an amount similar to the weight of the dates (200 g) and see how it mixes. I hope you enjoy making the recipe – let us know how it turns out! 😊
Another amazing recipe! Delicious, healthy and easy to make! Thank you so much for sharing the love
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe! I have not changed much (just less walnuts on top) and it’s absolutely heavenly!
Is it actually 35 dates? That seems like a lot of dates.
Hey Kerri, I recommend you use a kitchen scale to measure the amounts as there are different sizes and types of dates.
Do you have the nutrition info? Thx.
Can the whole wheat flour be substituted with a gluten-free flour? If so, what would work best?
There is no rising agent so there should’t be a problem using a gluten free flour. I’ve tried the pie with oat flour and it turns out great!
Sounds wonderful. Could this recipe be used for berries?
Hey Joan, thanks. I haven’t tried it. I guess apples can be substituted for berries but it can be moist. You may need to adjust the amount of flour and water depending on the consistency. If you want to make a berry cake, check out my berry cake recipe here https://wellnessdove.com/vegan-berry-bundt-cake/