Why Is It Better For You Apple Pie?
Let’s compare “apples to apples”, if you will. When comparing my Better For You Apple Pie with traditional apple pie, then yes, it is more healthy. (see paragraph below). However, if comparing Better For You Apple Pie with say, sweet potatoes topped with steamed broccoli? Well then, choose the latter. Get it?
Again, though this is not a health food, and is considered a once in a while treat, this apple pie recipe is better for you because it does not use any refined sugar. I use pure maple syrup and molasses to slightly sweeten the apples, and cinnamon and allspice are good for you spices. I also use better for you plant milk rather than traditional milk or cream. No butter in here either! If you’re gonna eat pie, give this a try!
If You Are Going To Choose Pie, Choose This
I have always loved pie. It is my go-to dessert of choice when I am going to eat dessert. I used to make the BEST tasting pie crust with…well….shortning. Sigh. Shortning is one of the worst things for your health. When I found that out, I changed my crust recipe to use butter. It was still good, but not quite as flaky.
Recently I changed my pie crust recipe again. This time I’m using coconut oil. Please don’t get me wrong, coconut oil is no where near a “health food”. It is refined and because it is oil, it will raise your cholesterol levels. One can argue that it is still slightly better than butter. It has no coconut taste, so if you were worried about that then rest at ease. What it does do though, is make the most flaky, delicious pie crust ever, reminiscent of my shortning days.
I use it in my pie crust because I will not consider pie a health food and it is the least offensive alternative. And….well let’s face it…..people are going to eat PIE! Plantbased, vegan, paleo, whatever you may be, you are going to want dessert ONCE in a while. You can find my Flaky Pie Crust recipe on my site. You won’t be disappointed!
This Better For You Apple Pie recipe is my compromise. But I feel it is a good one! If I’m going to eat pie on the holidays, why not eat one that is just as delicious as a traditional apple pie, but better for you?
Better For You Apple Pie
Equipment
- apple peeler
- Rolling Pin
- 9 inch pie plate
Ingredients
For The Crust
- 1 recipe flaky-pie-crust
For The Filling
- 8 apples (I used Cortland) peeled and chopped
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp molasses
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon organic cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon flax milk or plant milk of choice
Instructions
- Make my flaky-pie-crust
- Preheat oven to 425° F.
- While dough is chilling. Peel and slice about 8-10 apples of choice. I like honey crisp or Cortland.
- Add apples to a large bowl and stir in molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Pour apple filling into crust.
- Make a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 teaspoon plant milk of choice.
- Pour cornstarch slurry over apples.
- Cover apples with top pie crust and cut off any excess.
- Crimp or flute edges so that top crust and bottom crust are sealed.
- Cut in vents.
- Place on a cookie sheet in a 425° oven.
- Bake at 425˚F in the center of the oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350˚F and continue baking another 45 minutes or until apples are soft and filling is bubbling through the vents.* Rest at room temp 1 hour before serving.
