Healthy Recipes Healthy Cookie & Dessert Recipes Healthy Pie Recipes Healthy Apple Pie Recipes The Best No-Sugar-Added Apple Pie 4.9 (7) 4 Reviews This no-sugar-added apple pie gets its natural sweetness from antioxidant- and fiber-rich dates. Cider vinegar helps to enhance the flavor. We like Gala apples for their sweetness and crisp texture, but any sweet, firm apple will work well. If you like your apple pie on the tart side, add a Granny Smith to the mix. We use frozen pie crusts for the bottom and top of the pie. The dough should release easily from the tin for the top crust within about 10 minutes out of the freezer. If not, let it sit out a bit longer until it releases easily. By Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein Amanda Holstein fell in love with baking at the age of 6, and has continued to grow her passion through culinary school and working in bakeries. For more than 10 years, she worked at multiple well-known restaurants and bakeries in the Orlando, Florida, area, preparing delicious scratch-made desserts and assisting with dinner events, before becoming a test kitchen assistant at Dotdash Meredith. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on October 27, 2023 Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD Emily Lachtrupp is a registered dietitian experienced in nutritional counseling, recipe analysis and meal plans. She's worked with clients who struggle with diabetes, weight loss, digestive issues and more. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying all that Vermont has to offer with her family and her dog, Winston. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Tested by Liv Dansky Tested by Liv Dansky Liv Dansky is a recipe tester and developer with a B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis and a Diplôme de Cuisine from Le Cordon Bleu in London. When Liv is not cooking or eating for work, you can find her cooking and eating for fun. Meet the EatingWell Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 3 hrs 10 mins Servings: 10 servings Nutrition Profile: Sesame-Free Nut-Free Dairy-Free Soy-Free Vegan Vegetarian Egg-Free Nutrition Notes Are Dates Good for You? Commonly referred to as “nature’s candy” due to their natural sweetness, dates are full of antioxidants that may contribute to heart and brain health. Certain varieties of dates have been shown to have antibacterial properties, fighting against microbes, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Escherichia coli. Dates are also a good source of fiber—and fiber has many health benefits, including improving gut health and keeping things moving along through the digestive tract, as well as lowering the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Are Apples Healthy? Apples are full of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they’re a low-glycemic food—which means they won’t spike your blood sugar. The peel of the apple contains a lot of the apple’s nutrition, which is why we left it on for this recipe. Research shows that eating apples may contribute to heart and brain health, lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and fight cancer. Tips from the Test Kitchen Should I Peel the Apples for the Pie? No, you can keep the peel on for this apple pie. It will give the pie more texture, and you’ll save time on prep. Can I Make This Apple Pie Ahead? Yes, you can bake the apple pie ahead and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Frequently Asked Questions What Type of Apple Is Best for No-Sugar-Added Apple Pie? We like using Gala apples for this pie, which are sweet with a crisp texture. You can also use other varieties of apples that are firm and sweet, like Honeycrisp or Fuji. Add a Granny Smith apple if you like its sharp, tart flavor. Additional reporting by Carrie Myers and Jan Valdez Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Ingredients 2 (9-inch) frozen pie shells, preferably whole-wheat 5 pitted dates 2-4 tablespoons water, divided 5 medium Gala apples, unpeeled, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick (7 cups) 3 teaspoons cider vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon Directions Preheat oven to 375°F. Remove pie shells from freezer to thaw slightly at room temperature. Combine dates and 2 tablespoons water in a food processor; process until a thick, mostly smooth paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. If needed, add the remaining 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Transfer the date paste to a large mixing bowl; add apples, vinegar and cinnamon. Stir with a rubber spatula until the apples are fully coated. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Transfer the apple mixture to one of the pie shells; pat into an even layer. Flip the other crust from its tin onto the top of the apple mixture; using a fork, crimp the top crust into the bottom crust to seal. Cut 3 (1-inch) slits into the top crust. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the apples are tender, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 2 hours. Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Rishon Hanners, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless To make ahead Double-wrap unbaked pie in plastic wrap and freeze. Let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour before baking. Bake as directed in Step 4, adding about 10 minutes to the bake time. Store baked pie, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days. Nutrition Information Serving Size: 1 sliceCalories 254, Fat 13g, Saturated Fat 6g, Cholesterol 0mg, Carbohydrates 34g, Total sugars 18g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 4g, Fiber 3g, Sodium 1mg, Potassium 169mg EatingWell.com, October 2023 Rate It Print