I’m here to fulfill your dreams of keto apple pie! Yes, you might have thought that a low carb apple pie was impossible. But it’s not! Your day just got a little sweeter. 😉 And there is a secret to this keto apple pie filling – it’s made from yellow squash! Yes, you can have your veggies AND your sugar-free apple pie all in one delicious bite. If putting summer squash in pie filling sounds a little strange, don’t be deterred. I served this for 10 non-keto friends and asked them what they thought the filling was made of. All of them said apples! They didn’t guess that it was squash until I told them. And if you ask me? After creating an amazing keto lemon meringue pie, I know this is the best sugar free apple pie recipe too. Only 3 grams of sugar per slice and it tastes like a real apple pie? What more could you ask for?! So, grab your pie plates, it’s time to make keto friendly apple pie!
How To Make Keto Apple Pie
This is the keto apple pie recipe you’ve been waiting for! Let’s get on with the details so your house can soon smell like freshly baked homemade (sugar free) apple pie!
Peel and dice the squash. This is the base of the low carb apple pie filling. Be sure the pieces are small and uniform.
TIP #1: Choose smaller squash for fewer seeds. This isn’t required, but better for texture in the final result. TIP #2: You can also use zucchini, but I found the flavor from using yellow squash to be just slightly more neutral. If it matters to you, nutrition info per serving comes out to be very similar.
Make the keto apple pie filling. First you’ll bloom a bit of gelatin (this helps thicken the low carb pie filling!) in a small bowl with water. Cook some butter, powdered sweetener, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom together. Then, whisk in the gelatin mixture and simmer until the mixture has thickened, as pictured below.
TIP: Use powdered sweetener, not granulated, for best results. Granulated erythritol based sweeteners generally don’t dissolve as well, crystallize more easily, and can make your sugar-free apple pie filling grainy.
Make the low carb apple pie crust. This is very similar to my almond flour pie crust recipe, but I added gelatin here as well to make it more sturdy. Mix together almond flour, sweetener, sea salt, butter, egg, and vanilla together with a hand mixer. The dough should be crumbly. Once it’s uniform, add gelatin powder and water. The consistency will be similar, but you may notice it sticks together better.
Divide the keto apple pie crust in half – half for the top crust and half for the bottom. Press the bottom crust into the pie pan. Press half of the dough into a lined 9-inch pie pan. You can flute the edges if you like, but I skipped it to make the top crust easier to seal later.
Bake the crust until golden brown. Then, be sure to let it cool so that the filling doesn’t make it soggy.
TIP: Pre-bake the crust just enough to cook through, but don’t let the edges get too dark. Otherwise, they will burn when you bake the whole pie afterward. Don’t skip pre-baking, otherwise the bottom will get soggy more easily later.
When the crust has cooled, add the filling into the pie crust. It’s important that both the filling and crust have cooled!
Top the pie. Roll out the other half of the dough in a circle, a little larger than the pie plate. Carefully transfer the top crust onto the pie and cut off any excess crust around the edges. Seal the edges with your fingers, cut 4 slits in the top crust and your sugar-free apple pie is ready to bake!
Bake your keto friendly apple pie until golden brown.
TIP #1: The top crust may feel relatively soft when it’s done, which is okay. It will firm up more as it cools. TIP #2: If the crust edges darken too much before the center is done, you can cover the edges with foil or use a pie crust shield.
How Many Carbs In Sugar-Free Apple Pie?
Are you ready for this? This sugar-free apple pie has just 8 grams of net carbs per slice! Yes, that’s a little higher than some other low carb desserts, but to be able to enjoy apple pie on a keto diet, I think it’s well worth making room in your carb allowance. 😉 TIP: The nutrition info is if you cut the pie into 12 pieces, which are quite filling thanks to the almond flour crust. If you prefer to cut carbs more, you can cut it into 16 pieces instead. The full nutrition stats can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Store Sugar-Free Apple Pie
This low carb apple pie can be sealed with plastic wrap and stored in a cool area for about a day. If you don’t plan on eating it within a day, transfer it to the refrigerator.
How To Freeze Low Carb Apple Pie
If you won’t eat the keto friendly apple pie within a few days, you can also freeze it! I prefer to cut the keto mock apple pie into slices and then wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap. Store the slices in a freezer bag for extra protection. When you’re ready to eat, simply take out and thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or in the fridge overnight.
More Ideas for Keto Apple Pie Filling
I have a feeling you’re going to LOVE this keto apple pie filling, so I though I would share some other ways you can use it for fall desserts and treats. It’s sweet and tart and will make you think of fall. 🙂 Try it combined with these recipes:
The Best Low Carb Keto Ice Cream – Highly recommend serving your keto friendly apple pie a la mode – pictured above! Keto Low Carb Milkshake – Have you ever heard of an apple pie milkshake? Try it with this milkshake recipe! Low Carb Paleo Almond Flour Biscuits – Add a couple tablespoons sweetener to these biscuits, then top them with the keto apple pie filling and a dollop of whipped cream. Easy Keto Almond Flour Pancakes – Okay, this could work as a decadent breakfast or a fun dessert! Top these pancakes with the keto diet apple pie filling for a fun treat.
You can also make a quicker keto mock apple crumble instead if you don’t want to deal with a crust.
Hand Mixer – This hand mixer is great if you don’t have a stand mixer like me! It gets the job done and so much easier to clean and store. Glass Pie Plate – Comes with two in case you want to double the batch of keto zucchini mock apple pie! Stainless Steel Pie Server – A pretty server to showcase your sugar-free apple pie recipe. Pie Crust Shield – For protecting the edges if they start to brown too much. Works for any kind of pie, 9 or 10 inch.
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