This delicious gluten-free apple pie is perfect for winter holiday fare. And because it’s so easy to make, it’s a nice way to lighten your load when you’ll be doing a lot of other cooking. In the unlikely event that you have any leftovers, it’s also great for breakfast, served topped with a dollop of yogurt. Dates balance the tartness of Granny Smith apples beautifully, but you can make endless variations on this pie by choosing almost any fruit that’s in season and pairing it with whatever dried fruit seems appealing. Contributed by Leslie Cerier, from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook ^[1].

Serves: 6 to 8

Crust:

• 2 cups teff flour
• 1/2 cup melted extra-virgin coconut oil or other healthy vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Filling:

• 1/4 cup water
• 3 Granny Smith apples, thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup pitted dates
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly oil a 9-inch pie pan.

To make the crust, combine the teff flour, oil, maple syrup, and salt in a medium-size bowl and stir until well combined. Reserve 1/2 cup of the mixture to use as a crumb topping.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and use your fingers to press it out in an even layer over the bottom and sides of the pan. Poke a few holes in the dough with a fork. Bake for about 10 minutes, until it loses it shine.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Put the water, apples, dates, cinnamon, and salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the apples soften. Taste and add more cinnamon or adjust the sweetness if desired.

Pour the filling into the crust and crumble the reserved dough over the top. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the crumbs turn a slightly darker brown. Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Reprinted with permission by New Harbinger Publications, Inc. from Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook ^[1] by Leslie Cerier. Visit Leslie at her web site ^[2]for more recipes and information on her cooking classes.

• Explore more of VegKitchen’s Gluten-Free Vegan Baking ^[3].
• Sweet tooth still craving? Here are more Vegan Baking and Sweets ^[4].
• Here are more Fruity Baked Goods ^[5].