Raw Apple Pie
I have had quite a few requests by friends and readers to create a raw food recipe for an apple pie. One friend in particular has been very insistent, mentioning it almost every time I see her…for months.
I don’t know about other raw food chefs, but my creative process is fickle. I need to be inspired. Something I see or read will trigger my creative flow and I go to work in the kitchen. Without that inspiration, that feeling that I need to make this now, I could sit for hours just staring into space having no idea what I should do.
Yesterday, I was finally inspired to create a recipe for a raw apple pie. I bought some beautiful, organic apples and set to work. I love walnuts with apples, so I had to make a walnut crust. Wanting soft apples, and also the juicy feel of a “baked” apple pie, a little oat flour was combined with the apple mixture creating a filling that is like a traditional recipe. I am very pleased with the results and hope you will be, too! This recipe takes a little more preparation than my normal recipes but it is worth it.
Raw Apple Pie with Maple Cinnamon Glaze
MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE
Crust
- 2 cups walnuts, soaked until soft
- 2 tablespoons coconut butter
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Drain walnuts. Place in food processor and process until a coarse meal is achieved.
- Add coconut butter and agave nectar. Mix until well combined.
- Press 1/4 in thick into tart shells or 9″ pie plate.
- Dehydrate for 3 hours at 116. You can start at at 140 for 45 minutes and then lower the temp.
Filling
- 4 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup agave nectar or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup raw oat flour
- Place apple slices in bowl.
- Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss.
- Mix together maple syrup, agave and cinnamon.
- Stir into apple mixture
- Add oat flour and toss to coat.
- Place filling in two separate glass pie plates.
- Place in dehydrator and dehydrate at 115 for 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Add water if mixture starts to dry out.
Maple Cinnamon Glaze
- 1 tablespoon coconut butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup*
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- Whisk all ingredients together to combine.
Assembly
- Place filling in four, 4″ tart shells or one 9″ pie plate that you have already prepared with the crust.
- Place back into dehydrator for 2 hours.
- Remove and top with Maple Cinnamon Glaze
*maple syrup is not raw but used in raw food recipes.
Anna wrote on October 31, 2010
Absolutely the most awesome apple pie I’ve had! made this yesterday for a dinner party, and it was a hit. Thank you SO MUCH!! I will definitely be making this again — and again!
Eva wrote on October 14, 2010
To Blahblah, I can understand your concern for the high calorie content of Raw food deserts. Susan is right the nutritional benefits outweigh the concern of the calories.
Another thing is, apples are a negative calorie food – meaning out bodies use more calories to digest than the food actually contains!
still moderation is key no matter which diet you are on.
Eva wrote on October 14, 2010
Thank you for another great treat. I made this tonight, it tasted great but turned out more like an apple crisp…..did not look as photo perfect as yours, but was a treat to eat – the family really enjoyed it!
Jenine wrote on October 13, 2010
I just made this and it was really good. The only thing I may do is reduce the amount of sugar. It was sweet for me and I didn’t add the Maple Cinnamon Glaze but it was delicious.
Calen wrote on October 11, 2010
I have been flipping back and forth with raw and not raw in my diet. After running into your web site, I couldn’t stop looking and want to try lots of the recipes on this site. I definitely will go more raw now that I have your yummy recipes. Thank you sooo sooo much for sharing. Now, I better go to bed…lol
Amy Oscar wrote on June 26, 2010
I have to respond to blahblah’s comment about calories: I’m 52 years old; with 40 pounds of ‘after-babies’, ‘after forty’ weight that I’d just about given up on ever getting rid of. I have tried every diet there is, including Weight Watchers, Zone, Atkins, and counting calories, so I am speaking from experience. When I switch to 80-100 percent raw food, the weight melts off, no matter how many calories of raw food I consume. I don’t understand the science of this – I will leave that to Susan – but I see that it works. I also see the health benefits every day: Joint pain, gone; heachaches, gone; skin, glowing. Seriously, blahblah, I encourage you to try it.
Sure, it is probably possible to do raw food in an unhealthy way – but why would you? Eating a well-balanced raw meal – with sprouted grains and/or sprouted beans; lots of fresh veggies; nuts and seeds – and following it up with this apple pie – that’s the way to eat raw.
blahblah wrote on June 26, 2010
This recipe has over two thousand calories. Seriously. Raw/Vegan does not equal healthy.
Susan wrote on June 26, 2010
To blahblah: Yes, the entire recipe has over 2,000 calories but it also makes 6-8 servings making each serving between 250 and 350 calories. Which is very similar to a normal piece of apple pie. The difference is all of the calories in this pie contain nutrients. Something that a normal apple pie made from butter, sugar, white flour can’t claim. The apples are also not cooked so they retain a much higher nutritional profile. It is a dessert and should be treated as one. But I for one, would rather eat a dessert that actually nourishes my body instead of one that is unhealthy and actually puts harmful substances in my body. So I will respectfully disagree. Raw, vegan does equal healthy.
C wrote on June 22, 2010
I’m making this tonight! It looks phenomenal! And I’m trying to eat more food raw.