We recently celebrated Judah’s 9th birthday with all his cousins (18 of them!) at Mum-mum and Pop-pop’s house. We decorated the sun room with scientist themed party decor because Judah is all about being a scientist (specifically a mycologist, at the moment) and covered the floor in balloons. He chose chicken caesar salad with peas, carrots, and corn on the cob and watermelon for his birthday meal. He also requested to have a gluten-free, sugar-free homemade apple pie, complete with some yummy sugar-free whipped cream to top it off, as his birthday dessert made specifically by his Auntie Holly.
Today, I want to share my sister-in-law’s recipe for this delicious homemade apple pie with you. That way, if you’re looking for a healthy, gluten-free, sugar-free birthday dessert, this one may be a good option for you. But before I get to the actual recipe, let me tell you how we do birthday desserts in our home.
So Long, Kiddie Birthday Cakes
Over the years, as we’ve grown more into healthy living, we’ve done away with typical kid’s birthday cakes in favor of healthier options.
You see, desserts, in general, are rare in our home. I know that some people have a little something sweet after many of their meals, but we rarely do. If we have something sweet with a meal, it’s usually in the form of fruit, and if that fruit happens to be baked in the oven and topped with a little maple syrup and a few chocolate chips, then we consider that a dessert.
However, when it comes to birthdays or other celebrations, dessert feels more appropriate and special. So, instead of making or buying the typical kid’s birthday cake, I let the birthday boy choose a homemade dessert instead.
Sometimes they want a specific a pie or a cake. Sometimes they’d rather have cookies or some ice cream. The desserts are always made with real food ingredients including healthier sugar alternatives like maple syrup and honey, sometimes Pyure sweetener which is a stevia/erythritol blend, or pure organic cane sugar if “real” sugar is necessary. We even try to incorporate fruits to add sweetness if possible.
Sure, if we go to a birthday party for a friend and there’s cake or cookies there, I let the boys have some but only if they’ve eaten their food first. That’s a big rule in our family. Desserts are okay if you’ve eaten your food first and you use moderation.
Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Birthday Desserts At Mum-Mum’s
Birthday desserts, however, are a bit different when we celebrate at Mum-Mum’s house. That’s because some of the cousins (and some adults too) are gluten-free and even sugar-free for various reasons. So, in order for everyone to be able to enjoy the birthday dessert, we try to come up with desserts that are both gluten-free and sugar-free.
Sometimes this can be a challenge, especially for me because my family isn’t 100% gluten-free and sugar-free, and I’m not used to making desserts this way. Thankfully, two of my sisters-in-law are better at it than I am. So, every once in a while, one of them will bring a new dessert for the family to try. Sometimes they’re keepers and sometimes they aren’t, but hey, that’s how you figure out what works and doesn’t, right?
Okay, so on to the gluten-free, sugar-free homemade apple pie recipe!
Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Homemade Apple Pie
This recipe is really easy to make. It pairs well with ice cream, but we prefer it topped with homemade sugar-free whipped cream. The below recipe will make one pie, but feel free to double or triple the ingredients to make more if needed.
Ingredients:
- gluten-free pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
- 4-5 granny smith apples
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 cup xylitol (or an alternative sugar-free sweetener to taste)
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped butter
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Wrap edges of pie crusts in aluminum foil or use a silicone pie crust shield to prevent the edges from burning.
- Combine all other ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well, and pour this mixture into the crust.
- Bake 30-45 minutes. Serve warm with ice cream or homemade whipped cream, and enjoy!