Eggless Apple Pie

This eggless apple pie is just perfect! It’s absolutely delicious and bursting with flavor.

What’s even better is that this pie is very easy to make.

The pie crust linked in the recipe is also the easiest I’ve ever made.

If you like this eggless apple pie, you may also like my eggless pecan pie and eggless pumpkin pie.

History of Apple Pie

While the earliest known apple pie recipe is from England dating back to 1381, it wasn’t what we’d think of as apple pie today.  It included not only apples and spices, but also figs, raisins and pears.

The Dutch style was in some ways more similar to the American apple pie we know today.  It often only used apples in its pie, it did call for cream, a laundry list of spices, and was often topped with a crumb topping.

However, apple pie has been a cornerstone of American culture since English and Dutch settlers came to the New World.  

Since the only native apple is the crab apple, Eurpoeans had to wait for the varieties they brought with them to grow into trees and bear fruit.  However, these trees quickly led to the development of hundreds of new native varieties.

The truth is, even after the settlers had apples, they mainly used it for cider.  It only started to really gain popularity around the time colonists declared their independence.

There are American apple pie recipes, both manuscript and printed, from the 18th century, and apple pie was a common food in Delaware at the time.

Then, in the 1920s, the phrase as American as apple pie started to appear in print. By World War II, soldiers declared that they were fighting “for mom and apple pie.”

HOW TO REPLACE EGGS IN BAKING

Eggs do three things in most recipes: they help bind the ingredients together, act as a mild leavening agent, and they add moisture.

So, to replace them, the ideal options do all three and do not impact flavor or texture.

While there are other ways to replace eggs in baking, these are the ones that I think are the best:

Applesauce

Unsweetened applesauce is my favorite way to replace eggs in baking.

It barely, if at all, affects the flavor and is easy to find in grocery stores.

Using 1/4 cup (about 65 grams) of applesauce can replace an egg in most recipes.

Vinegar and baking soda

Mixing 1 teaspoon (7 grams) of baking soda with 1 tablespoon (15 grams) of vinegar can replace 1 egg in most recipes.

According to Healthline, when mixed together, vinegar and baking soda start a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide and water, which makes baked goods light and airy.

This substitute works best for cakes, cupcakes, and quick breads.

Arrowroot powder or cornstarch

A mixture of 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder or cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water can be used to replace 1 egg.

Aquafaba

“Aquafaba” is the term for the leftover liquid from cooking beans or legumes and is the same liquid that’s found in canned chickpeas or beans.

The liquid has a very similar consistency to that of raw egg whites, making it a great substitute for many recipes.

You can use 3 tablespoons (45 grams) of aquafaba to replace 1 egg.

Carbonated water

Carbonated water can add moisture to a recipe and acts as a great leavening agent.

The carbonation traps air bubbles, which help make the finished product light and fluffy. This works great for cakes, cupcakes, and quick breads.

You can replace each egg with 1/4 cup (60 grams) of carbonated water.

HOW TO MEASURE FLOUR AND OTHER DRY INGREDIENTS

The best way to measure dry ingredients is with a scale. However, this is not commonly done in the United States, where dry measuring cups are used instead.

To measure most dry ingredients, first spoon them into a dry measuring cup and then level off the measuring cup with an upside-down butter knife.

Make sure not to pack it down because it can lead to using more of the ingredient than called for.

The exception is brown sugar. To measure brown sugar, pack it into the measuring cup and then level off any excess.

To measure chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit, just pour them in and then level them off.

DRY VS LIQUID MEASURING CUP

Dry measuring cups are a set of cups that often come with measuring spoons. Each cup is a different measurement just like each spoon is a different measurement.

Liquid measuring cups, on the other hand, are cups that have measuring lines on the side to mark the measurements.

The problem with using liquid measuring cups to measure dry ingredients (like flour and cocoa) is that they are powders. So, as you shake the cup to level them off, the powders settle and you end up with more than you need.

I tested this with a friend who didn’t believe me and we ended up with a number of tablespoons more than the recipe called for.

WHY sift Powdery Ingredients

There are a number of benefits to sifting powdery ingredients like flour and cocoa.

First of all, flour is often sifted before use to aerate it and remove any lumps. This helps in achieving a lighter texture in baked goods. 

Secondly, if you measure flour that’s just been sifted, you can get a more accurate measurement than from flour that’s been packed tightly in a bag. 

In addition, sifting dry ingredients together, such as flour, cocoa, and baking powder, helps make sure they’re evenly dispersed.

Sugar

The primary role of sugar is to be a sweetener. However, sugar also contributes to the tenderness and moistness of the baked good by absorbing and retaining moisture and helps create the golden brown color when baking as it caramelizes.

Recipes with more sugar often result in softer, moister textures. However, I learned the hard way that too much sugar leads to a sticky mess.

When it’s heated, sugar caramelizes, resulting in a rich, complex flavor and a brown color. This adds both flavor and color to baked goods and is also the process in which caramel sauce, dulce de leche, caramel candies, and regular candies are made.

When used in recipes containing yeast, the sugar is eaten by the yeast, producing carbon dioxide and causing the dough to rise.

Sugar also acts as a preservative in jams, jellies, and fruit preserves by reducing water activity and preventing microbial growth.

There are many different types of sugar, including white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla sugar, powdered sugar, turbinado sugar, and demerara sugar.

When a recipe calls for “sugar” without specifying anything else, it’s referring to regular white sugar.

White Sugar

White sugar (sometimes called granulated sugar, table sugar, or white granulated sugar) is made of either beet sugar or cane sugar, which has undergone a refining process.

It is the easiest to find and most commonly used.

Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added to it.

It is commonly used in chocolate chip cookie recipes, and it’s rare for a recipe that calls for brown sugar not to also call for white sugar as well.

When a recipe calls for “brown sugar” but doesn’t specify what type (light or dark), it is referring to light brown sugar.

In my recipes, you can use whatever type of brown sugar you have on hand, whether it is dark brown sugar, light brown sugar, or demerara sugar – which is very common in Israel.

Just keep in mind that the flavor and color will be slightly different, depending on what you choose to use.

Turbinado Sugar

Turbinado sugar is better known as “raw sugar.” But, despite this name, the sugar is not really “raw.”

Instead, it’s partially refined sugar that retains some of the original molasses.

The term “raw sugar” may also give off the impression that it is somehow healthier.

In reality, turbinado sugar is nutritionally similar to white sugar.

Demerara Sugar

Demerara sugar is very popular in Israel and is especially delicious in tea, but is also used for baking.

Unlike white sugar, demerara sugar undergoes minimal processing and retains some vitamins and minerals.

However, it is still not much healthier than white sugar.

Vanilla Sugar

Vanilla sugar is not very common in the States. However, it is common in Israel and parts of Europe.

This is sugar that sat for an extended period of time with vanilla beans, giving it a vanilla flavor.

Caster Sugar

This type of sugar is common in the United Kingdom.

It has a grain finer than white (granulated) sugar and larger than powdered sugar.

Caster sugar is often called for in recipes for delicate baked goods like meringues, souffles, and sponge cakes.

You can use a 1:1 conversion rate between caster sugar and white (granulated) sugar.

Powdered sugar

Powdered sugar, sometimes known as confectioners’ sugar, is a sugar with a powdered texture.

This sugar is rarely used for baking. Instead, it is used for dusting desserts and making frosting, icing, and glazes.

In some countries, you can also find powdered vanilla sugar.

It is made the exact same way regular vanilla sugar is made. However, the sugar used is powdered instead of granulated.

Vanilla Extract vs Vanilla sugar

In my recipes, I don’t specify what kind of vanilla to use.

The reason for this is that in the States, vanilla extract is exclusively used.

Meanwhile in Israel, along with many European countries, vanilla sugar is common.

In most, if not all recipes, both vanilla extract and vanilla sugar can be used.

In recipes where vanilla sugar can be used instead of extract, you can replace them 1:1.

Replacing Sugar with Honey

If you’d prefer to use honey instead of sugar, you can do so with pretty good results.

Honey can be two or even three times as sweet depending on the honey, so for every 1 cup of sugar, you can use 1/2 to 2/3 cup honey.

Since honey adds liquid, you need to remove some to balance it out.  For every cup of honey, remove a 1/4 cup of liquid.

Also, it burns faster than granulated sugar, so you want to lower the baking temperature by 25 F.  In addition, check it early and often to avoid burning or overbaking.

How to Store Sugar

Sugar should be stored in an airtight container to prevent clumping and moisture absorption, and kept in a cool, dry place.

BROWN SUGAR

What we call brown sugar is essentially white sugar that has had molasses added back to it.

It should not be confused with raw sugar or demerara, which are their own types of sugar. 

You can easily substitute brown sugar or even make brown sugar.

Both dark and light brown sugar can easily be made at home if you have a little white sugar and molasses.

It is commonly used in chocolate chip cookie recipes, and it’s rare for a recipe that calls for brown sugar not to also call for white sugar as well.

When a recipe calls for “brown sugar” but doesn’t specify what type (light or dark), it is referring to light brown sugar.

DARK BROWN SUGAR 

Dark brown sugar can be made with 1 cup white granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons molasses. 

Add both ingredients into a bowl and mix with a fork until completely mixed.

LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

Light brown sugar can be made with 1 cup white granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses. 

Add both ingredients into a bowl and mix with a fork until completely mixed.

DEMERARA

Demerara is popular in Israel and is easier to find than light brown sugar. It is a type of cane sugar with a nice toffee flavor and can be used in place of brown sugar.

HOW TO SUBSTITUTE DARK AND LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

DARK BROWN SUGAR

Dark Brown Sugar can be made with 1 cup of light brown sugar and 1 tablespoon molasses. 

Add both ingredients into a bowl and mix with a fork until completely mixed.

LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

Light Brown sugar can easily be replaced in a recipe with half dark brown sugar and half white granulated sugar.

DOES THE TYPE OF BROWN SUGAR YOU USE REALLY MATTER?

Using the wrong brown sugar will change the flavor and likely the color.

Dark brown sugar has more molasses, which will give it a deeper, more complex flavor that’s closer to toffee or caramel.

Light brown sugar is more subtle, which is sometimes ideal.

However, I tend to use what’s on hand, which for me means dark brown sugar in Israel and light brown in the States.

I also happen to love the extra flavor dark brown sugar gives, so I like using it even if I have both on hand.

How to Store Brown Sugar

Store brown sugar in an airtight container to maintain its moisture and prevent it from hardening.

How to Store Apple Pie

Cover the cooled pie tightly with foil and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.