Rice Paper Apple Pie
on Oct 02, 2025
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The only thing crisper than a perfect fall apple 🍂🍎 are these shatteringly crisp rice paper apple hand pies. Apple pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts, so I knew I needed to give it the crispy rice paper wrapper treatment, which has worked flawlessly for spanakopita, burek, pop tarts, and baklava. I’m not saying this rice paper apple pie is better than traditional apple pie 🥧, but it has a lot going for it. It’s gluten-free, lower in calorie, bakes quickly, and made with more affordable ingredients.
Why You’ll Love Rice Paper Apple Pie
The days are getting shorter and cooler, which means it’s apple pie season 🍎🥧! As much as I love a traditional apple pie made with a flaky crust, I love this version even more. It’s a lower calorie dessert that comes together quick and easy. I use gluten-free rice paper wrappers instead of pie dough and pop my personal-size hand pie in the air fryer to cook up in less than 10 minutes ⏲️. A handful of crushed walnuts add delicious crunch and ground cinnamon makes the whole kitchen smell like fall 🍁.
Key Takeaways
- Rice paper apple hand pies offer a gluten-free twist on traditional apple pie, featuring a crispy wrapper and lower-calorie ingredients.
- Key ingredients in this apple pie recipe include Honeycrisp apples, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and walnuts, all wrapped in pliable rice paper.
- A quick 5-second dip in water is all you need to soften the rice paper without over-soaking it.
- You can easily substitute with other fruits, use different wrappers, or modify for dairy-free options.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
💦 Water: A bit of water helps the apples cook down into a perfect pie filling.
🍎 Apples: Any kind of apple will work here, but I love Honeycrisp. Tart and firm apples, like Granny Smith and Pink Lady, are great choices. Leave the skin on for added texture and fiber.
🟤 Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon is a favorite spice to use in cooler months. It brings warmth and sweetness to everything it touches.
🥥 Coconut Sugar: I love coconut sugar for its lower glycemic index. It’s exactly what it sounds like: sugar made from coconuts.
🌰 Walnuts: Earthy, buttery walnuts add crunch and richness to the apple mixture.
🍚 Rice Paper: The star of the dish—these thin rice rounds are cheaper and arguably easier to handle than butter-based pie dough. Plus they’re gluten-free. (Yes, they’re the same ingredient commonly used for preparing egg rolls and fresh spring rolls.)
🧈 Butter: A thin coating of melted butter (or a whisked egg if you’re dairy-free) helps create a crispy golden crust. Use a pastry brush to add melted butter or egg wash to your hand pies.
Nonna’s Tip 🍚📄
Soften your rice paper just enough to make it pliable—a quick 5-second dip in room temperature water is perfect. Don’t over-soak it, or it can become too soft and sticky, making it difficult to work with.
Variations and Substitutions for Rice Paper Apple Pie
- To make this recipe dairy-free, simply use your favorite dairy-free butter or use a whisked egg or olive oil instead 🥚.
- Swap in other firm fruit in place of the apples, such as pears or apricots 🍐.
- No rice paper? No problem! Feel free to make these with any type of wrapper, such as phyllo dough, lumpia wrappers, or empanada dough. However, keep in mind some variations won’t be gluten-free and nutrition will vary.
- Dust with cinnamon and sugar for a sweet finish.
- Instead of walnuts, you can also try peanuts, cashews, or any nut you like 🥜.
- If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can swap in brown sugar or date sugar.
Best Served With
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream is practically required for apple pie 🍦!
- After these come out of the oven, consider a drizzle of warm honey, melted chocolate, or caramel sauce.
- Enjoy with my Iced Coffee with Vanilla or Affogato ☕️.
- Keep it simple, with a cup of tea or coffee.
Similar Recipes
Common Questions
Of course! On a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, bake the hand pies at 400°F (200°C) for about 12–15 minutes, flipping halfway if needed, until crispy and golden.
These super thin wrappers are generally made from tapioca and rice flour, making them gluten-free. Once wet, the wrappers take on a soft, pliable, sticky texture. When working with them, avoid over-soaking—they’ll tear and will be difficult to handle. Work fast so the wrappers don’t get too sticky. Avoid over-stuffing the wrappers which will cause them to break.
Yes! Traditional rice paper is made from just rice and water, which makes it gluten-free. Always double-check the ingredient list on the package.
Handle the softened rice paper as if it’s a delicate piece of paper. If it does rip (it happens to the best of us), just layer on another softened sheet to patch it up.
While I didn’t try prepping this ahead of time (too busy enjoying it immediately), I think it would work well to prepare the pie the night before baking. Let me know if you have success with it!
You can find rice paper wrappers at most Asian grocery markets and in the global aisle of major grocery stores. You can also buy them online.
Rice Paper Apple Pie
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup water (for cooking the apples) , plus more for softening the rice paper
- 1 large apple (about 2 cups diced), I used Honey-crisp, diced with skin on
- ground cinnamon, to taste
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar, plus more for topping
- ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts, optional
- 3 sheets rice paper
- melted butter, to brush on top
Instructions
- Add the 1/3 cup water, apples, and cinnamon to a pot over high heat. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the apples are soft and the water has fully evaporated.
- Stir in the coconut sugar and walnuts.
- Working with one sheet of rice paper at a time, dip it in room temperature water until just softened. Place a wet rice paper wrapper onto a clean work surface. Continue softening the remaining 2 sheets in water and then transfer them to the work surface, overlapping each sheet slightly. Add the apple filling, spreading it evenly.
- Roll the wrappers like one long, skinny burrito: Take the edge of the rice paper that's closest to you and gently roll it over the apple mixture. Fold over the sides and continue to roll until it looks like a rope.
- Now, take one end of the rope and roll it onto itself into a coil.
- Brush with some melted butter and sprinkle on a touch more coconut sugar on top.
- Tip: depending on the air-fryer you may need to cook the "pie" for 4-5 min on each side so both sides get crispy.
- Cook in a 400F air fryer for 8 minutes, or until crispy. Let cool for a minute or two and enjoy right away. Feel free to dust with powdered sugar but keep in mind the crust will soften the longer it sits.
Notes
- Shaping: Instead of the coil method, you can make individual apple pies by folding each rice paper round one like a packet (just like my pop tart recipe).
- Soaking: Don’t over-soak the rice paper—5 seconds in room temp water is plenty. Too long and it gets sticky and floppy.
- Layers: If your rice paper tears or feels too thin, just add another soaked sheet to reinforce.
- Surface: Use a damp, clean kitchen towel or cutting board so the rice paper doesn’t stick while rolling.
- Season to taste: You can adjust the coconut sugar and cinnamon to your taste preferences, adding more or less.
- More crispy rice paper recipes: If you love this recipe, you should also check out my recipes for Rice Paper Spanakopita, Burek, and Baklava!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So yummy! 😋 My kiddos loved it! And I can let them eat as much as they want without the guilt! 😂
This recipe is a simple, tasty twist on the classic! My family loved it so much!