Keto Mini Apple Pot Pies

Have you heard? Zucchini is the new apple! When prepared the right way, zucchini is the perfect low-carb alternative to apples.

Once baked, the texture of zucchini is similar to apples but unlike apples, they don't break down too much and get mushy. And when you add cinnamon and nutmeg, plus lemon juice for acidity, it will taste like baked apples!

For the pastry topping we are using our super simple 2-ingredient dough made with shredded mozzarella cheese and almond flour, plus an egg wash. The combination of spiced baked zucchini with flakey pastry topping makes these "apple" pot pies almost unrecognizeable from the traditional ones.

You can serve these on their own or with some whipped cream. If you want a really indulgent treat for this fall, a scoop of our Keto Vanilla Ice Cream will take this keto dessert to the next level!

Recipe Tips

For a nut-free option, replace the ¹/₃ cup almond flour with 2 heaped tablespoons (24 g/ 0.9 oz) of coconut flour + 1 oz (28 g) cream cheese, or 4 tablespoons (1 oz/ 28 g) flax meal + 1 oz (28 g) cream cheese. If using coconut flour, brush the top of the pockets with a small amount of melted ghee or coconut oil before baking.

More Keto Apple Recipes

Love apples? Check out these recipes!

• Apple Pie Keto Hot Pockets (uses zucchini)
• Low-Carb Apple & Blueberry Skillet Cake (uses real apples)
• Low-Carb Apple Butter (uses zucchini)
• Keto Apple Cinnamon Snickerdoodles (uses zucchini)
• Keto Apple Streusel Cheesecake Jars (uses zucchini)
• Low-Carb Blackberry & Apple Crumble and Low-Carb Blackcurrant & Apple Crumble (both use zucchini)
• Low-Carb Zucchini Apple Pie (uses zucchini)
• Low-Carb Cinnamon Apple Butter Pie (uses zucchini)

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Step-by-step

1. Start by making the apple flavored zucchini filling. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). Peel and halve the zucchini lengthwise and use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop the soft core out.
   Note: To get 450 g (1 lb) zucchini to be used as the base, you'll need 3 to 4 medium zucchini.

   

2. Slice the zucchini into ¹/₂ inch (1 cm) pieces and chop the core.

   

3. Place in a baking dish (I use a round 24 cm/ 9 ¹/₂ inch baking dish) together with the chopped core. Add slices of butter and sweetener. Dust with cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle with lemon juice.

4. Place in the oven, loosely covered with a piece of baking foil and bake for about 20 minutes, and then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender.

   

5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle in the chia seeds. Stir to combine and let them soak up the liquids. Once soaked up, divide the mixture evenly between 4 ramekins (at least ³/₄ cup capacity or up to 1-cup ramekins).

   

6. Meanwhile, prepare the dough for the pastry topping. Melt the shredded mozzarella (in a microwave oven or on the stove over a low heat), and then mix in the almond flour (nut-free options in recipe tips).
   Note: Make sure to use part-skim, shredded mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella. If the cheese is too moist, the dough will be too sticky to roll out.

   

7. Roll the dough out until it is about ¹/₂ cm (¹/₄ inch) thick. Cut circles slightly bigger than the top of your pie and brush the edges of the ramekin with beaten egg before placing the dough circle over the top.

   

8. Cut small steam holes in the top and then use dough off-cuts to make decorations if you like.

9. To make the egg wash, combine the egg yolk and a teaspoon of water. Brush the tops with egg wash (it's ok to have leftovers) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is golden and crispy.

   

10. Remove from the oven and let the pies cool down for 20 minutes, or until cool enough to eat.

    

11. Optionally, dust with some powdered sweetener combined with cinnamon.

    

12. Enjoy warm or cold, on its own or with some whipped cream or Keto Vanilla Ice Cream. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

    

Recipe

Keto Mini Apple Pot Pies

★★★★★4.9 (54 ratings)

These are not your usual apple pies, they are way healthier. There is no sugar, no flour and even no apples ...

Hands on

20m

Overall

1h

Servings

4

6.2 g

Net carbs

9.8 g

Protein

22.8 g

Fat

274

kcal

1 serving2 servings3 servings4 servings5 servings6 servings7 servings8 servings9 servings10 servings11 servings12 servings16 servings

US + metricMetricUS

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Ingredients makes 4 mini pies

• Apple pie filling:
• 3 medium zucchini (450 g/ 1 lb)
• 1 ¹/₂ tsp cinnamon
• ¹/₈ tsp nutmeg
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)
• ¹/₃ cup granulated Erythritol, Swerve or Allulose (67 g/ 2.4 oz)
• ¹/₂ stick butter (57 g/ 2 oz)
• 2 tbsp chia seeds (16 g/ 0.6 oz)
• Dough:
• ³/₄ cup low moisture shredded mozzarella cheese (85 g/ 3 oz)
• ¹/₃ cup almond flour (33 g/ 1.2 oz)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp water
• Optional: 1 tsp powdered sweetener + ¹/₄ tsp cinnamon for dusting

Instructions

1. Start by making the apple flavored zucchini filling. Preheat the oven to 175 °C/ 350 °F (fan assisted), or 195 °C/ 380 °F (conventional). Peel and halve the zucchini lengthwise and use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop the soft core out.
   Note: To get 450 g (1 lb) zucchini to be used as the base, you'll need 3 to 4 medium zucchini.

2. Slice the zucchini into ¹/₂ inch (1 cm) pieces and chop the core.

3. Place in a baking dish (I use a round 24 cm/ 9 ¹/₂ inch baking dish) together with the chopped core. Add slices of butter and sweetener. Dust with cinnamon and nutmeg. Drizzle with lemon juice.

4. Place in the oven, loosely covered with a piece of baking foil and bake for about 20 minutes, and then remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender.

5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle in the chia seeds. Stir to combine and let them soak up the liquids. Once soaked up, divide the mixture evenly between 4 ramekins (at least ³/₄ cup capacity or up to 1-cup ramekins).

6. Meanwhile, prepare the dough for the pastry topping. Melt the shredded mozzarella (in a microwave oven or on the stove over a low heat), and then mix in the almond flour (nut-free options in recipe tips).
   Note: Make sure to use part-skim, shredded mozzarella, not fresh mozzarella. If the cheese is too moist, the dough will be too sticky to roll out.

7. Roll the dough out until it is about ¹/₂ cm (¹/₄ inch) thick. Cut circles slightly bigger than the top of your pie and brush the edges of the ramekin with beaten egg before placing the dough circle over the top.

8. Cut small steam holes in the top and then use dough off-cuts to make decorations if you like.

9. To make the egg wash, combine the egg yolk and a teaspoon of water. Brush the tops with egg wash (it's ok to have leftovers) and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is golden and crispy.

10. Remove from the oven and let the pies cool down for 20 minutes, or until cool enough to eat.

11. Optionally, dust with some powdered sweetener combined with cinnamon.

12. Enjoy warm or cold, on its own or with some whipped cream or Keto Vanilla Ice Cream. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition per serving, 1 pie

Carbs 9%Protein 15%Fat 76% of calories

Net carbs

6.2 g

Total carbs

25.9 g

Fiber

3.9 g

Sugars

4.6 g

Protein

9.8 g

Fat

22.8 g

Saturated fat

10.5 g

Calories

274 kcal

Sodium

156 mg · 6.79% RDA

Magnesium

50 mg · 12.5% RDA

Potassium

413 mg · 20.7% EMR

Nutrition by ingredient

Per 1 pie	Net carbs	Protein	Fat	kcal
Zucchini (summer squash, courgette)	2.4 g	1.4 g	0.4 g	19
Cinnamon, spices	0.3 g	0 g	0 g	2
Nutmeg, spices	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Lemon juice, fresh	0.4 g	0 g	0 g	1
Erythritol (natural low-carb sweetener)	0.8 g	0 g	0 g	3
Butter, unsalted, grass-fed	0 g	0.1 g	11.5 g	101
Chia seeds	0.2 g	0.8 g	1.3 g	20
Mozzarella cheese (low moisture, for pizza)	1.2 g	5 g	4.2 g	63
Almond flour (blanched ground almonds, almond meal)	0.7 g	1.8 g	4.4 g	49
Egg yolk, fresh	0.2 g	0.7 g	1.1 g	14
Water, still	0 g	0 g	0 g	0
Total	6.2 g	9.8 g	22.8 g	274

Serving size 1 pie

• Gluten free
• Nut free
• Nightshade free
• Pork free
• Avocado free
• Coconut free
• Fish free
• Shellfish free
• Beef free
• Pescatarian
• Vegetarian