Capsaicin Free Paleo Cassava Flour Apple Hand Pies
Flaky, golden, and filled with warmly spiced cinnamon-ginger apples, these little hand pies are the kind of treat that feels indulgent but is built entirely from wholesome, real-food ingredients. Cassava flour is the secret weapon here — it behaves more like traditional wheat flour than most grain-free alternatives, giving the crust a tender, rollable texture that actually holds together when you fold and crimp it. Coconut oil replaces butter to keep things fully dairy-free and paleo-compliant, and the maple syrup and arrowroot starch in the filling mean you get a glossy, jammy apple center without any refined sugar or cornstarch. For anyone navigating a capsaicin-free lifestyle, this recipe is a genuinely easy win — every single ingredient is naturally free of hot peppers or spice-derived additives, so there's nothing to second-guess or swap out. The filling gets cooked down in a skillet first, which concentrates the apple flavor and ensures you never end up with a soggy, underdone center. An egg wash brushed over the top before baking gives each pie that gorgeous amber color straight out of the oven. They're portable, shareable, and just as good slightly warm as they are fresh from the pan.
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Learn more →Ingredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 2 cups cassava flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ cup coconut oil, solid (not melted)
- 6–8 tbsp ice water
- 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
For the filling
- 3 medium apples (about 1 lb), peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch dice
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Make the filling: melt 1 tbsp coconut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender and the liquid has reduced slightly, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the arrowroot starch and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute more, until the juices thicken and coat the apples. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely, about 20–30 minutes.
- 2
Make the crust: whisk together the cassava flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the solid coconut oil in small spoonfuls and work it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
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