Why I love Slab Apple Pie
- Can be eaten with a fork or with your hands.
- Awesome wrapped and put into lunches.
- Slab pie can be cut and frozen in a container or the entire slab can be frozen. Just uncover, thaw to room temperature, and eat!
- So easy to slice and serve.
- Can be served warm with a scoop of ice cream. ❤️
Perfect Pie Dough Recipe
If you’re looking for a great pie dough recipe, check out my Pie Crust 101 Tutorial for a buttery-rich pie crust. Perfect for Slab Apple Pie.
Best Apple for baking a Pie
- Use tart apples that will hold their shape during baking.
- Peel apples before baking. The skins can be tough after baking.
- Honeycrisp apples were used for baking the slab pie in the photos.
- A mixture of apples can add a variety of flavors to a pie.
- Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, Golden Delicious varieties are great choices.
- Use apples that are local to your area.
Preparing the Apple Filling
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4- Peel and thinly sliced 8-10 tart apples. Place them into a large bowl.
- To the apples add the juice and zest from 1/2 of a lemon.
- Stir the cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar together.
- Sprinkle the sugar/cinnamon mixture over the sliced apples and gently toss to coat all of the apples.
Rolling The Pie Dough
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6- Remove the pie dough disks from the refrigerator. The pie dough is easiest to roll when nice and chilled.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a thin 13 x 18-inch rectangle.
- Gently roll the rectangle back onto the rolling pin then gently unroll over a jelly roll pan. Lightly press the dough into the corners of the pan with about an inch of overhang.
- Pour in the prepared apple sliced into the pastry-lined jelly roll pan. Dot with butter.
- Using a pastry brush or your fingers brush some milk or cream around all of the edges of the bottom pie dough. This will act as glue so the top crust will adhere to the bottom crust.
- Roll out the remaining chilled pie dough into a large rectangle just large enough to cover the top of the apples with a bit of overhang. Approx 11 x 16-inches.
Baking the Slab Apple Pie
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6- Using a sharp knife trim off excess pie dough from around the edges of the jelly roll pan.
- Using a fork, press and seal the edges of the pie dough together. This will help prevent any apple juices from leaking out of the pie.
- Using a fork, poke several holes all over the top of the crust to allow for steam to escape.
- Lightly brush the entire top crust with milk. This will help the crust turn a nice golden brown.
- Bake the slab pie in a preheated 425℉ oven for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 400℉ and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown and juices are starting to appear through the holes of the crust. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 15-20 minutes before glazing.
Glazing the Slab Pie
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2- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Drizzle over the top of the cooled apple pie.
Slab Apple Pie
A homemade buttery crust is filled with sliced apples tossed in sugar and cinnamon with a hint of lemon zest to brighten the flavor of the apples.
Ingredients
Pie Crust:
- 1 cup butter cut into pieces and frozen
- 1/3 cup lard or shortening cut into pieces and frozen
- 3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2-2/3 cup ice water
Apple filling:
- 8-10 tart apples peeled, core
- and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
- 2 tablespoons butter
Glaze:
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Pie Crust:
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Cut the butter and lard into pieces and place in the freezer.
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In the bowl of a food processor add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.
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Add the pieces of butter and shortening. Pulse several times until the mixture is the size of small peas.
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In a measuring cup add the egg yolk and lemon juice. Mix together. Add water until the liquid comes to the 2/3 cup measure. Mix water in with the egg yolk lemon juice mixture. Pour the water over the flour mixture. Pulse food processor just until the dough begins to hold together. Do not over process or you will have a tough pie crust.
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Divide the dough into two balls. Flatten each ball into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate until cold. Can be refrigerated for 1 day or frozen for 2 weeks. Makes two (9-inch) pie crusts.
Apple filling:
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Place the apples in a large bowl. Toss apples with the zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon.
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In a small bowl, mix sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Sprinkle over apples and stir to coat the apples. Set aside.
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Line a 10 x 15-inch jelly with pie dough that has been rolled out to a 13 x 18-inch rectangle. Gently pat into the bottom of the jelly roll pan.
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Pour the apples into the pastry-lined pan and gently press the apples into an even layer. Dot with butter. Carefully brush the edges of the dough with milk.
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Roll out the second half of the dough into a rectangle that is 11- x 16-inches. Carefully top apples with pastry and press edges together. Crimp with a fork to seal edges.
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Poke several holes in the top crust to create steam vents. Place in a preheated 425℉℉ oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 400℉ and continue to bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes or until cooled. Drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
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Whisk milk and vanilla into the powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle from a spoon overcooled top crust.
Recipe Notes
Why I love Slab Apple Pie
- Can be eaten with a fork or with your hands.
- Awesome wrapped and put into lunches.
- Slab pie can be cut and frozen in a container or the entire slab can be frozen. Just uncover, thaw to room temperature, and eat!
- So easy to slice and serve.
- Can be served warm with a scoop of ice cream. ❤️
Best Apple for baking a Pie
- Use tart apples that will hold their shape during baking.
- Peel apples before baking. The skins can be tough after baking.
- Honeycrisp apples were used for baking the slab pie in the photos.
- A mixture of apples can add a variety of flavors to a pie.
- Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonathon, Golden Delicious varieties are great choices.
- Use apples that are local to your area.
This is a previously published recipe. New photo’s, printable recipe card, and links have been added.
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A family favorite!
Thank you so much! It’s such a fabulous treat!
This was delicious!
We have a lot of apples and I’d like to make a few pies and save them for the holidays. Can I freeze them? If so, should they be frozen before or after baking. If before, how should I bake them?
Thank you so much, Dee. This is one of my favorite recipes. You can freeze the slab pie before or after baking. I personally like freshly baked pie so I freeze it before baking. I put the slab pie int the freezer unwrapped. Once the pie is frozen remove it from the freezer and wrap in 2 layers of aluminum foil. Return to the freezer. Be sure to make the outside of the foil with a marker so you know what is inside. Remove the slab pie from the freezer the night before baking and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then bake according to the directions. If you decide to bake the pie first, then just allow the pie to cool then wrap in double layers of foil. I hope this helps. You are brilliant to premake your pies. It really elevates holiday stress levels.
My husband Is allergic to eggs, are they necessary and if so what can I substitute for them?
Hi Melinda, I’m assuming you mean in the pie crust? The egg yolk is used primarily to add richness to the crust. You can add additional water in place of the egg yolk. Start with adding just 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together. I hope this helps.
I would liKe to maKe thIs recipe with canned appLes. Though i Would drain Off liquid i’m Concerned that tHey would be too runny aNd need a thickener. What would you suggest?
You could add 2 tsp of cornstarch/cornflour, or 1 tbl quick tapioca, or 1 tbl flour. I hope this helps. Best of luck. I’m sure the canned apples will work well.
Thank you For your prompt reply!
Need to know about the stencil for marking slices. ..brilliant!
Hi Kimberly, It is actually a ruler for quilting. They can be purchased at a fabric or quilting store. It was given to me by my grandmother. I'm sure she had hoped that I'd become a quilter. Ha ha instead I use it in the kitchen all the time.
Hi
I don’t own a food processor, what else could I use instead? My grandmother always made this for the family Since I was a little girl. She passed about 20 years ago and I haven’t had it since. I’ve been looking for a good recipe and yours looks so close to hers. The only difference I see is that she puts frosting on the complete top crust. I so hope I can use something else instead of food processor.
Thanks so much! Dawn
Just cut the flour in by hand or you can use 2 butter knives to mix in the flour. A hand pastry blender works as well. My grandmother always used her hands. Works great.
Where do you purchase the yellow stencil with the slicing markers…what a brilliant idea
Yours is one of the best blogs online. Your recipes are delicious and I look forward to each new one you post.
Thank you so much. You just made my day. I need to read this comment every morning to start my day.
Baked and iced!! Not sure how long I can hold out to eat it!! Thanks for the recipe. I'll let you know what the kids think since they are the best critics!
Oh yum! I hope your kids loved them.
Just made this recipe this weekend and it was delicious! Will definitely be making this again. Thanks so much, I've only tried this recipe and the crusty bread and they have both turned out wonderfully.
This looks so pretty and delicious!! Really looking forward to making it!:D Love from Malaysia<3
Wow these are so pretty and they look delicious. How perfect for fall. I really love the pictures you include, they make actually accomplishing these recipes so easy!
That looks like heaven on a plate! Yum! I love apple pie, and this looks like the far better, far more picnic/ lunchbox friendly version. I can't wait to try this out. Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi I posted comments before love your blog!!! I would like to know what kind of chef knives do you use???? please give me all the good quality names please. thanks….
Saundra McGhee
I'm partial to Zwilling J.A. Henckels knives. I have had mine for years. Last year at Christmas Costco had a "road show" and someone was selling knives called Gunter Wilhelm. I bought a chefs knife for around $36. It has been a great knife for the price. I'm not a fan of Cutco. I don't know why. I have bought a few, but always pull out my Henkels because they stay sharper. I hope this helps.
Another hit! I just made this and now its my family's favorite. So glad I found your site.
I'm so glad you found me as well. Thanks for your kind comment.
Hi Janet! I just realized that the Crusty Bread I have been making, almost weekly now, for over a year, is YOUR recipe!! I'm making it again tonight – and we love it! Thanks so much!! xo, Nan
Hi Nan, How are you? I'm so happy you found me and my blog. What could I possible teach you?? Thanks for your comment. It's always so great to hear from you.
I found your blog through Pinterest (Crusty Bread recipe) and will return. Thanks for sharing your recipes.
I'm so happy you found my blog. I hope you will be back.
The pie sounds delicious. Thank you for sharing this special recipe and the memories that go with it.
Thank you for commenting. I'm not sure if anyone reads my ramblings.
I shouldn't read your blog at night ….. it's 10:45 pm, and now I really really really want to eat one of these ……
I can't watch the Food network before bed because it makes me hungry and I start to raid my pantry. Thanks for reading Joni.
Also called a slab pie! They look yummy.
Slab pie. I love that title. It has been called sheet pie. Thanks for your comment.
Look delicious, I might want to try to make my own. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
You are so welcome. Thank you for commenting. It just makes my day.
A story to go with the Pie. Perfect post.
Thank you for your kind comment.
Oh my goodness!!!!!
YUM!!!!
I have a box of apples that need using!
Eat what you can fresh then cook the rest. I love crisp fall apples.
I love this post. My Italian Grandmother from Michigan (upper peninsula) made the same thing every year when i stayed with her for a couple weeks just before school would start. She had 4-5 huge apple trees in the back yard that I would have to go out every morning and pick up the apples that had fallen and place them into sacks. She would make this as well as her own apple sauce. Her recipe for this sheet pie survived but the sauce recipe is lost. Your recipe and hers are almost identical. I made it last year for the first time and now everyone is requesting it again. Great recipe. If have an apple sauce recipe, i would be ever so grateful. Maybe they are similar as well.
Adam Jon
Thank you so much for your comments and childhood memories. Grandma's are the best. I have my grandmother's recipe box. I will go through it and see if I can see a recipe for applesauce.