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Slab Apple Pie or Apple Pie Squares

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Apple Pie is an American classic and Slab apple pie has all the great flavors with more crust!  Who doesn’t love more crust?  Slab apple pie or apple pie squares are great for serving a crowd, taking on picnics or packing into a school lunch.
My dad used to always say that his two favorite pies are hot and cold apple.  During my childhood my grandparents lived in a quaint farmhouse on an apple orchard in Lindon, Utah.  
My grandpa would take the grandkids on tractor rides up and down the rows of this apple orchard.  Autumn was my favorite time to visit because the apples trees were loaded with red and green apples.  Autumn has a feel and a smell.  Grandma’s farm had a smell so distinct when the apples were ready for picking.  She had one particular apple tree that grew close to the house.  It was surrounded by her roses and Hollyhocks.  In the spring Columbine would grow close by.  Such great memories.  The best memory was the smell of apples baking in her kitchen.
You will need to make my pie crust 101 tutorial for a great flakey recipe.  Once you click on the link you will see the step-by-step recipe for making a flaky pie crust.  This can be made a day in advance or frozen for up to one week.  You will need and entire recipe, which makes enough dough for 2 one crust pies or one double crust pie.
Make sure the pie dough is nice and cold before making this recipe.  Chill for at least 2 hours.
For the pie filling you will need:
8-10 tart apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons butter
You will also need a jelly roll pan that is 10 x 15-inches.
The apples need to be peeled, cored and finely chopped.
This is how I complete the process.  You can do it any way you like.
Quarter the apple halves.
Remove the core.
Slice the apples very thin.
Repeat until you have 8-10 cups of sliced apples.
Place all of the apple slices in a very large bowl.
Add the zest from half of the lemon.
Add the juice from half of the lemon.
Toss the apples, zest and lemon juice.  The lemon will brighten the flavors of the apples and help prevent the apples from browning.
Add the cinnamon to the sugar.
Stir together.
Sprinkle over the apples.
Stir to coat all of the apple slices with the sugar mixture.  Set aside while the crust is prepared.
Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator.
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.  For the bottom crust you will need to roll out a large rectangle.
The size needs to be 13 x 18-inches
I like to roll the pastry dough onto my rolling pin.
Then unroll the dough onto the pan.  This is simple way of transferring the dough so it doesn’t rip or tear.
Gently press the dough into the sides and corners of the jelly roll pan.
Let the extra dough hang from the sides.  It will be trimmed after the pie is filled.
The second sheet of dough needs to be rolled out to be about 11 x 16-inches.
Let this sit for just a minute while the apples are put into the pastry lined pan.
Take the apples that were set aside and gently pour into the bottom crust.
Spread the apples evenly and lightly press them into place.
Dot the apples with the 2 tablespoons of butter.
Brush the edges of the pastry with milk.  This will act as a glue to help the top crust stick.
Roll the rolled dough onto a rolling pin.
Carefully unroll over the top of the apples.
Press on the edges to seal the top and bottom together and trim any dough that is hanging over.
Take a fork and crimp the edges all around the pan.
Poke holes in the top of the crust to allow for steam to escape.
Lightly brush the entire top with milk.
Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes then turn oven down to 400 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.  Cool for 15 minutes.
For the glaze you will need:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Add the milk to the confectioners sugar and whisk.
The glaze should drizzle of the whisk.
Drizzle the glaze over the top of the pie squares.
Try to wait for the pie to cool completely.  That’s pretty much impossible because everyone knows that hot apple pie is to DIE for.  Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you have one fabulous dessert.
Slab Apple Pie squares stack between waxed paper
4.29 from 7 votes
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Slab Apple Pie or Apple Pie Squares

Apple pie baked in a rectangular baking sheet creates more crust to filling ratio.  Cinnamon spiced apple filling drizzled with a vanilla glaze.

Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American
Keyword slab apple pie
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
cooling time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 15 servings
Calories 369 kcal

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
  • 1 teaspoons cinnamon
  • zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons butter

Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk

Instructions

Pie Crust:

  1. Cut the butter and lard into pieces and place in the freezer.

  2. In the bowl of a food processor add flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Pulse a few times to combine.

  3. Add the pieces of butter and shortening. Pulse several times until the mixture is the size of small peas. 

  4. 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.

  5.  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 or 1 double.

Apple filling:

  1. Place the apples in a large bowl.  Toss apples with the zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon.  

  2. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over apples and stir to coat the apples. Set aside.

  3. 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.

  4. Pour the apples into the pastry lined pan and gently press the apples into an even layer. With a pastry brush carefully brush the edges of the dough.

  5.  Roll out second half of dough into a rectangle that is 11- x 16-inches. Carefully cover apples with pastry and press edges together.  Crimp with a fork to seal edges.

  6. Poke several holes in the top crust to create steam vents.  Place in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 400 degrees 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. Then drizzle with glaze.

To make the glaze:

  1. Whisk milk into confectioner's sugar until smooth. Drizzle from a spoon over partially cooled top crust.

Nutrition Facts
Slab Apple Pie or Apple Pie Squares
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 369 Calories from Fat 171
% Daily Value*
Fat 19g29%
Saturated Fat 10g50%
Cholesterol 49mg16%
Sodium 280mg12%
Potassium 150mg4%
Carbohydrates 48g16%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 25g28%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 495IU10%
Vitamin C 4.9mg6%
Calcium 24mg2%
Iron 1.3mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 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?

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  3. 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?

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

    • 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

      Reply

  7. 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!

    Reply

  8. 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.

    Reply

  11. 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.

    Reply

  12. 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

    Reply

    • 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.

      Reply

  14. 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

    Reply

  22. 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

    Reply

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