Apple Slab Pie

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The quintessential Fall/Thanksgiving dessert, now made even EASIER! If you love apple pie, but don’t love all the effort, this super simple Apple Slab Pie is the dessert for you. A tender and flakey pie crust, filled with a juicy and perfectly spiced homemade apple pie filling, and topped with an easy to make lattice top. Bonus? This pie feeds TWICE as many people as a traditional pie, takes less time to bake, and is equally as tasty. Serve while still slightly warm with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream for a dessert that the whole family is sure to love!

Since owning a baking/dessert blog, one of the most common questions we’re asked is…what’s your favorite dessert?!

And, in all honesty, there is nothing better than a warm slice of homemade apple pie during the holiday season. They have been a staple bake in our home for 40+ years! And, while my mom and I have shared so many variations of the classic dessert (Apple Pie Doughnuts, Apple Cranberry Crumble Pie, Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls, and Apple Pie Coffee Cake to name a few…), this Apple Slab Pie might just be our favorite!

What is a Slab Pie Anyways?

A slab pie is just like a traditional pie, but made in a jelly roll pan (or, a 15”x10” pan).

While a slab pie is thinner/more shallow than a classic pie, it IS actually much easier to make and easily feeds a crowd.

Reasons We Love This Apple Slab Pie (& Why You Will Too!)

• Cuts into 24 evenly sized bars! Which means, not only does it feed a crowd, but is is also so much easier to cut and serve!
• Takes less time to cool (and cook!) as it’s more shallow than a traditional pie.
• No need to par bake the crust. It comes out perfectly every time!
• Easier to freeze and store.
• No difficult latticing or decorative top crusts to worry about.

Tools and Equipment You May Need

• 6 Quart Pot
• Wooden Spoon
• Food Processor
• Silicone Mat
• Rolling Pin
• Jelly Roll Pan
• 5-Wheel Pastry Cutter (or Pizza Cutter)

Ingredients To Make The BEST Apple Slab Pie

Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For The Filling:

• Granny Smith Apples – For the best flavor, we like to keep it classic! Granny smith apples give this filling a bright apple flavor, but also keep it from being too sweet.
• Powdered Sugar – dissolves easily and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
• Cornstarch – thickens the filling to keep it from being too juicy and making your pie soggy!
• Fresh Apple Cider – Our secret to an utterly delicious apple pie filling.
• Salted Butter – gives a rich, buttery undertone to this filling.
• Vanilla Extract – balances out the flavor in this pie filling.
• Apple Pie Spice – is the perfect blend of spices for a classic apple pie flavor!
• Salt – enhances the flavor.

For The Crust:

• All-Purpose Flour – gives this crust the perfect structure.
• Granulated Sugar – promotes browning, adds a bit of sweetness, and helps to make this crust tender.
• Salted Butter – is the essential component for this pie crust. It gives it the perfect flaky texture.
• Water – needs to be ice cold for this crust. It helps keep the butter from melting and slows down the formation of gluten.

How To Make Apple Slab Pie (Step-by-Step!)

Step 1: Prepare filling

Combine all ingredients in a medium (6 quart) stock pot. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until syrup has formed and thickened slightly and apples are slightly tender, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2: Make pie dough

Combine flour and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the dough blade. Pulse to combine.

Add butter, a little at a time, pulsing after each addition. Continue to pulse until butter is broken down into small pieces.

Add water. Pulse until it forms a dough.

Step 3: Divide and refrigerate

Divide dough into 2 portions – one 24 ounces and one 12 ounces. Form each piece of dough into a rectangle. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Roll and fit into pan

Remove 24 ounce piece from refrigerator and roll dough out on a non-stick surface that has been dusted with flour. It should be rolled to ⅛ inch thick.

Transfer dough to a 10 inch x 15 inch jelly roll pan. Gently fit into pan, making sure there are no air bubbles. Trim excess. Set aside.

Step 5: Cut lattice and fill

On a non-stick surface, roll 12 ounce piece of dough to ⅛ inch thick. Cut into strips to make lattice.

Pour apple pie filling into bottom crust.

Step 6: Lattice and refrigerate

Lay 6 strips of dough at an angle across the top of the filling. Fold back every other piece (this should result in 3 folded back pieces). Place one strip of dough at an angle going the opposite direction. Fold the three backward pieces over the strip of dough. Repeat this process by folding back the opposite three strips of dough as you did during the first lattice. Place another piece of dough at an angle, as seem below. Repeat until all of the strips of dough are used.

Pinch to seal onto bottom crust. Refrigerate for 20-25 minutes.

Step 7: Make egg wash ad bake

Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and cream until smooth. Set aside.

Brush with egg wash and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

FAQ’s and Troubleshooting

3 Tips For The Perfect Pie Crust

1. Remember, the fridge is a pie dough’s best friend! You really need to keep it cold to ensure the best results.
2. Preheat the oven! I know this sounds simple, but when you put the cold dough into the hot oven, it creates steam. Therefore, flakier crust!
3. Keep the butter chunks bigger and, when you’re rolling, if you see any chunks of butter on the edge, cut it off and place it back in the middle. Butter is your dough’s best friend!

Decorating Ideas

With this apple pie, there are so many different things you can do to decorate it/make the top of the pie more festive!

• You can cut some of the pie dough into thinner strips and braid them together.
• Use themed cookie/pie cutters to cut out shapes to decorate this pie, i.e. fall leaves, apples, or even snowflakes!
• You can color the pie dough for the top, if desired. Though, just be careful as this may over-work the dough!

How To Store

You can keep this pie covered, in the refrigerator, for 3-5 days. You can also slice this pie and freeze the individual slices in a freezer safe container or zip-top bag and keep in the freezer for 1-2 months.

Substitutions

• A blend of apples or your favorite baking apple may be used for the filling.
• A store-bought pie crust may be used, but we cannot guarantee baking times.
• This recipe can be made vegan, if desired. Use your favorite plant based butter in the filling and crust, and brush with a dairy-free cream.

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Expert Tips

• If your food processor isn’t big enough, you can also use a stand mixer fitted with either a pastry attachment or a paddle attachment to make the crust.
• You may need slightly more or less water depending on the amount of humidity in the air. Always start with the smallest amount.
• The fridge is your best friend! With the high butter content, the dough can become soft quickly…especially on hot days!
• Be careful to not overwork the dough.
• Sealing the lattice is important! Use your fingers to press it down. You may also need to cut off excess dough. Trim as needed.
• Be sure to lightly brush the crust with heavy cream or an egg wash! It helps the crust brown evenly.

When you make this Apple Slab Pie, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

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