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Apple Pie with Pre-Cooked Apple Filling Recipe

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4 from 3 reviews

This classic Apple Pie with Pre-Cooked Apple Filling offers a perfect balance of tender, buttery crust and spiced, slightly softened apple filling. The filling is gently cooked on the stovetop before baking, ensuring a luscious texture and deep flavor inside a beautifully golden, flaky pie crust. Ideal for gatherings and dessert lovers who enjoy a traditional homemade pie with a rich, comforting taste.

Ingredients

Pie Crust

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 cup very cold or frozen unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (2 sticks)
  • ⅓ cup cold buttermilk

Apple Filling

  • 4 pounds large apples (about 9 large apples, preferably Honeycrisp and Granny Smith)
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, divided
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more if desired
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg, plus more if desired
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice, plus more if desired
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

For Finishing

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream or whole milk
  • Coarse sugar or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Make the pie crust: Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times. Add the very cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse peas. Add cold buttermilk and run the processor until a dough forms. Transfer onto a non-floured surface, press into a dough, divide into two balls, and flatten into disks. Wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
  2. Prepare the apple filling: Peel and core apples, then slice into ¼ inch slices of uniform size. In a large deep skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add apples along with brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until apples soften but retain shape.
  3. Thicken the filling: Dissolve cornstarch in 2-3 tablespoons room temperature water and stir it gradually into the apple mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes until thickened. Adjust thickness with more cornstarch slurry if needed. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  4. Preheat oven and prepare for assembly: Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut remaining 1 tablespoon butter into small cubes and set aside. Roll chilled dough disks into 12-inch circles on a floured surface.
  5. Assemble the pie: Place one dough circle in a 9-inch pie pan. Fill with cooled apple filling, dot with butter cubes. Cover with second dough circle, trim excess dough, and seal the edges using a fork or fingers. Cut slits on top for steam release or create a lattice pattern for decorative finish.
  6. Apply egg wash and bake: Whisk the egg with heavy cream or milk to make egg wash. Brush over the dough surface and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Place pie on a large baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes.
  7. Continue baking: Remove pie, shield edges with foil or a pie crust shield, reduce oven to 375°F, and bake 30-35 minutes more until crust is golden and filling bubbly.
  8. Cool before serving: Cool pie on a wire rack for 3 hours before slicing to allow filling to set and prevent the pie from falling apart. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples for a balance of sweetness and tartness.
  • Chilling the dough allows butter to harden, ensuring a flaky crust.
  • Adjust spices according to taste preferences.
  • Pre-cooking the apple filling helps prevent a soggy crust and ensures even-cooked filling.
  • Letting the pie cool thoroughly before cutting is essential to maintain structure.
  • Lattice crust instructions are referred to but not included here; this is an option for decorative topping.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/apple-pie-with-pre-cooked-apple-filling-recipe/