Apple Slab Pie
This Apple Slab Pie stacks a buttery, flaky pie crust with cinnamon-spiced apples and a sweet vanilla glaze, all baked in one big pan so you can feed a crowd without the fuss.
Why You Need This Apple Slab Pie In Your Life
If you love the cozy, cinnamon-spiced flavor of classic apple pie but hate fussing over a single round pan, this Apple Slab Pie is about to become your new favorite fall pie recipe easy enough for a weeknight and impressive enough for a holiday table. It is essentially apple pie with pie crust stretched into a big sheet pan, which means more crust, more filling, and more servings from one bake. Think of it as apple crisp with pie crust energy, but dressed up with a full top and bottom crust and a sweet vanilla drizzle.
What makes this one of those homemade apple desserts you will keep coming back to is how forgiving it is. You get all the comfort of a one crust apple pie but doubled, baked flat, and sliced into neat squares that are perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or a crowd at Thanksgiving.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients really do make a difference with a recipe with pie filling like this one. A good rolling pin, a sturdy rimmed sheet pan, and quality pie crust (homemade or a trusted store-bought brand) will set you up for a crust that bakes evenly and holds all that juicy apple filling without leaking everywhere.
The Apples Make All The Difference
For the best apple and pie crust combination, reach for a mix of tart and sweet apples. Granny Smith brings the tang and holds its shape well under heat, while Honeycrisp or Braeburn add natural sweetness and a tender bite once baked. Slicing them thin and even is key so every square gets a consistent, custardy layer of fruit rather than big air gaps under the top crust.
Chef's Tip: Toss your sliced apples with the sugar, spices, and flour at least 10 minutes before assembling. This lets the apples release some juice, which the flour thickens as it bakes, so you avoid a soggy bottom crust.
Building The Perfect Crust
Using two rounds of refrigerated pie crust rolled into rectangles is the easiest path to a beautiful slab pie, no need to fuss with a fully homemade double crust unless you want to. The dough needs to be cold when you roll it, since a chilled crust holds its shape in the oven and bakes up flaky instead of dense. If your kitchen runs warm, pop the rolled crust in the fridge for 10 minutes before adding the filling.
Once the bottom crust is pressed into the pan and the apples are spread out, laying the top crust over everything and crimping the edges seals in all that cinnamon-scented steam. A few slits across the top let it vent without blowing out the sides.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Apple Slab Pie
This Apple Slab Pie stacks a buttery, flaky pie crust with cinnamon-spiced apples and a sweet vanilla glaze, all baked in one big pan so you can feed a crowd without the fuss.
Ingredients
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts, or homemade double pie crust, chilled
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour, for rolling and thickening
- 8 cups apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for the glaze
- 2 tbsp milk, or cream, for the glaze
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for the glaze
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a 15x10-inch baking sheet (a rimmed jelly roll pan) with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one pie crust into a rectangle large enough to cover the bottom and sides of the pan. Press it into the pan, letting any excess hang over the edges.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt, and the 2 tablespoons of flour until evenly coated.
Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust in the pan.
Roll out the second pie crust into a matching rectangle and lay it over the apples. Trim and crimp the edges together, then cut a few slits in the top for steam to escape.
Brush the top crust generously with the beaten egg wash.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the slits. Tent with foil if the crust browns too quickly.
Let the slab pie cool in the pan for at least 1 hour to allow the filling to set.
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled pie.
Slice into squares and serve.
Equipment
- 15x10-inch rimmed baking sheet
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowl
- Pastry brush
- Parchment paper
Notes
Serving And Storing Your Slab Pie
Let the pie cool for a solid hour before slicing. I know it is tempting to dig in right away, but that resting time lets the filling set so your squares hold together instead of sliding apart. Once it has cooled, drizzle on the simple vanilla glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, it soaks slightly into the warm top crust and adds just the right amount of sweetness.
This pie keeps beautifully. Store leftover squares covered at room temperature for up to two days, or in the fridge for up to five. A quick warm-up in the oven brings the crust back to life if it has softened.
A Few Easy Variations
- Swap in pears for half the apples for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Add a handful of dried cranberries or chopped pecans to the filling for texture.
- Use a lattice top instead of a solid crust for a more decorative finish.
- Skip the glaze and dust with cinnamon sugar before baking for a simpler finish.
However you slice it, this Apple Slab Pie delivers everything you love about classic apple pie recipes with pie crust, just in a shareable, easy to serve form that is perfect for any fall gathering.
