🥧 Why Apple Slab Pie Is a Game-Changer
Feeds a crowd
One pan serves 12+ people
Easy to serve
Cut into neat squares — no forks stuck in the dish
Easier than a pie
No crimping, no lattice, no stress
Bakes evenly
Shallow pan = even cooking
Looks impressive
Golden, rustic, and totally shareable
Perfect for:
Thanksgiving side tables
Backyard BBQs
Church potlucks
Fall festivals
Or just because you love apple pie a lot
🍏 Ingredients (Serves 12–16)
For the Crust:
All-purpose flour
3¾ cups (470g)
Granulated sugar
1½ tbsp
Salt
1½ tsp
Unsalted butter, cold and cubed
3 sticks (340g total)
Ice-cold water
¾ cup (plus more if needed)
✅ Pro Tip: Keep everything cold — even chill your bowl and rolling pin.
For the Apple Filling:
Apples (peeled, cored, ½” chunks)
3½–4 lbs (10 cups) — use a mix like Granny Smith + Honeycrisp
Fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (prevents browning)
Sugar
⅔–¾ cup (adjust to taste)
Cornstarch
3 tbsp (thickens the filling)
Ground cinnamon
1 tsp
Nutmeg
¼ tsp
Allspice
¼ tsp
Salt
⅛ tsp
For the Finish:
Heavy cream or egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp water)
2 tbsp
Optional: Coarse sugar
For sparkling crust
🥣 Step-by-Step: How to Make Apple Slab Pie
Step 1: Make the Dough
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt
Add cold butter cubes and work with a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces
Drizzle in ½ cup ice water, mixing with a spatula
Add more water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough just comes together
Divide into two uneven portions (one slightly larger for the bottom crust)
Shape each into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days)
✅ Why chill? Cold butter = flaky crust.
Step 2: Prepare the Filling
Toss chopped apples with lemon juice
In a separate bowl, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt
Sprinkle over apples and toss to coat
Let sit 15 minutes — juices will release
Step 3: Roll & Assemble
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
Line a 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper
On a floured surface, roll the larger dough piece into an 18x13-inch rectangle
Transfer to the pan, pressing gently into corners and up the sides
Chill while rolling the top crust into a 16x11-inch rectangle
Step 4: Fill & Top
Pour apple mixture (with juices) into the crust
Place the top crust over the apples
Trim edges to ¾-inch overhang, then fold the top over the bottom and crimp with fingers
Brush with cream or egg wash
Cut 1-inch slits across the top for steam to escape
Optional: Sprinkle with coarse sugar for crunch
✅ Pro Tip: Place the sheet pan on a larger baking tray — just in case of bubbling over.
Step 5: Bake & Cool
Bake 40–45 minutes, until golden brown and filling is bubbling
Let cool on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes — this sets the filling
Cut into 2x3-inch squares and serve warm
✅ Serving ideas:
À la mode with vanilla ice cream
With a drizzle of caramel
With a sharp cheddar cheese wedge (a classic pairing!)
🧑🍳 Pro Tips for Success
Use
cold ingredients
Ensures flaky crust
Don’t skip the
chill time
Prevents shrinking
Mix apple varieties
Balance sweet and tart
Let it
cool before cutting
Prevents runny slices
Freeze extras
Wrap squares individually and freeze — reheat in oven
Also, slab pie tastes even better the next day.
🍽️ Final Thoughts: Sometimes the Best Pie Isn’t Round — It’s Square
We love traditional pie.
We love the crust.
We love the ritual of slicing.
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But when you’re feeding a crowd?
You need something bigger.
Something simpler.
Something that says, “I brought dessert for everyone.”
That’s the apple slab pie.
It’s not fancy.
It’s not fussy.
It’s just deeply delicious — and built for sharing.
So next time you’re planning a gathering…
Don’t roll a pie.
Roll a slab.
Because sometimes, the difference between “I brought pie” and “I brought enough pie”…
Isn’t in the flavor.
It’s in the pan.
And once you make this?
You’ll wonder how you ever celebrated without it.