Apple Butter Pie
You might be wondering “what is apple butter pie”? My apple butter pie recipe is similar to a creamy pumpkin pie but made with flavorful, spiced apple butter. It’s the perfect combination of warm and bright, silky, and the is perfect pie for your holiday table!
OVERVIEW
- Skill Level: Intermediate
- Components Used: All-Purpose Pie Crust, Apple Pie Spice Blend, Homemade Apple Butter, Basic Whipped Cream
My apple butter pie is a silky filling made of flavorful apple butter nestled in a flaky, buttery pie crust. It’s then topped with spiced fresh whipped cream. It’s similar in texture and spices to my creamy pumpkin pie but by using my homemade apple butter it gives a different, brighter flavor.
Of course, you can use a store-bought apple butter but if you really want to impress, my slow cooker method of making apple butter couldn’t be easier.
It’s warm, inviting, and the perfect alternative to those opposed to pumpkin flavor. I highly suggest swirling extra apple butter on top of the whipped cream to drive home the point of this beautiful pie. I hope you add it to your dessert table this holiday season!
Apple Butter Pie Highlights
- The apple butter used in the filling ends up making this pie both bright and warm!
- This pie is perfectly spiced with a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and ginger.
- The creamy filling combines with flaky pie crust and light whipped cream which is the ultimate trio in a perfect pie recipe.
- Although some would see this recipe as an alternative, I dare say it’s even better than pumpkin pie!
Components Used
There are only 3 components to make this beautiful autumnal apple butter pie.
Pie Crust: For this recipe, I’m using my perfect all-purpose pie crust. I always prefer a homemade crust for extra butteriness and flakiness. However, to make this recipe even simpler use store-bought unbaked pie dough. You only need 1 piece of dough for the bottom crust.
My all-purpose pie crust recipe calls for both butter and shortening. The butter gives a delicious melt-in-your-mouth flavor while the shortening helps the crust not to shrink while baking.
Apple Butter Filling: The flavor in this recipe comes from the apple butter so it’s important to use one that you like. Taste the apple butter as is before committing to using it in your pie. My homemade apple butter is made in a slow cooker and couldn’t be easier.
You can also use a store-bought apple butter. Farmer’s markets usually sell high-quality apple butters during the fall apple-picking season.
Spiced Whipped Cream: For the topping on this pie, I’m making my basic whipped cream recipe. To add even more flavor, I like to add additional spices to compliment the filling. I’m using extra apple pie spice.
How to make apple butter pie
Here are the basic steps in making this apple butter pie:
- Make the pie dough
- Blind bake the pie crust
- Make the apple butter filling
- Bake and cool
- Make the spiced whipped cream and serve
How to make homemade pie dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add the shortening and cold and cubed butter to the bowl and toss with your hands so all of the fat is coated with flour.
Use the tips of your fingers and thumbs to press down on all of the pieces of fat, creating little sheets of fat throughout your mixture. You can also use a pastry blender to cut the fat into the flour.
Add the ice water little by little into the mixture. Fold the mixture gently with a silicone spatula to incorporate. You may not need all of the water. Once large clumps of dough start forming, gather the dough up and press it together. If it crumbles then you need to add a little more water. If it holds together then you are ready to chill the dough.
Bring the dough together on your counter and press into one mass and knead very gently for one or two turns to bring it into a cohesive dough. Press flat into a round disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, but preferably an hour, to allow the gluten to relax and the flour to fully hydrate.
Blind bake the pie crust
Place your chilled dough on top of a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and your rolling pin. As you roll the dough, lift it up, turn it, and redistribute flour underneath it every few rolls to prevent sticking. Roll the dough out to about 12 inches (30 cm) wide so that it’s wider than your pie dish. This is important so that your dough doesn’t need to stretch to fit down into the plate, which can cause it to shrink.
Set the rolling pin in the middle and fold the dough in half over the rolling pin. Gently transfer it into the pie plate, unrolling it off the rolling pin. Lift up on the sides of the crust to allow it to fall naturally into the pie plate without having to stretch it. If there are places that don’t have quite enough dough to hang over the edge, you can patch it with pieces from the other side.
If there is a lot of excess dough, trim it off with scissors. Gently fold the edges of the dough underneath itself. Crimp using your fingers or use a fork and press down all the way around.
Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the crust and add pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 15 minutes just enough for the dough to start to set but not fully baked. It will still be pretty light in color.
Make the filling and bake
While the crust is baking, make the filling. Whisk together all filling ingredients together in a mixing bowl. This includes the apple butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, eggs, apple pie spice, vanilla extract, and salt.
After the crust is done blind-baking, remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Pour the filling into the pie shell. There’s no need to wait for the crust to cool since it’s going right back in the oven.
The pie will bake for a total of 70-75 minutes, however after the first 15-20 minutes wrap the crust in aluminum foil to keep it from over-browning. When it’s done baking, the filling should be set around the edges but it will still have a little jiggle in the center. It will completely set as it cools.
Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 2 hours until it reaches room temperature. This step is important not to rush so that the pie has time to fully solidify. While the pie is baking and cooling, make the remaining components.
Make the Whipped Cream and Serve
After the pie has cooled completely and right before serving, make the spiced whipped cream. Don’t make it too early or you risk it separating and becoming watery. If you’d like to make the whipped cream in advance, make a stabilized version that contains gelatin. My recipe for stabilized whipped cream can be made up to 4 days in advance.
Combine the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon (or additional apple pie spice) in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer or hand mixer, begin whipping on low speed and then medium speed until medium peaks begin to form. Turn the mixer on to full speed and whip the cream to stiff peaks. Pay close attention and stop the mixer as soon as stiff peaks are formed.
Top the fresh whipped cream over the top of the pie. If using, spoon additional apple butter on top of the whipped cream. Using the back of a large spoon or offset spatula, swirl the two together over the pie.
Make-Ahead Pie & Storage
Make the pie dough and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer up to 3 months.
If using homemade apple butter, make it in advance and store in the refrigerator up to 1 week before making the pie. Do not combine the ingredients for the pie filling in advance. It will become soggy if it sits in the refrigerator for too long.
How to store in the refrigerator: A baked apple butter pie can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Wrap the pie loosely in plastic wrap and don’t add whipped cream until serving.
How to store in the freezer: After the pie has fully cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.
MORE RECIPES FROM BAKER BETTIE!
If you loved this recipe, you might like to try these other Thanksgiving pie recipes.
Apple Butter Pie
My apple butter pie is made with flavorful apple butter in a creamy filling, nestled in a flaky pie crust, and topped with fresh spiced whipped cream. This is your new favorite holiday pie!
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
- 180 grams (1 ½ cups) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 30 grams (2 ½ tablespoons) shortening
- 57-85 grams (4-6 tablespoons, 60-90 milliliters) ice water
FOR THE FILLING
- 425 grams (15 ounces) apple butter (store bought or homemade apple butter), plus more for swirling on top if desired
- 294 grams (1 ¼ cups) heavy cream
- 133 grams (⅔ cups) brown sugar, preferably dark brown
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons apple pie spice (store bought or homemade spice blend)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Whipped Cream *see note
- 235 grams (1 cup, 240 milliliters) heavy cream, cold
- 80 grams (⅔ cup) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
Instructions
Prepare the Crust:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour (180 grams/ 1 ½ cups) and salt (½ teaspoon).
- Add the cold and cubed butter (85 grams/ 6 tablespoons) and the shortening (30 grams/ 2 ½ tablespoons) into the bowl. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal. A few larger pieces is okay.
- Drizzle in the cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every addition. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps.
- Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball and flatten into a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick disc using your hands.
- Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 days.
Blind Bake the Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/205°C.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and roll out to a circle that is about 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9 inch (23 cm) pie dish. For this recipe, I am using a regular pie dish not deep dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Trim and crimp the edges as desired. Place the prepared crust in the freezer for about 10 minutes to relax and chill.
- Place a piece of parchment paper into the crust and fill with pie weights or beans. Blind bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Make the Filling:
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a large mixing bowl whisk together all of the filling ingredients until well combined. This includes the apple butter (425 grams/ 15 ounces), heavy cream (294 grams/ 1 ¼ cups), brown sugar (133 grams/ ⅔ cups), eggs (2 large), apple pie spice (1 ½ teaspoons), vanilla extract (½ teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon).
- When the crust is finished blind baking, remove it from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/175°C. Remove the parchment paper and pie weights and pour the filling into the crust.
- Bake for a total of 70-75 minutes until the pie is mostly set but still has a slight jiggle to it. After about the 15-20 minute mark, watch the edges of the crust as they can tend to over brown. Wrap just the edges in aluminum foil to cover.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 2 hours.
Make the whipped cream and serve:
- After the pie has cooled completely and right before serving, make the whipped cream.
- Combine the cold heavy cream (235 grams/ 1 cup) with the powdered sugar (80 grams/ ⅔ cup), ground cinnamon or apple pie spice (1 teaspoon) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon) in the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl.
- Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer or hand mixer, begin whipping on low speed and then medium speed until medium peaks begin to form. Turn the mixer on to full speed and whip the cream to stiff peaks. Pay close attention and stop the mixer as soon as stiff peaks are formed.
- Decorate the pie with the fresh whipped cream. Swirl the top with the back of a large spoon or spatula. If desired, spoon additional apple butter over the whipped cream and swirl it together.
- Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Wrap the pie loosely in plastic wrap and don’t add whipped cream until serving.
Notes
*If using store-bought apple butter, look for a thick apple butter and do not use unsweetened.
*Whipped Cream: if you'd like to make the whipped cream in advance, use my recipe for stabilized whipped cream. Stabilized whipped cream can be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.
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