Apple cream pie is the best, no-fuss dessert you’ve never tried. A sweet, warm spice filling with a flaky crust and crunchy crumb topping? Yes, please! Whether it’s fall or winter (or anytime, let’s face it), you’ll love this luscious apple cream pie recipe.
What is Apple Cream Pie?
Apple cream pie consists of a single crust filled with chopped apples and a sweet custard filling. The filling is then topped with a mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and spices before being baked. As the pie bakes, the custard sets, and the topping hardens into a crusty shell that turns golden brown. It is delicious served as-is, whether at room temperature, warmed up, or straight from the fridge. Optionally, you can serve this pie with some whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Why make this Luscious Apple Cream Pie?
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- It’s irresistible. The sweet, tender apples and smooth, rich custard pair perfectly with warm cinnamon. You can also experiment with your favorite apples and/or fall spices to make a unique creation.
- It’s different than the rest. I opt to include oats in the topping for extra health benefits and texture. The custard is made with a balanced combination of sour and heavy cream.
- It can be made whether apples are in-season or not. But it is a great way to use up some fresh, seasonal apples you purchased in bulk before knowing what to do with them.
- It is easy to make. If you opt for a store-bought pie crust, chopping the apples and baking the pie are the only time-consuming components of this recipe.
Before you start the recipe:
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- Pull out and measure your ingredients–except your apples–before you start working on the recipe. Place the butter for the topping in the freezer at this point, but do not cut it into chunks. It’ll be perfect for grating when you get to that portion of the recipe.
- Next, roll out your homemade or store-bought pie crust, lay it on a pie plate, and refrigerate it while you prepare the filling.
- Peel, core, and chop your apples.
Recipe Notes:
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- Do not fill the pie to the brim. The filling will rise as it bakes, so leave about 1/2″ of space from the top when pouring in the apples and custard base.
- Egg Wash: This is optional but recommended. It contributes to the browning of the pie crust and overall rich flavor.
- For a crispier crust: Prebake the pie crust for 10 to 15 minutes and let cool for 10 minutes before adding the filling. Add the egg wash to the inner portion before prebaking for added flavor and crispiness.
- For an even thicker custard: Add an additional 1/4 cup of Sour Cream to the filling, and reduce the Heavy Cream by 1/4 cup.
- For a crunchier topping: Mix a 1/4 – 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans with the topping ingredients.
Ingredient Notes:
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- Apples: I use Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples in this recipe or mix a combination of the two. Braeburn, Cortland, and Cosmic Crisp apples are good alternatives. The ideal apple will hold its shape when cooked while offering tart and complex flavors. Bob’s Red Mill offers some additional information on different varieties of apples and how they’ll hold up when baked in a pie.
- Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar in the filling, but you can use dark brown sugar instead if that is what you have on hand. It’ll add a bit more caramelly molasses flavor and darken the filling, but it’ll still taste delicious.
- All-Purpose Flour: This ingredient thickens the pie filling and is more traditionally used in apple pies to enhance the flavor. On the other hand, corn starch has a more noticeable flavor that can overpower the other ingredients in this recipe and is best to avoid.
- Sour Cream vs. Heavy Cream: These ingredients work together to provide a velvety, custard texture to the apple filling. Using the right proportions makes a creamy, tangy filling that does not become overly liquid. When you cut into the pie, it’ll hold its shape well, making for appealing slices.
- Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter is used in the topping to help bind the rest of the ingredients as the pie bakes. This results in a deliciously tender “shell” on top with an unforgettable crisp. Salted butter can be used in its place, but this will change the topping flavor profile.
- Pie Crust: You can opt for store-bought pie crust if you need dessert in a flash, but you’ll be glad you tried my Perfect Pie Crust if you have some extra time.
Storage:
Be sure the Apple Cream Pie is cooled to room temperature before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.
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- Refrigerator Instructions: Wrap the pie tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let the pie come to room temperature on the counter before serving. To warm, preheat your oven to 350°F / 176°C, cover the pie with foil, and bake covered for up to 30 minutes.
- Freezer Instructions: Wrap the pie tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and let the pie come to room temperature on the counter before serving. To warm, preheat your oven to 350°F / 176°C, cover the pie with foil, and bake covered for up to 30 minutes. I do not recommend heating from frozen with this pie.
Luscious Apple Cream Pie
In addition to being easy to prepare, this recipe packs quite a punch in terms of flavor. When you're short on time, opt for store-bought, unbaked pie crust, but you'll really be glad you tried my Perfect Pie Crust.
Equipment
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Hand or Box Grater
- 9" or 10" Pie Plate
- Scale optional, if weighing ingredients
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 Single Unbaked Pie Crust store-bought or try my Perfect Pie Crust
Filling
- ⅔ Cup Granulated Sugar 133g
- ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar packed - 50g
- ¼ Cup All-Purpose Flour 30g
- ½ Tsp Ground Cinnamon 1g
- ⅛ Tsp Kosher Salt 0.75g
- ¾ Cup Sour Cream room temperature - 184g
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream room temperature - 120g
- 1 Large Egg lightly beaten
- 3 Cups Apples, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith peeled and chopped - 375g
Topping
- ⅓ Cup All-Purpose Flour 42g
- ⅓ Cup + 1 Tbsp Granulated Sugar 80g
- ¼ Cup Old-Fashioned Oats
- 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon 2g
- 5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter very cold, do not cut in chunks - 57g
Egg Wash
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1 Tbsp Cream or Whole Milk 15g
Instructions
- Place a baking sheet in the center rack of the oven and preheat to 400°F / 204°C.
- Place a raw, rolled-out pie crust on a 9" or 10" pie plate. Trim and crimp the edges if desired (see my perfect pie crust recipe and video for crimping technique). Set the pie shell aside.
For the filling
- Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
- Add the sour cream, heavy cream, and egg to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
- Add the wet mixture to the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk thoroughly until fully mixed.
- Add the chopped apples and stir to combine. Let the apples soak in the cream mixture as you prepare the topping.
For the topping
- Add the flour, sugar, oats, and cinnamon to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Using a box or hand grater, grate the cold butter over the flour mixture. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the grated butter into the flour mixture until crumbly and no pieces remain that are larger than the size of a pea.
Assembling and baking the pie
- Pour the apple filling into the unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the filling until fully covered.
- Lightly beat the egg white and cream in a small bowl using a fork. Brush the rim of the pie with egg wash until coated.
- Place the pie in the preheated oven on the hot baking sheet, and bake for 40-50 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the center of the pie is set. It should not jiggle.
- Let the pie fully cool before serving.
Video
Notes
Please Note: Nutrition Facts are estimates only. These figures are calculated via a third-party application using a generic likeness of each ingredient. Nutritional content will vary based on actual brands and weights used for each ingredient and portion size.
Nutrition
Serving: 1SliceCalories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 3gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 106mgPotassium: 127mgFiber: 2gSugar: 41gVitamin A: 622IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
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