Quick & Cozy Apple Butter Pie with Quilt Top Crust Recipe

Sweet memories of grandma’s kitchen sparked my love for this delightful apple butter pie with its charming quilt-inspired pastry design.

Soft, golden-brown patches of buttery dough weave together like a cozy handmade blanket.

Warm spices dance through each slice, promising comfort in every bite.

Crisp fall apples mingle with rich, caramelized butter to create a dessert that feels like a warm embrace.

Rustic and elegant, this pie tells a story of tradition and creativity.

Baking this dessert connects you to generations of home cooks who found joy in simple, heartfelt recipes.

Unroll your rolling pin and let’s craft something deliciously memorable together.

Apple Butter Pie with Quilt Top Crust Essentials

• Craft Artisan Pie: Create a stunning dessert that looks like a masterpiece with intricate quilt-top crust design.
• Seasonal Comfort Delight: Celebrate fall flavors with a rich apple butter filling that brings warmth and nostalgia to your table.
• Baking Adventure Challenge: Tackle an intermediate-level recipe that rewards you with impressive visual and taste results, perfect for passionate home bakers seeking culinary creativity.
• Crowd-Pleasing Showstopper: Impress guests and family with a unique pie that combines traditional techniques and modern presentation, making it ideal for gatherings and special occasions.

Ingredients for Apple Butter Pie with Quilt Top Crust

Main Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour: The foundational dry ingredient for creating a tender and flaky pie crust.
• Unsalted Butter: Provides rich flavor and creates the signature flaky texture of the pie crust.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the pie crust.
• Sugar: Adds a subtle sweetness to the pie crust.
• Ice Water: Helps bind the pie crust ingredients together without developing tough gluten.

• Apple Butter: The primary flavor component that gives the pie its distinctive apple essence.
• Brown Sugar: Adds deep, caramel-like sweetness to the pie filling.
• Eggs: Provide structure and help bind the filling together.
• Half-and-Half: Creates a creamy and smooth texture in the pie filling.

• Apple Pie Spice: Adds warm, traditional fall flavors to the pie filling.
• Vanilla: Enhances and rounds out the overall flavor profile of the pie.
• Salt: Balances and intensifies the other flavors in the filling.

How to Prepare Apple Butter Pie with Quilt Top Crust

Step 1: Create Decorative Pastry Triangles

Roll out chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface until thin. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, slice the dough into small triangular shapes.

Place triangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pop the baking sheet into the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up the pastry pieces.

Step 2: Bake Pastry Triangles

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Carefully transfer the frozen triangles to the oven.

Bake until the edges turn golden brown and crispy, watching closely to prevent burning. This should take around 10-12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 3: Prepare Pie Crust Shell

Lower the oven temperature to 375°F.

Gently press pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming excess dough and creating a decorative edge. Place the crust in the freezer for 20 minutes to help it maintain its shape.

Step 4: Blind Bake Pie Crust

Line the chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake on the lowest oven rack for about 25 minutes.

Remove weights and parchment, then return to the oven for an additional 8-10 minutes until the crust looks dry and lightly golden.

Step 5: Whip Up Creamy Filling

• Apple butter
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Apple pie spice
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Slowly whisk in half-and-half until the mixture becomes smooth and well-blended.

Step 6: Bake the Pie

Pour the prepared filling into the cooled pie crust. Slide the pie into the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.

The edges should look set, while the center might have a slight wobble.

Step 7: Finish and Decorate

Allow the pie to cool completely.

Before serving, artfully arrange the baked pastry triangles on top of the pie in an overlapping pattern that resembles a cozy quilt. Slice and serve to delighted guests.

Tips for Perfect Apple Butter Pie

• Blind bake the pie crust and prick the bottom with a fork to ensure a crisp, flaky base that won't become mushy from the creamy filling.
• Experiment with homemade apple pie spice by mixing cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger for a more personalized and vibrant flavor profile.
• Refrigerate the pie dough for at least an hour to relax the gluten and prevent shrinkage, resulting in a more tender and flaky crust.
• Watch the pie closely during baking and remove it when the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle to prevent overcooking and cracking.

Flavor Options for Apple Butter Pie

• Gluten-Free Rustic Pie: Replace wheat flour with almond or gluten-free blend, using xanthan gum for binding. Swap traditional crust ingredients for gluten-free alternatives while maintaining the quilt top design.
• Vegan Apple Spice Version: Substitute butter with coconut oil, eggs with flax eggs, and half-and-half with coconut cream. Create a plant-based filling using similar spice proportions and apple butter base.
• Lower-Sugar Apple Butter Pie: Use sugar-free apple butter, replace brown sugar with monk fruit sweetener, and reduce overall sugar content. Maintain the original flavor profile with additional warm spices.

Pairings for Apple Butter Pie

Warm, fragrant apple cider with cinnamon sticks perfectly complements the pie’s apple butter essence and enhances the fall flavor profile.

Creamy, cold vanilla ice cream creates a delightful temperature contrast against the warm, spiced pie and balances its rich texture.

Homemade caramel-infused whipped cream adds an extra layer of sweetness that harmonizes with the pie’s deep apple butter notes.

A sophisticated cocktail mixing bourbon, maple syrup, and hot water offers a mature, warming accompaniment that echoes the pie’s autumnal spirit.

Proper Storage for Apple Butter Pie

• Store leftover pie covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator, maintaining its delicious flavor and texture.
• Wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
• Warm individual slices at 350°F for 10-15 minutes, covering with foil to prevent crust from burning and keep the filling moist.
• Let pie sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving to enhance its flavors and soften the crust slightly.

FAQs

• What is apple butter pie?

A delightful autumn dessert featuring a smooth, spiced apple butter filling in a traditional pie crust, topped with geometric pastry pieces resembling a quilt pattern.

• Can I make this pie ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the pie crust and quilt top crust a day in advance. Store them separately at room temperature, and assemble the pie just before serving for the best texture.

• Do I need special equipment to make this pie?

Basic baking tools like a pastry blender, pie plate, baking sheets, and parchment paper are helpful but not mandatory. Most home cooks already have these items in their kitchen.

• How difficult is this recipe for a home baker?

Moderate difficulty. While it requires multiple steps and some baking skills, a patient baker with basic pastry experience can successfully create this impressive dessert.

Apple Butter Pie With Quilt Top Crust Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 21 reviews

• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Homemade apple butter pie reveals classic American baking charm with its intricate quilt-inspired pastry design. Sweet cinnamon notes and flaky crust layers invite warm memories of grandma’s kitchen, promising delightful comfort you’ll savor with each delectable slice.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups sweetened spiced apple butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup half-and-half
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Spices and Seasonings:

• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Crust Ingredients:

• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons ice water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Craft the pastry dough by combining flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, incorporate cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, mixing until the dough coheres. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour to chill thoroughly.
2. Prepare the decorative crust triangles by rolling the chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut 6 squares, then slice diagonally to create 12 triangles. Arrange triangles on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover triangles with parchment and a second baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove top sheet and continue baking until golden brown, removing pieces individually as they color. Cool completely on a wire rack.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Roll remaining dough into a 12-inch circle and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edges, fold, and crimp decoratively. Freeze for 20 minutes.
5. Line the pie crust with foil, fill with pie weights, and bake on the bottom rack for 25 minutes. Remove weights and foil, prick bottom with a fork, and bake an additional 8-10 minutes until golden and dry. Cool completely.
6. Whisk apple butter, brown sugar, eggs, apple pie spice, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl. Gradually incorporate half-and-half until the mixture becomes smooth and uniform.
7. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes, until edges are set and center has a slight wobble. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Just before serving, artfully arrange the golden crust triangles on top of the pie in an intricate quilt-like pattern.

Notes

• Choose high-quality, smooth apple butter for a rich, deep flavor that enhances the pie’s overall taste.
• Ensure butter is cold when making the crust to create flaky, tender pastry with distinct layers.
• Experiment with spice variations like adding a pinch of cardamom or replacing apple pie spice with cinnamon and nutmeg for personalized warmth.
• Make the pie gluten-free by substituting regular flour with almond or gluten-free flour blend in the crust recipe.

• Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 8
• Calories: 237 kcal
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 140 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
• Trans Fat: 0.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 29 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 55 mg