Description
Comforting apple butter pie showcases rustic American baking at its finest, blending warm spices with silky fruit filling beneath an intricate lattice crust. Quilted pastry patterns invite nostalgic moments of harvest season sharing and homemade dessert delights you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 cup apple butter
- 1 pie crust
Crust Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (94 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Butter and Liquid Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (57 grams or 1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl, creating a dry ingredient base for the quilt top crust dough.
- Incorporate cold butter into the dry mixture using a pastry blender, breaking it down until the texture resembles coarse, pebbled crumbs.
- Gradually introduce ice water, one tablespoon at a time, gently mixing until the dough begins to bind together cohesively.
- Shape the dough into a compact disc, encase in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up and enhance flavor melding.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare a parchment-lined baking sheet for the crust triangles.
- Roll out the chilled dough to a thin 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface, then meticulously cut into six 22-inch squares.
- Slice each square diagonally to create 12 distinct triangular pieces for the decorative crust.
- Arrange the triangles on the prepared baking sheet, then freeze for 15 minutes to maintain their crisp shape.
- Cover the triangles with an additional parchment sheet and a second baking sheet to ensure even baking.
- Bake for 10 minutes on the middle rack, then remove the top baking sheet and continue baking, removing individual pieces as they turn golden brown (approximately 38 minutes).
- Allow the triangles to cool completely on a wire rack, developing a crisp texture.
- Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and prepare a foil-lined baking sheet for the pie crust.
- Carefully roll the remaining dough into a 12-inch circle and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, trimming and crimping the edges.
- Freeze the pie crust for 20 minutes, then line with foil and fill with pie weights for initial baking.
- Bake on the bottom rack for 25 minutes, then remove weights and foil, prick the crust bottom, and continue baking until golden and dry (8-10 minutes).
- Whisk apple butter, brown sugar, eggs, apple pie spice, vanilla, and salt into a smooth, harmonious filling mixture.
- Slowly incorporate half-and-half, stirring until the filling reaches a silky, uniform consistency.
- Pour the prepared filling into the completely cooled pie crust.
- Bake on the middle rack for 30-35 minutes, watching for set edges while allowing a slight center jiggle.
- Cool the pie thoroughly on a wire rack to stabilize the filling.
- Just before serving, artfully arrange the pre-baked triangular crust pieces atop the pie in an intricate, quilt-inspired pattern.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to ensure a flaky, tender crust that doesn’t shrink during baking.
- Use cold butter and ice water when making the pie crust to create those beautiful, delicate layers.
- For a gluten-free version, swap wheat flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and add a pinch of xanthan gum for better texture.
- Adjust the spice level by experimenting with different apple pie spice blends or creating your own custom mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 62 kcal
- Sugar: 0.3 g
- Sodium: 54 mg
- Fat: 4.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6.7 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.6 g
- Cholesterol: 11 mg