December 7, 2023
This Apple Slab Pie With Maple Icing is made with a homemade buttery crust, cinnamon-spiced apple filling, and drizzle of maple icing, apple slab pie is always a crowd pleaser. Easier than traditional apple pie, roll this slab pie into any shape you want as long as it fits onto a sheet pan. Follow my step-by-step photos below for slab pie success. It is essentially a giant pop-tart. If you’re a crust person, slab pie is for you!
This recipe is written by Sally at sallysbakingaddiction.com
About Sally
My name is Sally. I’m a baker, blogger, cookbook author, and food photographer. I live in Maryland with my little family of four and our rescue dogs. I started Sally’s Baking Addiction (now also called Sally’s Baking Recipes) in 2011 as a personal blog. It was just an easy way to share my baking recipes with friends and family. My small hobby blog quickly ignited a passion for food photography as well as a desire to teach others…not just what to bake, but how to bake. Growing up, I spent hours watching my mother and grandmother work their baking magic in the kitchen, especially their pecan pie and Irish soda bread. And as a self-taught home baker myself, I’m fiercely dedicated to providing well-tested recipes and sharing everything I’ve learned along the way. Before I post a new recipe, you can feel confident that I have already tested it dozens of times in my own kitchen. This is why Sally’s Baking Recipes has become a trusted resource for anyone who wants to bake from scratch. In addition to the hundreds of recipes on the site, you’ll also find helpful kitchen tips, lessons on baking basics, step-by-step photos, and video tutorials that will help you gain confidence and expertise in the kitchen.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 3 hours
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours
Yield: about 18 slices
Author: Sally at sallysbakingaddiction.com
INGREDIENTS:
Crust
4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour(spooned & leveled)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 and 3/4 cup (396g) unsalted butter, very cold and cubed
3/4 cup (180ml) very cold ice water
egg wash: 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1Â Tablespoon (15ml) milk
optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
Filling
10 cups peeled and chopped apples(about 4 – 5 lbs)*
2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons (30ml) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Glaze
3/4 cup (90g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2Â Tablespoons (30ml) pure maple syrup
enough milk or heavy cream to thin (a couple teaspoons)
DIRECTIONS:
Make the pie crust: Mix the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add the butter. Using a pastry cutter or two forks, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat is OK). A pastry cutter makes this step very easy and quick. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon (15ml) at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon (15ml) added. Do not add any more water than you need to. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about 3/4 cup (180ml) water. Transfer the pie dough to a floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the butter pieces. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Form dough into a ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into 1-inch thick discs using your hands. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (and up to 5 days) or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.
Make the filling: Mix all of the filling ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Roll out the chilled pie crust: Remove 1 disc of pie dough from the refrigerator.Keep the other in the refrigerator as you work. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out into (roughly) an 18×13-inch rectangle. Make sure to turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls. Carefully place the dough into a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan; there will be overhang on the sides—trim it to be about 1 inch. Smooth the crust out so it fits nicely into all the corners of the pan.
Spread filling evenly on top of crust.
Roll out the 2nd pie dough disc in the same manner and size as the first. Drape over filling and fold the bottom crust’s overhang over the edges. Seal them shut with your fingers and crimp the pie crust edges with a fork. Cut slits into the top of the crust, then brush with a thin coating of egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake the slab pie for about 40-46 minutes until the crust is golden brown and you can see the filling bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on top of a wire rack for a few hours. You can serve this pie a little warm or at room temperature (or cold!).
Before serving, whisk all of the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over pie. Cut into slices and serve. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
NOTES:
Apples: I always recommend using a mix of apples for more complex flavor in each bite—a sweeter variety and a tart variety, too. For today’s apple slab pie I used a combination of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith apples. Here is a complete list of the best apples for baking. Peel the apples before chopping them into little bite-sized pieces. I find bite-sized pieces, rather than thin slices, are best for slab pie. (Same way I recommend cutting peaches for peach pie.) Since the pie is thinner, you can’t really layer the slices together to get enough apple in each bite.
Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness.
Flour: A little all-purpose flour thickens the filling while it bakes.
Lemon Juice: Adds brightness and prevents the apples from browning.
Vanilla Extract: A splash of pure vanilla extract adds flavor. Try using homemade vanilla extract.
Spices: Use a combination of ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves—apple pie’s favorite flavors! Or try using the spice mixture from my apple pie with chai spices (1.5x each spice to have enough for today’s filling).
Optional Maple Icing
Best Pan for Apple Slab Pie: The most important part! Use the correct size pan. Any larger and you won’t have quite enough dough. Any smaller and you’ll have some overflow. You need a 10×15-inch jelly roll pan. It’s the same pan you need for pumpkin bars and pumpkin slab pie, too.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowls | Pastry Cutter | Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon |  10×15-inch Jelly Roll Baking Pan | Rolling Pin | Pastry Brush | Cooling Rack
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie crust dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using. Baked pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.
NUTRITION:
Calories: 161 kcal, Carbohydrates: 34 g, Protein: 1 g, Fat: 3 g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 1 mg, Sodium: 73 mg, Potassium: 26 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 29 g, Vitamin A: 129 IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 16 mg, Iron: 1 mg