Description
Apple Butter Pie with Quilt Top Crust is a charming and flavorful fall dessert featuring a sweetened spiced apple butter filling nestled in a flaky homemade pie crust, topped with a decorative quilt-like crust that bakes to golden perfection. This pie offers warm spices, creamy texture, and a visually stunning lattice-inspired top, perfect for seasonal celebrations or cozy gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for the work surface
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons ice water (plus an additional tablespoon if needed)
- 1/2 recipe Basic Pie Dough or store-bought crust
Filling Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened spiced apple butter
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup half-and-half
Instructions
- Prepare the Quilt Top Crust: In a bowl, mix 3/4 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Cut in 1/4 cup cold butter using a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized pieces. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough comes together—add an additional tablespoon if needed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, press into a disc, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Bake the Quilt Top Crust: Roll chilled dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out six 2×2-inch squares and cut each square diagonally to form 12 triangles. Place triangles on a prepared baking sheet and freeze for 15 minutes. Cover with another sheet of parchment and a second baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack for 10 minutes. Remove the top baking sheet and parchment, then continue baking until golden brown, removing pieces as they brown, about 3–8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare the Pie Crust: Freeze the 1/2 recipe Basic Pie Dough or store-bought crust for 20 minutes. Line the crust with foil or parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake on the bottom rack for 25 minutes. Remove foil and weights, prick the bottom with a fork, and bake until golden and dry, about 8–10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Filling: In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups sweetened spiced apple butter, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 2 lightly beaten eggs, 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually whisk in 1/3 cup half-and-half until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Assemble and Bake the Pie: Pour the prepared filling into the cooled pie crust. Arrange the quilt top crust triangles on top as desired. Bake the assembled pie in a preheated oven (temperature typically 350°F/175°C) until the filling is set and crust is golden, approximately 45-55 minutes (estimated based on standard pie baking). Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy this beautiful, spiced fall dessert that combines the warmth of apple butter with a flaky, decorative quilt crust.
Notes
- Ensure butter is cold when cutting into the flour mixture to achieve a flaky crust.
- Freezing the dough squares before baking helps maintain their shape and crispness.
- Using pie weights when baking the crust prevents sogginess by keeping the crust from puffing up.
- Allow the pie to cool completely to ensure the filling sets properly and slices cleanly.
- This pie can be prepared in advance and refrigerated; serve at room temperature or gently warmed.
