Apple Butter Pie Recipe

Introduction

Apple Butter Pie is a delightful fall dessert featuring a rich, spiced apple butter filling nestled in a flaky homemade crust. Topped with cinnamon whipped cream, this pie blends comforting flavors perfect for cozy gatherings or a sweet treat any time of year.

Ingredients

• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour (390g)
• 1 cup + 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold, 311g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅔ cup ice cold water (5.3oz)
• 1½ cups apple butter (482g, plus a bit extra for topping)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar (50g)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240ml)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (15g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract (for whipped cream)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Cut the cold butter into ½-inch cubes and place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes while you prepare other ingredients.
2. Step 2: In a bowl, add about a cup of water and a handful of ice cubes and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add the flour and salt to a food processor and pulse once to combine.
4. Step 4: Distribute the cold butter cubes around the flour, then pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand with pea-sized butter pieces.
5. Step 5: Measure ⅔ cup ice-cold water without ice cubes. Drizzle most of it through the chute while pulsing. Add the last tablespoon only if the dough looks very dry. The dough should form shaggy crumbles, easily pressed but not wet.
6. Step 6: Remove the dough, divide into two even pieces, wrap separately in plastic wrap, and flatten into 1-inch thick discs. Refrigerate for 1–2 hours until firm. Use only one disc for the pie; freeze the other.
7. Step 7: Remove chilled dough and let sit 15 minutes to soften slightly. Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough evenly, turning a quarter turn often, until about ⅛ inch thick and 2 inches wider than your pie dish.
8. Step 8: Transfer dough carefully to the pie dish, pressing it to fit the bottom and sides. Trim edges evenly with kitchen shears, leaving about 1 inch overhang. Fold overhang under itself to meet the edge and crimp the crust.
9. Step 9: Freeze the crust for 15 minutes. Dock the surface with a fork. Line with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried rice, or beans.
10. Step 10: Bake in a preheated 375℉ (190℃) oven for 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake for 5 more minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
11. Step 11: Lower oven temperature to 325℉ (163℃). In a large bowl, whisk together apple butter, eggs, brown sugar, flour, and vanilla until smooth.
12. Step 12: Add sweetened condensed milk, scraping out all from the can. Whisk into the mixture until smooth.
13. Step 13: Pour filling into the par-baked crust. Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes.
14. Step 14: Move the pie to the lower third of the oven and bake 10–15 more minutes until set but slightly jiggly in the center.
15. Step 15: Cool the pie on a wire rack for about three hours or refrigerate to cool faster.
16. Step 16: For the cinnamon whipped cream, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a mixer bowl. Whip on high speed for 1–2 minutes until soft to stiff peaks form.
17. Step 17: Spread whipped cream over the cooled pie. Dollop extra apple butter on top and swirl gently.
18. Step 18: Slice the pie with a sharp knife. Clean the knife between cuts for clean slices.

Tips & Variations

• Use cold butter and water to keep the crust flaky and tender.
• Freeze the second dough disc for up to 3 months to make another pie easily.
• For extra spice, add a pinch of nutmeg or ground cloves to the filling mixture.
• Swap apple butter for pumpkin butter for a similar autumn twist.

Storage

Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices briefly in the microwave or enjoy chilled. The whipped cream topping is best fresh but can be remade if needed.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the pie crust without a food processor?

Yes, you can make the crust by hand using a pastry cutter or two knives to cut the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Then gradually add cold water and mix until the dough just comes together.

What is the best way to prevent the crust from sogginess?

Par-baking the crust with pie weights creates a barrier, preventing the filling from soaking into the dough. Also, chilling the dough before baking helps maintain flakiness.

Apple Butter Pie Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 96 reviews

This Apple Butter Pie features a flaky homemade crust filled with a luscious apple butter custard, baked to perfection and topped with cinnamon whipped cream and a swirl of extra apple butter. Perfect for cozy gatherings or holiday dessert tables, this pie combines warm autumn flavors with creamy texture in every slice.

• Author: Caleb
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours (including chilling and cooling time)
• Yield: 1 9-inch pie (8–10 servings) 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Pie Crust

• 3¼ cups all-purpose flour (390g)
• 1 cup + 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (cold, 311g)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅔ cup ice water (cold, 5.3oz)

Apple Butter Filling

• 1½ cups apple butter (482g) plus extra for topping
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar (50g)
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk (1 can)

Cinnamon Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (240ml)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (15g)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Instructions

1. Prepare Cold Butter: Cut the cold unsalted butter into ½” cubes and place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes while you get the other ingredients ready. This ensures the butter stays cold for flaky pie crust.
2. Ice Water Setup: Add about a cup of water and a handful of ice cubes to a bowl and set it aside to keep your ice water cold for the dough.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a food processor, add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt and pulse once to mix the salt evenly.
4. Add Butter to Flour: Spread the cold butter cubes around the flour in the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles pea-sized pieces and has a slightly textured look, similar to wet sand.
5. Add Ice Water: Measure out ⅔ cup of ice-cold water, excluding the ice cubes, and drizzle it through the food processor chute while pulsing. Leave one tablespoon of water remaining. Continue to pulse until dough just starts to form shaggy crumbles, adding the last tablespoon of water only if the dough looks dry. Avoid overmixing; the dough should be crumbly but hold together when pressed.
6. Chill Dough: Remove the dough, divide it into two equal portions, wrap each in plastic wrap, and flatten into 1” thick disks. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until firm. Only one disk is used for the pie; the other can be frozen for future use.
7. Roll Out Dough: After chilling, let the dough rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll the dough evenly, turning a quarter turn every few rolls to maintain a round shape. Roll until about ⅛” thick and 2 inches wider than your pie dish, dusting with flour as needed.
8. Transfer to Pie Dish: Carefully lift the dough and place it into a pie dish, pressing gently onto the bottom and sides with your fingers. Trim the edges with kitchen shears to leave about a 1” overhang.
9. Shape Crust Edge: Fold the overhanging edges underneath themselves so the fold meets the pie dish edge, then crimp the edges for a decorative finish.
10. Par-bake Crust: Freeze the pie crust for 15 minutes, then dock the bottom all over with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper and fill completely with pie weights, dried rice, or beans. Bake in a preheated oven at 375℉ (190℃) for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake another 5 minutes until partially baked. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while preparing the filling.
11. Lower Oven Temperature: Reduce the oven temperature to 325℉ (163℃) and position racks in the middle and lower thirds of the oven.
12. Mix Apple Butter Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the apple butter, eggs, dark brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and vanilla until smooth.
13. Add Sweetened Condensed Milk: Pour in the sweetened condensed milk, scraping out the can entirely, and whisk together until a smooth batter forms.
14. Fill Pie Crust: Pour the apple butter batter into the par-baked pie crust, smoothing the surface gently.
15. Bake Pie: Bake the pie on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Then carefully move it to the lower third of the oven and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until the center is set and slightly jiggly but not liquid.
16. Cool Pie: Remove the pie from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool completely for about three hours. Alternatively, place in the refrigerator to cool faster.
17. Prepare Cinnamon Whipped Cream: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a handheld mixer), whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla on high speed for 1-2 minutes until soft to stiff peaks form.
18. Top Pie: Spread the cinnamon whipped cream evenly over the cooled pie. Add a few dollops of extra apple butter over the whipped cream and gently swirl with a knife for a decorative finish.
19. Slice and Serve: Use a sharp knife to cut slices, wiping the blade clean between cuts to ensure neat, clean slices.

Notes

• Keep butter and water very cold for the flakiest crust.
• Only use one disc of dough; the other can be frozen for up to 3 months.
• Docking the crust before par-baking prevents bubbling.
• Do not overmix dough or it will become tough.
• Make sure pie filling is set but still slightly jiggly before removing from oven to avoid cracking.
• Cinnamon whipped cream adds a complementary spice; adjust cinnamon amount to taste.
• Clean knife between slices for clean pie servings.

Keywords: apple butter pie, homemade pie crust, apple dessert, cinnamon whipped cream, fall dessert, baked pie