Apple Slab Pie
This Apple Slab Pie packs all the cozy flavor of a classic apple pie into an easy sheet pan dessert with a flaky crust and buttery cinnamon apple filling, perfect for feeding a crowd.
The Easiest Way to Feed a Crowd With Apple Pie
If you love the flavor of a classic apple pie but dread the thought of only getting eight slices out of all that work, this Apple Slab Pie is about to become your new favorite fall dessert. It takes everything you love about homemade apple desserts and stretches it across a full sheet pan, so you get a flaky, buttery crust and warmly spiced apple filling in every single bite, with enough to feed a crowd.
This is one of those fall pies recipes easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for Thanksgiving, potlucks, or a bake sale table. Think of it as apple pie meets a giant pastry bar, and it might just be the easiest apple pie recipe you make this year.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A good pastry cutter and a sturdy rimmed baking sheet will help you get that flaky crust and even bake every single time, and a reliable vegetable peeler makes prepping eight apples go by in minutes.
Why You'll Love This Slab Pie
This recipe checks every box for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert:
- More servings, less fuss. One sheet pan gives you up to 16 generous squares.
- Classic apple pie flavor. Warm cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg, and plenty of tender apples.
- Make-ahead friendly. The dough and even the assembled pie can be prepped in advance.
- No fussy lattice required. A simple top crust with a few slits does the trick.
Chef's Tip: Chill your butter and water as cold as possible. Cold fat is the secret to a flaky, tender crust, whether you're making this slab pie or any recipe with pie crust.
Choosing and Prepping Your Apples
For the best texture, use a mix of tart and sweet apples, like Granny Smith paired with Honeycrisp or Braeburn. This blend gives you that classic sweet tart balance you want in recipes with pie filling, without the apples turning to mush in the oven.
Slice your apples thin and even, about a quarter inch thick, so they cook through evenly under that top crust. Tossing them with lemon juice not only brightens the flavor but also keeps the slices from browning while you finish the rest of the prep.
Building the Perfect Slab Pie
Unlike a round pie pan, a rimmed baking sheet gives you plenty of room to work with, which makes this a great next step after making an apple tart with pie crust or trying your hand at a one crust apple pie. Here, though, we're using two full crusts, one on the bottom and one on top, so every bite gets that signature flaky texture.
Roll your bottom crust slightly larger than your pan so you have enough to press up the sides. Spread the spiced apple filling in an even layer, then top with the second crust, crimping the edges together to seal in all that cinnamon apple goodness.
Chef's Tip: Don't skip the egg wash and coarse sugar on top. It's what gives the crust that beautiful golden, slightly crackly finish you want in any great easy apple pie crust.
Ready to Bake?
Once your pie is assembled, it's a hands-off bake while your kitchen fills with the smell of warm cinnamon and butter. This method also works beautifully if you're craving something closer to apple crisp with pie crust, just add a handful of oats and brown sugar crumble over the apples before topping with the crust for a fun twist.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Apple Slab Pie
This Apple Slab Pie packs all the cozy flavor of a classic apple pie into an easy sheet pan dessert with a flaky crust and buttery cinnamon apple filling, perfect for feeding a crowd.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the crust
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 3/4 cup ice water, more as needed
- 8 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, for the filling
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, to thicken the filling
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 2 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling, optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for glaze, optional
- 2 tbsp milk, for glaze, optional
Instruction
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt for the crust.
Cut in the cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
Drizzle in the ice water a little at a time, mixing gently just until the dough comes together. Divide into two discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and line a 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, or grease it well.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough disc into a rectangle slightly larger than your baking sheet and press it into the bottom and up the sides.
Spread the apple filling evenly over the crust.
Roll out the second dough disc and lay it over the apples, trimming and crimping the edges to seal.
Cut a few small slits in the top crust to let steam escape, then brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the slits.
Let the slab pie cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.
If using the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar and milk until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled pie before serving.
Equipment
- 15x10 inch rimmed baking sheet
- Pastry cutter
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving, Storing, and Variations
Let the slab pie cool for a full hour before slicing so the filling has time to set, otherwise it can run a little on the plate. A simple powdered sugar glaze drizzled over the top adds a lovely finishing touch, though it's completely optional if you prefer a more rustic look.
For storage, keep leftovers covered at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five. This pie also freezes well unbaked, making it one of the most convenient apple and pie crust recipes to have on hand for last minute guests or holiday baking marathons.
However you slice it, this Apple Slab Pie is proof that classic apple pie flavor doesn't have to come with a fussy process, just a sheet pan, a couple of pie crusts, and a whole lot of cinnamon spiced apples.
