Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping

The Easiest Fall Dessert for a Crowd

If you love the flavors of a classic apple pie but dread rolling out a top crust, this Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping is about to become your new favorite fall dessert. It has everything people love about apple and pie crust recipes, buttery, flaky crust, warm cinnamon-spiced apples, but it bakes in a sheet pan and slices into squares, making it one of the easiest fall pies recipes easy enough for weeknight baking and impressive enough for a holiday table.

Think of it as a cross between apple crisp with pie crust and a traditional one crust apple pie, except doubled in size and topped with a golden, oat-flecked streusel instead of a lattice. No fussy crimping, no rolling out a second crust. Just press, fill, crumble, and bake.

Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A good quality pie crust, a sturdy jelly roll pan, and a reliable pastry cutter will make this recipe with pie crust come together quickly and bake evenly. These are the products that genuinely help this recipe shine:

Why This Recipe Works So Well

Slab pies solve a real problem with homemade apple desserts: not enough crust-to-filling ratio, and not enough servings for a crowd. By spreading everything into a 9x13 pan, you get:

• A higher ratio of crust and crumble in every bite
• Sixteen neat squares, perfect for potlucks, bake sales, or Thanksgiving dessert tables
• A shorter, more forgiving bake time than a traditional deep-dish pie

It is also one of the most flexible recipes with pie filling you can make. Swap in pears, add cranberries, or fold in a handful of chopped pecans into the crumble for extra crunch.

Chef's Tip: Toss your sliced apples with lemon juice as soon as you cut them. This keeps them from browning and adds a bright note that balances the sweetness of the filling.

Choosing the Right Apples

Not all apples are created equal when it comes to baking. For the best texture, use a mix of tart and sweet varieties:

• Granny Smith for tartness and structure, so the apples don't turn to mush
• Honeycrisp or Braeburn for natural sweetness and a bit of juiciness

Avoid soft varieties like Red Delicious, which tend to break down too much in the oven and leave you with a watery filling.

Building the Perfect Crumble Topping

The crumble topping is really what sets this apart from other apple and pie crust recipes. Cold butter is the key. Work it into the dry ingredients just until you get coarse, pea-sized crumbs. If the butter gets too warm and the mixture turns pasty, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.

Chef's Tip: Grate frozen butter into the crumble mixture instead of cutting it in with a pastry cutter. It is faster and gives you an even more evenly textured topping.

Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:

Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping

This Apple Slab Pie with buttery crumble topping feeds a crowd with flaky pie crust, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a golden streusel finish. The easiest fall dessert you'll make all season.

Prep:30 mins

Cook:45 mins

Total:75 mins

Yield:16 servings

Cuisine:American

Yield: 16 servingsCalories: 310Protein: 3g

Carbs: 42gFat: 15gSat. Fat: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 24gSodium: 150mg

Ingredients

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• 2 refrigerated pie crusts, store-bought or homemade, for a double crust base
• 8 cups apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, about 8 medium apples, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, for the apple filling, to thicken the juices
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/4 tsp salt, divided
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, for the crumble topping
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed, for the crumble topping
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes
• 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
• 1 vanilla ice cream, optional, for serving

Instruction

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the long sides.

2

Unroll both pie crusts and press them together, patching seams as needed, to form one large rectangle that fits your pan. Press the dough into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan. Trim any excess.

3

In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt until evenly coated.

4

Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust in the pan, mounding slightly since the apples will shrink as they bake.

5

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and remaining salt for the crumble topping. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work it in until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs.

6

Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples, covering as much of the surface as possible.

7

Brush any exposed edges of the crust with the beaten egg for a golden finish.

8

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apple filling is bubbling around the edges.

9

If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.

10

Let the slab pie cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before slicing into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Equipment

• 9x13-inch baking sheet or jelly roll pan
• Parchment paper
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry cutter or fork
• Pastry brush
• Sharp knife for slicing

Notes

This slab pie is even better the next day once the filling has fully set. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat individual squares in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or warm the whole pan in a 300 degree F oven for 10 minutes.

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Serving and Storing Your Apple Slab Pie

Let the pie cool for at least an hour before slicing so the filling has time to set. Cutting too early will give you a beautiful but messy square. This dessert is wonderful on its own, but it truly shines with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm crumble.

For storage, keep leftovers covered at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five. It also freezes well, making it a great make-ahead option for holiday hosting.

Variations to Try

Once you've mastered the base recipe, feel free to make it your own:

• Add a handful of dried cranberries or raisins to the apple filling
• Swap half the apples for pears for a subtle flavor twist
• Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar glaze once cooled

However you serve it, this apple slab pie takes everything wonderful about classic fall pies and turns it into an easy, shareable dessert that disappears fast at any gathering.