Description
This Apple Butter Pie with Quilt Top Crust is the perfect fall dessert! With a creamy, spiced apple butter filling and a beautiful quilted crust topping, this pie is a delightful homage to Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. The sweet apple butter filling is rich and flavorful, while the quilt top adds a visually stunning and delicious crunchy contrast. Ideal for Thanksgiving, holiday gatherings, or a cozy fall treat!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Quilt Top Crust:
- 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
For the Crust:
- 1/2 recipe Basic Pie Dough or store-bought crust
For the Filling:
- 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, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.
- Cut in butter with 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 of water if needed.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, press into a disc, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Bake the Quilt Top Crust:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out 6 (2×2-inch) squares and cut each square diagonally to form 12 triangles.
- Place triangles on the 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 bake until golden brown, removing pieces as they brown (3–8 minutes). Cool on a wire rack.
- Prepare the Pie Crust:
- Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Roll dough to a 12-inch circle, fit into a 9-inch pie plate, trim excess, fold edges, and crimp.
- Freeze 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 (8–10 minutes). Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Make the Filling:
- Whisk together apple butter, brown sugar, eggs, apple pie spice, vanilla, and salt.
- Gradually whisk in half-and-half until smooth.
- Pour filling into the cooled pie crust.
- Bake the Pie:
- Bake on the middle rack for 30–35 minutes, until the edges are set (the center may jiggle slightly).
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Assemble the Pie:
- Before serving, arrange the baked crust triangles on top of the pie in a quilt-like pattern.
- Serve and enjoy this beautiful, spiced fall dessert!
Notes
- Make-Ahead: You can prepare the quilt top crust and pie crust ahead of time and refrigerate them until you’re ready to assemble and bake.
- Storage: This pie can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place it in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes.
- Substitute for Apple Butter: If you don’t have apple butter, you can use homemade spiced applesauce, though the flavor will differ slightly.
- Pie Weights: If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dried beans or rice as a substitute to prevent the crust from puffing up during blind baking.
- Customize the Topping: Feel free to add more decorative crust designs for the quilt top. You can use lattice patterns or cookie cutters to make fun shapes for special occasions.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of the pie)
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg