Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie: Your Guide to the Perfect Crowd-Pleasing Dessert

For years, traditional pie baking felt like an insurmountable challenge, filled with worries about soggy bottoms, unevenly cooked fruit, and finicky crusts. But then I discovered the magic of the slab pie, and everything changed! This incredible method has become my absolute go-to, transforming me from a hesitant baker into someone who genuinely enjoys creating beautiful, delicious pies. With this Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie recipe, you too can conquer your pie-baking fears and perfect a dessert that will earn rave reviews. Imagine: a wonderfully crisp bottom crust, a perfectly cooked, tender apple filling, and a sweet, buttery crumble topping – a combination so texturally perfect and utterly delightful, you’ll be dreaming about it long after the last slice is gone!

What makes a slab pie truly exceptional is its design. Unlike a traditional round pie, a slab pie is baked in a larger, shallower rectangular pan, typically a quarter sheet pan. This design offers a more even layer of fruit, which is crucial for uniform cooking. The shallow depth ensures that the apples cook through perfectly without becoming mushy, and it allows the bottom crust to get wonderfully crisp and flaky – no more dreaded soggy bottoms! Even Mary Berry herself would approve of this flawless technique. Plus, its rectangular shape makes it incredibly easy to slice and serve a crowd, making it ideal for gatherings, holidays, or any time you need a generous dessert.

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Mastering the Filling: A Game-Changing Technique

One of the most valuable techniques I’ve adopted for any apple pie, and especially for this Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie, is pre-cooking the apple filling. I first learned this method while meticulously cooking my way through the Magnolia Table Cookbook in 2018/19, and it has since become an indispensable step in my pie-making process. This technique guarantees that your fruit will cook evenly, ensuring every bite is tender and consistently flavored. More importantly, it allows you to control the texture and thickness of the liquid, preventing a watery pie and creating a beautifully cohesive filling.

Pre-cooking the apples allows them to release their natural juices, which then combine with the sugars and flour (or other thickeners) to form a rich, caramelized sauce right on the stovetop. This means the filling thickens before it even goes into the oven, eliminating the guesswork often associated with raw apple fillings that can result in either too much liquid or undercooked fruit. This simple step has truly helped me, someone who admittedly struggled with traditional pie baking, perfect this specific slab pie over and over again, yielding consistent, delicious results every single time.

For quick access to the full recipe, including ingredient measurements and detailed instructions, use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or simply scroll to the bottom.

The next best thing about this particular Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie is its utterly delightful crumble topping! For a long time, I stuck to traditional double-crust apple pies. This was my first venture into an apple pie that wasn’t topped with another layer of pastry, and I have to say, I am completely sold! The contrast between the tender, spiced apples and the buttery, slightly crisp streusel topping is simply divine. It’s the perfect combination of classic apple pie comfort and the irresistible texture of an apple crumble. This dual texture makes for a truly dreamy dessert that is both comforting and exciting, offering something extra special with every forkful.

Crafting the Flakiest Homemade Pie Crust Effortlessly

Creating a truly flaky and tender pie crust at home might seem daunting, but I have a secret weapon: my KitchenAid stand mixer. This tool makes the process incredibly simple and foolproof, even for beginners. To start, I add all my cold, cubed butter and dry ingredients (flour and salt) directly into the mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, I let it run on low speed until the mixture resembles coarse sand, with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. The key here is to avoid overmixing and to keep the butter as cold as possible.

Once the butter is properly incorporated into the flour, I gradually add a small amount of ice-cold water, mixing just until a rough, shaggy dough begins to come together. The biggest benefit of using a stand mixer for this process is that it significantly reduces the amount of handling, preventing your hands from warming the dough. This ensures the butter remains cold, which is essential for achieving those coveted flaky layers. As soon as the dough forms a cohesive mass, remove it from the mixing bowl. A few gentle presses with your hands will bring it together fully, and it’s then ready to roll out immediately, or to be chilled for later use.

For an extra boost of flakiness, I incorporate a simple yet effective technique: the letter fold. After rolling the dough out into a rough rectangle, I fold it into thirds, much like folding a letter. This process creates multiple layers of butter and dough, which expand and separate during baking, resulting in an exceptionally tender and flaky crust. I repeat this rolling and folding process 2-3 times, allowing the dough to rest for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator between folds, or before its final roll-out. This chilling period is crucial as it allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to work with and preventing shrinkage during baking. Often, I’ll double or triple a batch of pie dough using this exact procedure. After the final fold and chill, I’ll divide the dough into discs, wrap them tightly, and freeze 1 or 2 portions for future baking adventures, making spontaneous pie-making a breeze.

Why Honeycrisp Apples are Perfect for Your Slab Pie

Choosing the right apple variety is paramount for a truly spectacular apple pie, and for this slab pie, Honeycrisp apples are simply unbeatable. As the name suggests, these apples are renowned for their incredibly crisp texture, which they maintain beautifully even after baking. Unlike some varieties that can turn to mush, Honeycrisps hold their shape, providing a delightful bite that contrasts wonderfully with the tender crust and crumble. Beyond their texture, Honeycrisp apples boast a perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. This natural sweetness means you don’t need to add an excessive amount of sugar, allowing the pure apple flavor to shine through, while their subtle tartness provides a refreshing zing that prevents the pie from being overly sweet. Their juiciness also contributes to the rich, caramelized filling without making it watery.

While Honeycrisp apples are my top recommendation, if they’re not readily available, you can substitute them with other firm, sweet-tart varieties such as Granny Smith (for more tartness), Fuji, Braeburn, or a mix of several different types to achieve a complex flavor profile. No matter which apples you choose, ensuring they are firm and capable of holding their structure during baking is key to a successful and satisfying pie experience.

Assembling and Baking Your Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie

Once your flaky pie crust is prepared and gently pressed into the bottom of a quarter sheet pan, and your pre-cooked apple filling is ready, assembly is a straightforward and rewarding process. Spread the aromatic, tender apple filling evenly over the crust, ensuring it reaches all corners of the pan. This thin, even layer is one of the slab pie’s greatest strengths, promoting consistent baking and flavor distribution. Next, generously sprinkle the prepared crumble topping over the apples, covering them completely. The anticipation builds as you prepare it for the oven!

Bake your Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie in a preheated oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 40-45 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the crumble topping is golden brown, and the apple filling is visibly bubbling around the edges, indicating that it’s perfectly cooked and caramelized. The aroma filling your kitchen will be absolutely intoxicating! Once baked, resist the urge to slice it immediately. It’s crucial to let the pie cool completely on a wire rack. This allows the filling to set properly, ensuring clean slices and preventing a messy, crumbly outcome. Patience truly is a virtue here, as cooling enhances both the structural integrity and the flavor of the pie.

This Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie cooks up so perfectly and beautifully every single time. All it truly needs to be an extraordinary dessert is a big, generous scoop of cold vanilla ice cream melting decadently over a warm slice. For an extra touch of indulgence, finish it off with a luscious drizzle of homemade caramel sauce and perhaps a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt to enhance all those sweet and savory notes. Don’t let the incredible bounty of fall apples pass you by – put them to work with this exceptional recipe today! It just might become your all-time favorite apple pie, delivering joy with every perfect bite.

Did you make this unforgettable Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie recipe? I would absolutely love to hear from you! Please let me know your thoughts and experience by leaving a review or comment below. Your feedback helps me improve and inspires others to try this delicious dessert. And for more delightful recipes and baking tips, be sure to sign up for my newsletter. You can also connect with me and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 1 Pie

Honeycrisp Apple Slab Pie

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
45 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 15 minutes

I created this pie with a friend while visiting Washington State at the height of apple season. I picked up the most perfect apples from a roadside stand and they gave this pie over the top flavor!

Ingredients

for the crust:

• 1½ cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, cubed and chilled
• ¼ cup Cold Water

for the topping:

• ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
• ⅓ cup Light Brown Sugar
• 1 cup Quick Oats
• ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, diced, cold

for the filling:

• ⅓ cup Granulated Sugar
• ⅓ cup Light Brown Sugar
• 3 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
• 5 LG Honeycrisp Apples, peeled and diced
• Vanilla Ice Cream to serve
• Caramel Sauce to serve

Instructions

for the crust:

1. In the bowl of your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, salt, and butter and mix on speed 1 until a fine meal had formed. Add in the water when you no longer see large pieces of butter and the dough holds together when pressed in your hand. Mix on low speed just until it comes together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface if you are ready to roll it immediately, or onto a piece of plastic wrap if you are making for future use. Press together a few times to warm slightly and bring the dough together fully. Roll out the dough and place it in the bottom of a ¼ sheet pan. This can be done ahead of time, covered and held in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to use.

for the topping:

1. In a bowl, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, quick oats, salt, and flour to combine.
2. Add the diced butter and press the butter into the flour mixture by pressing it between your fingers until a shaggy crumble forms. Hold the topping in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.

for the filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small mixing bowl whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a deep saute pan or small stockpot, warm over medium heat on the stove, melt the butter in the bottom and add in the apples. Stir the apples to coat. Add the sugar mixture and cook until the apples release some liquid and the sugar has completely melted. This is a short cook, maybe 10 minutes max. When the caramel has thickened it is done. Add the filling to the pie crust and top with the crumble.
4. Bake in preheated oven about 40 minutes until the filling just begins to bubble around the edges. Remove the pie from the oven and let cool completely before cutting. Cut the pie into 9 equal pieces and serve with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 grams

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 355Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 3gSugar: 32gProtein: 4g

This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.

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