Description
This apple cheddar pie combines a buttery cheddar cheese pie crust and a sweet gooey cinnamon apple filling. The pie dough must chill for 2 hours before assembling. Review recipe instructions and notes before beginning and use your favorite cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Cheddar Pie Crust
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 cup (4 ounces) freshly shredded cheddar cheese*
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust
Apple Pie Filling
- 8 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (10 cups, or 1250g, total)*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon each: ground allspice, ground cloves, & ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese*
Instructions
- Make the pie crust: Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter on top. Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or 2 forks (pastry cutter is ideal, see post above), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until all flour is coated. You’re looking for pea-sized bits of flour-coated butter. A few larger bits of butter is OK.
- Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 2 Tablespoons (30ml) at a time, and stir after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough comes together easily and begins to form large clumps. The dough will feel moist and a little sticky, but not overly wet. Do not add any more water than you need to. I always use about 1/2 cup (120ml) of ice water. Using a silicone spatula, carefully fold in the cheese. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Place pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Cut dough in half. Using your hands, flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, stir the apple slices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and 1/3 cup cheese together until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside as you roll out the pie crust.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Smooth out the edges with your fingers if you notice cracks. Keeping your work surface, rolling pin, and hands lightly floured makes rolling out easier. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. You can watch me do this at the :43 mark in my praline pumpkin pie video. (Also, for a nice thick edge, I usually don’t trim the overhanging dough from the edges of the crust. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a nice thick rim around the pie. You can do this before or after you add the top pie crust.)
- Spoon the filling into the crust.
- Roll out the 2nd pie crust just like you rolled out the bottom pie crust. You can simply lay the pie crust on top of the filling to make a double crust pie (slit a few holes in the top for air vents) or you can create a pretty pie crust design on top like a lattice pie crust and/or a braided pie crust. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. (Review my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial if you need extra help with this step.) Brush the pie crust with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. This adds a lovely sweet crunch.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). As the oven preheats, place your pie in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it cold. The colder the pie dough, the more likely it will hold its beautiful shape.
- Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30–35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.
- Cool for at least 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: A couple ways to make ahead of time! Make the pie 1 day in advance; after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared fillings can also be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowl | Pastry Cutter | Silicone Spatula | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Apple Cookie Cutter | Pastry Brush | Pie Crust Shield
- Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese is often dry, so I highly recommend shredding a block of cheese yourself at home—it’s fresher and a little more moist. Use your favorite cheddar cheese. I love white cheddar cheese in this pie or a combination of white cheddar and extra sharp regular cheddar cheese. You can substitute other cheeses if desired, but avoid soft or crumbly cheeses.
- Apples: For best taste, I recommend a mix of sweet and tart apples, such as 4 Granny Smith apples and 4 Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady apples.