Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping
This easy apple slab pie layers a buttery homemade pie crust, spiced apple filling, and a crisp crumble topping into one big pan, perfect for feeding a crowd this fall.
Why This Apple Slab Pie Is Fall Baking Made Easy
There is something about the smell of cinnamon and baked apples drifting through the kitchen that makes a house feel like home. This apple slab pie takes everything you love about a classic apple pie, that buttery crust, the soft spiced filling, and stretches it into one big sheet pan so you can feed a crowd without rolling out multiple crusts. It is one of my favorite fall pies recipes easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for a holiday table.
If you have ever searched for easy apple pie crust ideas or recipes with pie crust that do not require a ton of fuss, this one checks every box. Think of it as apple crisp with pie crust, all baked together into neat, shareable squares.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sturdy rimmed baking sheet, a good pastry cutter, and quality butter will help your crust turn out flaky instead of tough, and they make the whole process so much smoother.
The Secret to a Flaky One Crust Apple Pie Base
The base of this slab pie is really just a one crust apple pie recipe stretched to fit a larger pan. The trick to a flaky crust is keeping everything cold. Cold butter, cold water, even a chilled bowl if your kitchen runs warm. When the butter stays in small, cold pieces as you mix, it creates little pockets of steam in the oven that puff the dough into flaky layers instead of a dense, crackery crust.
Chef's Tip: Resist the urge to skip the chilling step. Letting the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour relaxes the gluten, which makes it much easier to roll out and press into the pan without shrinking or tearing.
This dough recipe makes enough for a full sheet pan, but it is also incredibly versatile. You could use the same base for apple tarts with pie crust or even smaller hand pies if you want to switch things up later.
Building the Apple Filling and Crumble Topping
For the filling, I like a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. The Granny Smiths hold their shape and bring a tart edge, while the Honeycrisps soften slightly and add natural sweetness. Tossing the apples with brown sugar, warm spices, lemon juice, and a bit of cornstarch keeps the filling from turning watery once it bakes.
The crumble topping is what really sets this apart from other homemade apple desserts. Instead of a top crust, you get a buttery, oat-studded streusel that turns golden and slightly crunchy in the oven. It is essentially the best parts of apple crisp with pie crust layered underneath, all in one pan.
- Use cold, cubed butter for the crumble so it stays in clumps rather than melting into the oats too quickly.
- Press the topping down gently so it holds together once baked, but do not compact it too tightly or it will lose its crumbly texture.
- A light egg wash on any exposed crust edges gives the pie that beautiful golden sheen bakeries are known for.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping
This easy apple slab pie layers a buttery homemade pie crust, spiced apple filling, and a crisp crumble topping into one big pan, perfect for feeding a crowd this fall.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the crust
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cold, cubed, divided between crust and crumble
- 8 tbsp ice water, add gradually, may not need it all
- 8 apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works well
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed, for the filling
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, to thicken the filling
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats, for the crumble topping
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed, for the crumble topping
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 cup powdered sugar, for optional glaze
- 2 tbsp milk, for optional glaze
Instruction
In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 1 cup of the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a 13x18 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large rectangle slightly bigger than your pan. Press it into the bottom and up the sides of the baking sheet, trimming any excess.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, cornstarch, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly coated.
Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pie crust in the pan.
In a medium bowl, combine the oats, light brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 cup butter, cubed. Use your fingers to work the butter in until the mixture forms coarse, clumpy crumbs.
Scatter the crumble topping evenly over the apples, pressing gently so it holds together in places.
Brush any exposed edges of the crust with the beaten egg for a golden finish.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing into squares.
Whisk together powdered sugar and milk until smooth, then drizzle over the slab pie before serving, if using.
Equipment
- 13x18 inch rimmed baking sheet
- Pastry cutter or fork
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving, Storing, and Variations
This slab pie is fantastic served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or at room temperature with a drizzle of the simple powdered sugar glaze. Because it is baked in a sheet pan and cut into squares, it is one of the easiest fall pies recipes easy enough to pack up for a potluck or bake sale without worrying about slicing a round pie neatly.
Leftovers store well covered at room temperature for a day or two, or in the fridge for up to five days. If you want to get ahead, this is also one of those rare recipes with pie filling that freezes beautifully once baked. Just wrap individual squares tightly and thaw them overnight before reheating.
Chef's Tip: If your kitchen tends to run warm, pop the assembled, unbaked slab pie into the freezer for 10 minutes right before baking. This helps the butter stay cold and the crust bake up extra flaky.
However you serve it, this apple slab pie is proof that homemade apple desserts do not have to be complicated to be truly special.
