This warm cinnamon sugar apple pie is one of my favorite winter desserts to make! Made with just 6 ingredients, the filling is loaded with fresh apples, perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, and coated with sugar – baked and ready in under an hour. It’s refined sugar free and can easily be made vegan.
What makes this cinnamon sugar apple pie special?
This cinnamon sugar apple pie is the BEST! And for good reasons: to start, the flavor of this pie is unlike any other. You would never know it’s homemade because it tastes as good (if not better) than a pie from a bakery. The center is tender and flavorful, and the crust is flakey and buttery – making it the perfect warm cinnamon sugar apple pie!
Now let’s talk pie filling. The filling is *literally* packed with apples. I’ve doubled the number of fresh apples used for the filling to ensure that each slice is tall, has a rich consistency, and has enough apples to bite in. The filling is then perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg making it super flavorful without it being too sweet.
Last but not least, the crust. For a pie to come out perfect we need to have a perfectly flaky and buttery crust. Here, you’ll find the best way to get that perfect homemade crust!
The best apples for cinnamon sugar apple pie
Pies or crumbles are one of my favorite ways to use seasonal fruits. This year with the apple season I also enjoyed making my gluten free apple crisp which is definitely to die for!
There are different apple varieties, but I’ve found the ones that work best for baked desserts must be:
- Extra crisp – to get those nice clean slices of pie
- Always firm – to hold their shape well when baked
To know how to pick the perfect apple just check the apple’s firmness: pick up the apple and gently press on the skin to make sure it’s firm to the touch. You should always avoid using apples that are soft, mushy, or indent easily.
How to make perfect homemade buttery and flaky pie crust
This pie crust is made with just a few ingredients: flour, salt, cold water, and cold butter. Getting a perfectly homemade pie crust is really as easy as following a single tip: keep your butter cold. Butter is what makes the pie crust tasty and COLD butter is what makes it flaky. When adding the butter into the flour, it’s okay to have some larger pieces of butter – pea-sized is perfect.
Next, we add ice water. Ice water is used to hydrate the dough, by gradually adding water until we reach the right consistency. The right consistency should be moldable and should not stick between your fingers. It should come together easy AND not be too dry nor too sticky. Roll the dough into a ball.
We then cut the dough in half and wrap each half of the pie dough in plastic wrap. The key is also to let it chill and firm up, for at least 30 minutes (or up to two days) in the refrigerator. This will make it easier to roll out the dough.
When you’re ready to start working your dough, take one half out of the refrigerator and let it warm up slightly around 10-15 minutes. If you start rolling it immediately, it will be too cold and it will easily break. Leave the other half in the refrigerator so it doesn’t warm up.
Top tips for making the perfect apple filling
The secret for the apple filling is to prepare it BEFORE the pie crust. That way there’s enough time for the apples to draw out their juices and decrease in volume. This is important to get that packed apple filling and no gaps in between the filling and the top crust.
Once we have our apple slices ready, carefully lay them on top of the crust on an even layer, arranging them tightly.
How to store
Room temperature: store your pie in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Reheat it in the oven at 300 F for 15 minutes.
Fridge: store your cinnamon sugar apple pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat it in the oven at 300 F for 15 minutes.
More dessert recipes to enjoy
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp (GF, V, DF, RSF)
- Bakery Style Banana Bread (GF, RSF)
- Lemon Zucchini Loaf (GF, DF)
Make sure to tag me @cravebysaldemar on Instagram if you make this cinnamon sugar apple pie. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, the buttons above or below this post, or on any of the photos above.
If you tried this cinnamon sugar apple pie let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment/rating below! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!
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Warm Cinnamon Sugar Apple Pie
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 slices 1x
Description
The best apple pie recipe to make for colder days. Filled with apples for a tender and flavorful filling and a perfectly buttery and flakey crust.
Ingredients
Filling:
- 4 lbs (before cutting) apples
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 lemon juice
Pie dough:
- 2 1/2 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 3–4 tbsp ice water
To brush:
- 1 egg*
- Coconut sugar for sparkling
Instructions
Filling:
- First we’ll prepare the filling so the apples will have enough time to soften and release their natural juices. Peel and core the apples, then thinly slice them and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add in sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Using your hands mix the apples with their filling ingredients until well coated.
- Set aside.
Pie dough:
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the cubed butter and using your hands work it into the flour. You should be left with tiny chunks of butter – pea-sized is great. It’s better to underwork than to overwork the flour. Add one tablespoon of ice water at a time until the dough sticks together. Alternatively, you could always prep the dough in a food processor by pulsing until the mixture looks like wet sand. Then, gradually add the ice water until your dough comes together. IMPORTANT: do not add any more water if your dough does not need it. You should only add enough to bind the dough together.
- Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to two days).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pie dough into a large circle. Your dough should be at least two inches wider than your pie dish. Transfer to your greased pie dish and gently use your fingers to press the dough into the dish. With a fork, poke some holes in the bottom of the pie crust.
Pie filling:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F / 180 C.
- Add the macerated sliced apples to your pie dish. Do not dump them directly from your bowl. Instead, tightly arrange them into even layers to avoid any gaps in the pie.
- Remove your second half of the dough from the refrigerator and roll it on a lightly floured surface and slice into strips. Lay them on top of the pie filling and apply a lattice top. Trim the overhanging edges of the dough and crimp around the edges.
- Brush the top of the pie with egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp water) or melted coconut oil, and sprinkle coconut sugar.
- Bake the pie for 50-60 minutes, check the pie regularly to make sure the top does not brown too quickly. To avoid this, cover the top with aluminum foil. The pie is ready when the edges are bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
- Let your pie cool before serving.
- Optional: serve it with your favorite vanilla ice cream.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*VEGAN option: sub butter for vegan butter, sub egg for melted coconut oil.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
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