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Have you tried a German Apple Pie? This is an apple pie like no other you’ve tasted.
With little more than fresh apples, cream, sugar, and spices this pie is loaded with so much flavor you’ll hardly believe how easy it is to make.
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This apple pie has the distinction of being not only the most memorable apple pie I have eaten but also being the easiest apple pie I have ever made.
I had never made an apple pie with cream before this one and I was happy to find that the cream made the pie not only richer, but smooth as well.
I typically serve this pie at room temperature, completely by itself.It really does not require whipped cream or ice cream, although it is delicious with both as well.
The German apple pie will hold well in the refrigerator for several days.
I’ve been making this pie for a few years now and every time we make it, it receives glowing reviews.
If you haven’t tried a German Apple Pie, I highly recommend putting this one on your list for the holidays.
If you are looking for more gluten-free options, you can check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes here!
Kitchen Tips: I use this apple slicer and this pie plate to make this recipe.
This is the gluten free pie crust recipe I use most of the time. If you are not in need of a gluten-free crust, this all butter pie crust recipe here is a great alternative.
German Apple Pie Recipe
- Press the pie crust into the bottom of a deep 9″ pie plate. Crimp the edges (if you are feeling fancy) or simply smooth the edges until they are relatively smooth.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients and sprinkle over the apples in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir to coat all the pieces and then place the apples into the pie crust. Pour the cream over the apples and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 55-60 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Awesome Apple Desserts
Warm slices of baked apples covered with cinnamon brown sugar streusel topping are all that’s required to make an old-fashioned apple crisp. This crisp recipe is not at all soupy, with soft apples covered with just enough crunchy topping to make it perfect.
For a terrific dessert that will feed a crowd, try an Apple Slab Pie too.
Tart cranberries and apples are mixed with brown sugar and spices to fill this flaky buttery crust and make this Cranberry Apple Tart.
Chewy edges, crazy moist blondies, and a crackling crust add up to these mouthwatering, slightly sweet Apple Brownies.
German Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 6 medium apples peeled, cored and sliced, I used granny smith apples
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour*
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 prepared pie crust *
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- ¼ cup brown rice flour
- gluten free pie crust see recipe in notes
Instructions
- Press the pie crust into the bottom of a deep 9″ pie plate. Crimp the edges (if you are feeling fancy) or simply smooth the edges until they are relatively smooth. Whisk together the dry ingredients and sprinkle over the apples in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir to coat all the pieces and then place the apples into the pie crust. Pour the cream over the apples and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 55-60 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 12/11/12 – notes and photos updated 10/18/21}
I made this and it disappeared in a flash. Total hit with my family!
Sounds heavenly. Could I substitute Splenda for the sugar to save on some calories?
I don't know any reason why not, Susan. I've never cooked or baked with Splenda though. If you try it, let me know how it works!
I will Mary. Thanks.
Tossed a few chopped pecans & 8 gently pulled apart raspberries
what kind of apples were used?
have you ever tried it with other fruit?….wondering if peaches would work….guess i could try it..might be the pectin in the apples that helps with thickening..
Making it right now, and it smells delicious. Hope my family from out of state enjoys it!
My Mennonite mother in law always made this pie and called it Dutch apple but when I saw this pie, I believe this is what she made and I can't wait to try it. I have been looking for the recipe for years.
Wow – just when I thought I had my "fill" of apple pie recipes, along comes a recipe that is too delicious to be true. Can't wait to give it a try.
So, I often say that my husband doesn't cook. I also often say that I'm not even 100% sure he knows where the kitchen is. However, for some inexplicable reason he has started baking. (Okay, the truth is, a few months ago he wanted chocolate chip cookies. I had had a very long day, was exhausted, and the last thing I wanted to do was spend time in the kitchen. So, very uncharacteristically, I told him that if he wanted them, he should make them himself. And he did. That was the start of it.)
Anyway, I had a huge amount of apples to use up and you posted this recipe on Facebook. It was in my plan to bake it, but I was just so busy, that I didn't get around to it. Then, about a week later, I discovered that I had to bring dessert to a family Christmas dinner. I was working extra hours, but my husband had a week's vacation and he said he would bake a pie. I pulled up this recipe and asked him to make it. Not only did he make it, he made TWO and they were fantastic!
I may just retire from baking (okay, not really)!
Thanks so much for sharing. We all loved it!
I made this pie today and it was awesome. I used my own crust recipe and I pre-baked it for 15 minutes at 350 just to help the crust from getting soggy. I didn't have any problem with the crust getting too brown however I think it could have used more crust so next time I'll put some crust cutouts on top. I will definitely be making this one again.
This pie looks so easy and delicious! I've got a few apples in my fridge that are just calling out to be in this pie 🙂
Mary, I have followed your blog since my celiac diagnosis almost three years ago. Somehow, I never noticed your German Apple Pie Recipe. Here is mine. It is somewhat similar, but not exact. I am going to try yours, at least to figure out how to make ours gluten free. My mom’s side of the family all came from a small rural area in Westphalia in northwest Germany.
Grandma Hagemeier’s Apple Cream Pie
Diane Young Decker
I have never seen anyone make pie this way but Gage County (Nebraska) Hagemeiers. We assume the technique came from Germany. When mom’s brother Richard Hagemeier visits at Christmas, she makes two pies, one for Richard and one for the rest of us. There are usually several of these at Hagemeier reunions. Heed the warning about covering the edges; Grandma Hagemeier’s pie was always burned, but the filling was so good no one cared. Christmas at Grandma’s house at rural Pickrell NE would not have been the same without this pie.
When the family lived on the farm, this pie didn’t take much in the way of special ingredients. They always had a lot of cream as Grandma milked her own cow or two by hand and separated the cream in the wash house. She also made homemade butter and bread. The cousins considered it a special treat to get hot homemade bread with homemade butter and a little sugar sprinkled on it. Yum!
Peel and slice 3 Jonathan apples. Add 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup water to apples in a medium saucepan. Cook until apples are tender but not mushy.
Mix:
3 tablespoons flour
5/8 cup of sugar
dash of salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup sweet cream or evaporated milk
Put apples in a pie pan lined with unbaked pastry. Pour cream mixture over apples. Add 1/2 cup of whole milk and sprinkle pie with nutmeg. Bake in 350 degree oven for about an hour. You may have to cover the edges to keep them from getting too brown before the filling has set.
That’s awesome that you have a similar recipe and are familiar with this pie. I hope the recipe helps you figure out the conversion. It’s a great pie!
I just made this and it looks like the cream curdled. Could it be flour “balls” or can it really curdle?
Looks really good
This looks wonderful. Have you tried it with a crumb topping? I’m wondering if the cream would make the topping soggy.
If you’d like to add a crumb topping, I’d sprinkle it on after pouring the cream.
I tried to print this twice and could not get a copy – can you help me? It looks so delicious and would love to get a print of it!
Thanks very much.
I bake a LOT, and I make a lot of pies, but hubby and I agree this recipe just went to the top of the list. So good!! I didn’t need gluten free, so I used a no-roll pie crust recipe. Thank you for sharing your pie, it was a great surprise for my husband.
YAY! I’m so glad you are enjoying the apple pie, Leni!
There is no link to the gluten free pastry crust.
This looks and sounds incredible!!! Can’t wait to make it!!!
I hope you love it!