Apple Butter Pie Recipe
This Apple Butter Pie is a rich and creamy dessert combining the deep, spiced flavors of apple butter with a smooth custard filling set in a flaky spelt pie crust. Perfectly balanced with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, this pie offers a comforting and elegant treat, ideal for seasonal celebrations or cozy gatherings.
- Author: Joe
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Pie Crust
- 1 (9-inch) spelt pie crust (see notes below)
Filling
- 1–¾ cups (470 grams/17 ounces) prepared apple butter
- 1 cup (226 grams) heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup packed (110 grams) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Pinch ground cloves
- Prepare the Pie Crust: Roll out the spelt pie dough to an 11-inch circle and gently fit it into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it firmly into the sides and bottom. Crimp the edges for a decorative finish. Prick the bottom all over with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Chill the pie dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Blind Bake the Crust: Preheat the oven to 375ºF and position racks in the middle and lower thirds. Remove the pie shell from the freezer, line with parchment paper, and fill with pie weights such as dry rice, beans, or lentils, pushing them to the edges. Bake on the lower rack for 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights carefully and bake another 5 minutes to slightly brown the crust. Set aside and lower the oven temperature to 325ºF.
- Mix the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the apple butter, heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, kosher salt, and ground cloves until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
- Fill and Bake the Pie: Pour the prepared filling evenly into the blind-baked pie crust, smoothing the top. Bake the pie on the middle rack at 325ºF for 45 to 55 minutes. The pie is done when the edges have puffed up and set, but the center remains slightly wobbly and the internal temperature reaches above 180ºF.
- Cool and Chill: Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours to allow the filling to fully firm up before serving.
Notes
- A spelt pie crust offers a nutty flavor and is a good alternative to traditional wheat crust.
- For blind baking, use pie weights like dry rice, beans, or lentils to prevent the crust from shrinking or bubbling.
- Refrigerating the pie after baking ensures the filling sets perfectly, resulting in clean slices.
- To serve, consider topping with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
Keywords: Apple Butter Pie, spelt pie crust, fall dessert, creamy pie, autumn pie, apple butter dessert, custard pie, spiced pie