Apple Cream Pie also known as a German Apple Pie- is the easiest and most delicious apple pie recipe you’ll ever make. With apples covered in a cinnamon sugar mixture surrounded by heavy cream, this pie is a favorite all year round. Plus it tastes even better when eaten cold!
It’s one that I originally published on the 4th day of my original 365 Days of Baking way back when.
Growing up, this dessert was at every Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration.
Needless to say, it brings back some pretty wonderful memories.
Family recipes around the holidays always make times spent with loved ones a bit more special.
Whether it’s Grandma’s cream cheese cookies, a slice of her Italian bread with the meal or her griddle cakes the morning of, these are recipes I love making for my children and passing them on to you.
Don’t want to make a full apple pie? This Mini Apple Pie Recipe is perfect and is even a great one to make with the kids!
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One of my favorite people – my mother’s sister, Jeanne, would make it.
I remember trying to hurry everyone through dinner just so I could get my hands on this pie.
I was mad if I didn’t get at least two pieces.
It was definitely the highlight of every holiday meal for me.
Through the years I’ve made it for my own family and they have grown to love it just as much as I do.
And believe it or not, now I’m even more happy that I can share it.
One of my favorite things about the pie is the way the cinnamon sugar mixture hardens on the crust as it bakes. YUM!
Also, feel free to use any kind of apples you wish.
I’ve used various ones throughout the years and always go back to my preference for MacIntosh.
Ingredients for the easiest apple pie recipe –
- unbaked pie crust –
- 8 medium apples –
My aunt’s original recipe called for 6 apples, but I’ve since added two and it definitely fills it out more and makes it even better.
I got even more praise from the family when I served it this way! - lemon juice –
prevents the apples from browning too quickly - Light brown sugar
- all-purpose flour
- kosher salt
- heavy whipping cream
Tips for making this Apple Dessert Recipe –
- Single pie crust –
The pie dough does not need to be baked first.
To save time, use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust as I often do or you can choose to make it from scratch.
When making the dough from scratch, give it some extra flavor by adding ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon to it as my aunt used to. - Apples –
there are a variety of apples that are great for baking –
MacIntosh – the kind I prefer for this pie. I like how they soften and the taste.
Cortland
Braeburn
Golden Delicious
Granny Smith
Jonagold
Honeycrisp
In other apple recipes, like this apple ginger galette, I chopped the apples. These fried apple rings are slices. In this pie recipe, you could do whatever you prefer. My aunt’s original recipe instructed cutting the apples into quarters, so that’s what I’ve always done. I also like the presentation and the bigger apple pieces as opposed to thinner slices or smaller cuts.
If you’re going to follow my recipe as directed and go with quartering the apples, you’ll want to place them evenly around the pie plate as seen in the photo above. This way there won’t be any places in the pie without apple. But on the other hand, I seriously doubt that would happen anyway because the apples cook down quite nicely as it bakes and fills any empty holes. - Baking sheet covered with aluminum foil –
Before I fill the crust with the apples, I’ll place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet covered with tin foil. There have been a few times when the cream has bubbled over as it has baked, and it just makes for super easy cleanup. - Slowly and gently pour the cream –
This is key to covering as many apples as possible. Doing it slowly also prevents the cream from running down an apple quarter, off the pie plate and onto the baking sheet. - Refrigerate for a couple hours after it has completely cooled, then serve –
The pie can be served after it has cooled completely or when it is just a little warm, but we NEVER eat it that way. I absolutely love eating this pie after it’s been in the refrigerator for a few hours and is completely cold. I don’t know, maybe it’s the heavy cream in it and cream is “supposed to be cold”, but the whole family most definitely prefers it this way, too.
What do I serve this pie with?
Um, nothing?
Seriously.
When eating it cold, it really doesn’t need that standard scoop of vanilla ice cream that you usually enjoy with a slice of hot apple pie.
But don’t let me deter you from that additional enjoyment of some ice cream or a pretty swirl of whipped cream!
I think this pie is pretty spectacular as it is and topping it with anything might actually reduce its’ greatness.
I love eating apples all year long, especially in any kind of apple crisp, like this over the top bacon caramel apple crisp or this easy skillet apple crisp.
Of course, you can never go wrong with an apple pie, especially when it’s a French Apple Pie! Lots of apples and a brown sugar streusel will make everyone want a second piece.
Another dessert favorite around here are these caramel apple cheesecake bars.
We also love eating caramel apples, but I like the inside out caramel apples even better!
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Apple Cream Pie
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pie shell made from scratch or store bought
- 8 Medium Apples my personal preference is MacIntosh, but feel free to use your favorite
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining it with a piece of aluminum foil. This will allow for easy clean-up should the pie bubble over.
- In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- Cut the apples into quarters, peel and seed. Then put them into a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle lemon juice over apples, toss to completely cover and place all of the apple quarters into the pie shell so that they are evenly distributed.
- Sprinkle them with 3/4 of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Gently and slowly pour the cream over as many of the apples as you can, then cover with remaining dry ingredients.
- Bake at 400° for 10 minutes.
- Lower the oven heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 45 – 60 minutes or until apples are tender.
- Pie tastes best after it has been refrigerated for a couple of hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Do you think you could substitute blueberries? I had a blueberry pie that sounds like this years ago, and It was amazing.
Mary, that’s very interesting as I’ve never heard of a Blueberry Cream Pie. I would do a Google search to see if there’s a recipe for it as I honestly don’t know about substituting the blueberries for the apples.
Hi I was thinking the same substituting mixed fruit, black berries, blueberries, strawberries!
Does it get the crust soggy?
Faye,
the crust does get soggy, but the pie is so good that whenever I serve it, no one ever seems to mind.
You might be able to rub the inside of the pie crust with melted butter to create a fat barrier that would reduce the bottom crust getting as soggy.
I am so excited to have found this recipe! I had it about thirty years ago but lost it in a move. I have searched for it online but never found the right one. This is seriously the most delicious apple pie and it is so easy to make too. You made my day…thank you!
Yay, Lisa!!! I’m SO psyched you found it!! I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost it as it one of my favorites, too! Enjoy every single bite, girl!!
I have 2 of these in the oven right now, and I can’t wait to try them because they smell sooo good! I used Honey Crisps that weighed one pound each, so 3 apples per pie were plenty. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much, Cindy! I hope you enjoyed them. Sounds like some pretty big and delicious apples. I’m sure the pie was incredible!
I’m making this for the third time today!! So good and So easy! I always make a homemade crust. It’s even better the next day after it’s been refrigerated overnight. Thanks for sharing!
Melissa, that is SO awesome to hear! I am so glad and it sounds like you love it just as much as I do. Thanks for taking the time to let me know and I appreciate the rating! ❤️
This pie is delicious! It’s hard to mess up. I didn’t have a deep dish pie crust in the freezer, so I ended up using only 5 apples and 2/3rds of the sugar mix. I still put in the full cup of cream though and it was AMAZING. I’ll definitely make this again!
Rebecca, thank you!! I am so happy to hear that you love it as much as I do. For a simple pie, the flavor really is incredible. I HAVE to have it every Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much for the comment and the rating. I really appreciate it! ❤️
Out of this world wonderful! Never heard of it before but just had the ingredients. Second time switched it up using phyllo w/2 layers for family who dont like soggy crusts-amazingly yummy! Doubled the recipe for the ‘baklava; version. Thank you so much!
This recipe is perfection. It’s the best apple pie I have ever tasted. It’s delicious and very easy to make!
Lovely pie. But one question. When I made the pie, the apple watered out the cream the day after. Is that normal? How fat is the cream you use? maybe I can ad an egg or two?
Jens, the liquid is completely normal. There is obviously no thickener such as cornstarch or flour used to help absorb the liquid, but I will give that a try the next time I make this pie and report back. I don’t think adding eggs to the recipe would be the solution. Since it’s a family recipe, it’s just something that has always happened when my aunt or I have made the pie and was something I never questioned.
Would this work with a graham cracker crust as well? It looks delicious!
Natali, I have never tried it with a graham cracker crust, but with that being said, I don’t see why it wouldn’t. If you make it, I’d love to hear what you think as others might want to use that crust as well.
This is really easy Peasy an delicious thank you for sharing
Debby, thank you so much, I’m thrilled to hear you enjoyed one of my favorite recipes!
Excellent. Have made similar with peaches, but love it with apples now too.