Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping
This Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping turns classic apple pie into an easy, crowd-sized dessert with a buttery crust, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a crunchy streusel top.
The Easiest Way to Feed a Crowd Apple Pie
If you love the flavors of classic apple pie but dread rolling out a perfect lattice crust, this Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping is about to become your new favorite fall dessert. It takes everything wonderful about traditional apple pie recipes and stretches them into a sheet pan sized treat that feeds a crowd without any of the fuss. Think of it as one of those brilliant recipes with pie filling that skips the stress but keeps every bit of the cozy, cinnamon-spiced comfort.
This recipe blends the best of two dessert worlds. You get a buttery, flaky crust like a one crust apple pie, piled high with juicy spiced apples, and then finished with a crunchy oat crumble instead of a second layer of dough. It is essentially apple crisp with pie crust, and it might just be the easiest homemade apple dessert you make all season.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A good rolling pin helps you press the crust evenly into every corner of the pan, and a sturdy pastry cutter makes quick work of that buttery crumble topping without melting the butter with your hands.
Why Slab Pie Beats a Traditional Pie
A slab pie is simply apple pie reimagined for sheet pan baking. Instead of a deep dish, you get a thin, wide layer of crust, filling, and topping, which means more crispy edges and more crumble in every single bite. It is one of the best fall pies recipes easy enough for beginners, since there is no crimping, no lattice weaving, and no worrying about a soggy bottom crust.
This method is also perfect when you need an easy apple pie crust solution for a potluck, holiday gathering, or bake sale. You can cut it into neat squares instead of wedges, which makes serving a large group effortless.
Chef's Tip: Choose a mix of tart and sweet apples, like Granny Smith and Honeycrisp. The tart apples hold their shape during baking while the sweet ones break down slightly, giving you the perfect balance of texture and flavor.
Building the Perfect Apple and Pie Crust Combination
The secret to great apple and pie crust recipes is all in the prep. Tossing your sliced apples with flour, sugar, and warm spices before baking helps thicken the natural juices as they cook, so you avoid a watery, runny filling. A splash of lemon juice brightens the whole filling and keeps the apple slices from browning while you work.
The crumble topping is what really sets this recipe apart from a traditional apple tarts with pie crust style dessert. Cold butter worked into oats, flour, and brown sugar creates little golden clusters that turn irresistibly crisp in the oven, almost like a streusel and apple crisp had a baby.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step by step recipe:
Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping
This Apple Slab Pie with Crumble Topping turns classic apple pie into an easy, crowd-sized dessert with a buttery crust, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a crunchy streusel top.
Ingredients
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts, store-bought or homemade, one crust recipe doubled to fit a sheet pan
- 4 lb apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp works best
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3/8 cup all-purpose flour, divided, for the apple filling
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, for the crumble topping
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, for the crumble topping
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 cup powdered sugar, optional, for glaze
- 2 tbsp milk, optional, for glaze
Instruction
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) and lightly grease a 9x13 inch or half sheet pan.
Roll out the pie crusts and press them together into the bottom of the pan, patching seams with your fingers until the bottom and sides are fully covered.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with granulated sugar, brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly coated.
Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crust in the pan.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt for the crumble topping.
Cut the cold butter into the dry crumble ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the apples, pressing lightly so it adheres.
Brush any exposed crust edges 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 at the edges.
Cool the slab pie for at least 1 hour on a wire rack to let the filling set before slicing.
Whisk together powdered sugar and milk, then drizzle over the cooled pie if desired.
Slice into squares and serve.
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking pan or half sheet pan
- Rolling pin
- Pastry cutter
- Large mixing bowls
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving, Storing, and Variations
Once your slab pie has cooled and set, slice it into neat squares for serving. A drizzle of simple powdered sugar glaze adds a beautiful finishing touch and a little extra sweetness, though it is completely optional if you prefer a more rustic look.
For storage, keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days, or refrigerate for up to five days for longer freshness. A quick reheat in the oven brings the crumble topping back to life and warms the filling through.
A few easy ways to make this recipe your own:
- Swap in pears or a mix of apples and pears for a fall flavor twist
- Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the crumble for extra crunch
- Stir a splash of vanilla extract into the apple filling for deeper flavor
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate dessert
However you serve it, this apple slab pie is proof that some of the best homemade apple desserts do not require fancy technique, just good apples, a buttery crust, and a little crumble on top.
