What is apple butter pie?

An apple butter pie is a smooth, spiced custard-style dessert made with apple butter instead of traditional sliced apples. The apple butter gives it a thick, creamy texture and rich, caramel-like flavor. It’s like a mix between pumpkin pie and apple pie—warm, comforting, and perfect for fall gatherings.

Why do you put butter in apple pie?

Butter adds richness and flakiness to the crust and enhances the flavor of the filling. In an Apple Butter Apple Pie , the butter balances the sweetness of the apple butter and gives the crust that signature golden, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

What can I bake using apple butter?

Apple butter is versatile and can be used in pies, muffins, pancakes, breads, and even glazes. It adds natural sweetness and depth to baked goods without needing extra sugar. For example, swirl it into coffee cake batter or use it as a filling in pastries.

What the heck is apple butter?

Despite the name, apple butter doesn’t contain dairy butter. It’s a thick, caramelized spread made by slow-cooking apples with sugar and spices until silky smooth. It’s used like jam but tastes deeper and spicier—ideal for fall desserts like Apple Butter Apple Pie or even toast and biscuits.

Apple Butter Apple Pie – The Best Cozy Dessert Recipe For Fall

Description

This Apple Butter Apple Pie combines the best of traditional apple pie with the smooth, spiced richness of apple butter. A flaky homemade crust holds a luscious filling of sweet-tart apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Perfect for holidays, fall gatherings, or anytime you crave cozy comfort in dessert form.

Ingredients

Scale

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
4 cups sliced apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
½ cup apple butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

Prepare the crust: Mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly, then add ice water until dough forms. Chill for 1 hour.
Make the filling: Toss sliced apples with apple butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, flour, and lemon juice.
Assemble: Roll out crust, place in pie dish, and fill with apple mixture. Cover with top crust or lattice.
Bake: Brush with egg wash and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45–55 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
Cool and serve: Let the pie rest for 2 hours before slicing. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Notes

You can use store-bought crust to save time.

For added crunch, sprinkle chopped walnuts or pecans over the filling before baking.

To make it vegan, use coconut oil instead of butter and almond milk for the egg wash.

Pie freezes beautifully—wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 320 kcal
Sugar: 21 g
Sodium: 120 mg
Fat: 15 g
Saturated Fat: 9 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 43 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 45 mg

Keywords: Apple Butter Apple Pie, apple butter dessert, apple pie recipe, cozy fall pie, homemade apple butter recipe, apple butter custard pie