Description
Homemade Brown Bag Apple Pie delivers classic comfort with a delightful twist, wrapping warm spices and tender apples in a crisp, paper-wrapped pastry. Bakers can savor this nostalgic dessert that brings memories of grandma’s kitchen right to your plate.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients (Filling):
- 6 cups (about 6 medium) apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
Crust Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (310 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Topping Ingredients:
- ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) unsalted butter (cold, cubed)
Instructions
- Craft a delicate pie crust by whisking flour, salt, and sugar in a spacious mixing bowl. Incorporate cold, diced butter using fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse, crumbly texture.
- Gradually introduce icy water, gently blending until the dough coheres. Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape into flat disks, encase in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a minimum of half an hour.
- Slice apples and combine with sugars, flour, aromatic spices, and citrus juice in a generous mixing vessel. Thoroughly coat the apple slices, ensuring even distribution of seasonings.
- On a flour-dusted surface, roll one dough disk into a circular shape extending to 12 inches. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish, trimming excess edges with precision.
- Elegantly spread the seasoned apple mixture across the prepared crust, creating an even layer.
- Prepare a rustic crumble topping by blending flour, sugar, and chilled butter cubes. Use gentle pressure to form a loose, textured mixture.
- Generously sprinkle the crumble over the apple filling, covering the surface completely.
- Nestle the pie dish inside a large brown paper bag, sealing the open end securely with staples. Position the bagged pie on a baking sheet to capture potential drips.
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Bake the enclosed pie for approximately one hour, allowing the flavors to meld and apples to soften.
- Carefully extract the piping hot pie from its paper cocoon. Allow the pie to rest and cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving, permitting the filling to set and flavors to intensify.
Notes
- Choose crisp, tart apples like Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for the best balance of flavor and texture in your pie.
- Prevent apple filling from becoming watery by letting sliced apples sit with sugar for 15 minutes, then drain excess liquid before mixing with other ingredients.
- Ensure a flaky crust by keeping butter and water extremely cold during preparation, and handle the dough minimally to avoid developing tough gluten.
- Transform this recipe into a gluten-free version by substituting all-purpose flour with a blend of almond flour and gluten-free flour mix in both crust and crumble topping.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg