Mile High Apple Pie
This Mile High Apple Pie stacks tender, spiced apples into a towering, golden lattice crust for the ultimate showstopping dessert. Every slice is packed with cinnamon-kissed apple filling and buttery, flaky pastry.
The Pie That Towers Above the Rest
If you have ever wondered how to make a Mile High Apple Pie, you are in the right place. This is not your average dessert. It is a mountain of tender, spiced apples stacked well above the rim of the dish, wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust that holds its shape slice after slice. This Mile High Apple Pie recipe is the one I turn to whenever I want a dessert that gets gasps before the first bite is even cut.
What makes this recipe for Mile High Apple Pie so special is the sheer volume of filling. Most apple pies skimp on fruit and end up with a sad gap between the top crust and the apples underneath. Not here. We are talking about five full pounds of apples, mounded high and baked until soft, jammy, and fragrant with cinnamon and nutmeg.
Before we get cooking, the right tools and ingredients make a real difference here. A sturdy deep dish pie pan is essential for holding all that Mile High Apple Pie filling without overflowing, and a good pastry cutter makes quick work of a flaky, cold butter crust.
Choosing the Best Apples for the Job
The secret to a great Mile High Apple Pie starts with the apples themselves. You want a mix of textures and flavors:
- Granny Smith apples bring bright tartness and hold their shape beautifully during the long bake.
- Honeycrisp apples add natural sweetness and a bit of juiciness that keeps the filling from tasting one-note.
- Avoid overly soft varieties like Red Delicious, which tend to turn mushy and collapse the tower of filling.
Chef's Tip: Slice your apples on the thicker side, about half an inch. Thin slices break down too much during baking and your pie will lose its impressive height.
Building the Perfect Crust
A good crust is non-negotiable for a pie this ambitious. Keep your butter and water ice cold, and handle the dough as little as possible. Overworking it develops gluten, which leads to a tough, chewy crust instead of the shatter-crisp layers you want.
Once your dough disks are chilled, roll one out for the bottom crust and reserve the other for a lattice top. A lattice not only looks beautiful, it also lets steam escape as the mountain of apples cooks down slightly, which helps the whole structure settle without cracking the crust.
Getting the Filling Right
The filling for this Mile High Apple Pie recipe relies on cornstarch rather than flour to thicken the juices, which keeps the sauce glossy and clear rather than cloudy. Tossing the apples with lemon juice does double duty, it brightens the flavor and slows down browning while you finish the crust.
Ready to make it? Here is the full step by step recipe:
Mile High Apple Pie
This Mile High Apple Pie stacks tender, spiced apples into a towering, golden lattice crust for the ultimate showstopping dessert. Every slice is packed with cinnamon-kissed apple filling and buttery, flaky pastry.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar, for the crust
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water, plus more as needed
- 5 lb apples, mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and sliced thick
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, for the filling
- 3/8 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 tbsp cornstarch, to thicken the filling
- 1 large egg, beaten, for egg wash
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar, for topping, optional
Instruction
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and half the salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter until pea-sized crumbs form.
Add ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough comes together. Divide in two, shape into disks, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the remaining sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, remaining salt, lemon juice, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll out one disk of dough on a floured surface and fit it into a deep 9 inch pie dish, letting excess hang over the edge.
Pile the apple filling into the crust, mounding it high in the center; it should sit well above the rim.
Roll out the second disk of dough and cut into strips for a lattice, or use a full sheet with vents cut in. Weave the lattice over the filling and crimp the edges to seal.
Brush the crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch drips. Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F, then reduce the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and bake for another 40 to 55 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles.
Tent the edges with foil partway through if they brown too quickly.
Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing to let the filling set.
Equipment
- Deep 9 inch pie dish
- Pastry cutter or food processor
- Rolling pin
- Large mixing bowls
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Wire cooling rack
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Mile High Apple Pie
Patience is the hardest part of this recipe. Cutting into the pie too soon means the Mile High Apple Pie filling will spill out in a puddle instead of holding its towering shape. Let it rest on a wire rack for a full three hours, or even overnight, before slicing.
Serve each slice slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or keep it simple with a dusting of powdered sugar. Leftovers store beautifully, loosely covered at room temperature for a day, or in the fridge for up to four days. A quick reheat in the oven brings the crust back to life.
This truly is the Mile High Apple Pie of your dreams, worth every minute of the wait.
