Old Fashioned Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe – An Apple Slab Pie With No Bottom Crust

Old Fashioned Deep Dish Apple Pie recipe is an easy way to make apple pie. This apple slab pie has no bottom crust, instead the apples are layered in a 9-inch baking dish with one crust layered over top.

If you’re an apple lover, be sure to also check out our Grandma’s Famous Apple Crisp recipe.

Old Fashioned Deep Dish Apple Pie Recipe

Winner winner, chicken dinner.

If you’re looking for a family-pleasing, mouthwatering, make your house smell divine recipe, look no further than this deep dish apple pie recipe.

It’s originally from my Betty Crocker lime green 1970s recipe box. And I’m telling you, this slab apple pie recipe is timeless. It tastes just as good today as it did 50 years ago.

My oldest jumped up and down in glee when she came home from basketball practice, and that wonderful cinnamon and nutmeg fall aroma hit her nose. She is a huge fan of fruit desserts, and she gave this pie two thumbs up.

Homemade Apple Slab Pie Ingredient List

• Peeled and Sliced Apples
• Sugar
• Flour
• Ground Nutmeg
• Ground Cinnamon
• Salt
• Butter (or margarine)
• Crust Ingredients (or substitute one pre-made pie crust)

Crust Ingredients (or substitute one pre-made pie crust)

• Shortening
• All Purpose Flour
• Salt
• Water

An Apple Slab Pie With No Bottom Crust

First off, we need to clear up a few things.

What is apple slab pie?

A slab apple pie is a pie that isn’t made in the traditional 9 inch pie round plate. Instead, this apple pie is baked in another vessel such as a 9 x 9 inch, 9 x 13 inch or even a sheet pan or jelly roll pan. This means apple slab pies are great to serve a crowd of people.

Often times, slab apple pies have no bottom crust either. The apple pie filling is layered in the dish first with just one crust over top.

Another great thing about slab apple pies is that they are “rustic”. This is perfect for those of us who haven’t really conquered the art of making a beautiful pie crust. Instead, the rustic appearance makes it more homey and inviting.

Rustic Deep Dish Apple Pie

You have some options when making rustic deep dish pie.

Do you want to make a homemade crust or a store-bought refrigerated crust in the rolled up form? I honestly do it both ways. When I have a little extra time, the effort involved in making the homemade crust is well worth it. It’s flaky and delicious, and honestly tastes so much better.

However, I also am occasionally short on time, and a rolled up, pre-made pie crust is a life-saver. No judgement from me! You do you, and I’ll do me.

How to Make a Deep Dish Apple Pie

Step By Step Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Peel and slice apples. In a large bowl, toss in mixture of sugar, ground nutmeg and cinnamon, salt and flour.
3. Pour into a 9 x 9 inch baking dish. Dot with butter.
4. Prepare crust (or use a store-bought, rolled up pie crust) by cutting in shortening to flour and salt mixture until small pea-sized pieces form. Add in cold water, 1 Tablespoon at a time until a dough forms and comes clean from the side of the bowl.
5. Gather dough into ball and kneed gently on a floured surface. Roll out into a 10-inch square.
6. Fold it over the rolling pin to move to the top of the deep dish apple pie. Roll under the excess dough just inside the edge of the pan.  Make slits in the top crust.
7. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, tenting with foil about half way through cooking to prevent over-browning.
8. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid. Store in the refrigerator to prevent mold growth.

For the full ingredient amounts and recipe steps for rustic slab apple pie, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

Recipe FAQs

• Use whatever apples you have on hand (Granny Smith, Jonagold, Golden Delicious, etc.) Just note, the sweetness of the dessert might vary depending on the variety of apple.
• You can make your own pie crust for this recipe which is super easy and yummy as can be OR use the store bought pie dough that comes in a roll.
• If you aren’t a fan of nutmeg, it could be omitted.
• The apples get completely cooked; so if you like a firmer bite to your apples in an apple cobbler or apple pie, either cut your apples thicker or do not cook as long.
• The pie crust will get too brown, so be sure to vent with foil about halfway through baking.

Homemade Apple Desserts

Apple desserts are a favorite in our family and we have many recipes featuring apples on the blog.

Minnesota Apple Crisp 

Red Hot Cinnamon Apples 

Grandma’s Sour Cream Apple Squares

Baked Apple Surprise

Fruit Dessert Recipes

Apples are not the only fruit we enjoy baking with. Check out some recipes featuring blueberries, strawberries, peaches and more.

• Peach Batter Cake
• Old-Fashioned Peach Cobbler
• Blackberry Cobbler
• Strawberry Pie
• Blueberry Brown Betty
• Mixed Berry Cheesecake Trifle
• Banana Bread