No need to make pie dough when you can make apple pie with puff pastry! The flaky, buttery pastry crust is filled with juicy and tender apples that are tossed with warm fall spices and brown sugar. Using simple ingredients, this apple pie recipe is easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for your holiday table.
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This time of year, give me all things apple, including moist apple cake and apple gorgonzola salad.
But, is it even fall is there isn't an apple pie baking somewhere?? Like many folks, I love a good homemade pie but I don't always want to mess with making pie dough. In this shortcut to making pie, we use frozen puff pastry without sacrificing any of that buttery, flaky goodness.
Make your life easier during the holidays and treat your loved ones to homemade apple pie with puff pastry. You can even assemble it ahead of time and bake it straight from the freezer.
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⭐️ Why This Pie is the Best
- Easy shortcut using frozen puff pastry (like in my blueberry turnovers and strawberry turnovers), so no need to make homemade pie dough
- Flaky, buttery pastry crust filled with juicy apples that are tossed with cinnamon, brown sugar, and butter
- Puff pastry apple pie with simple ingredients
- Easy enough for a weeknight but special enough for your holiday table
- Freezer-friendly apple pie
- Make ahead instructions provided
🍎 Ingredient Notes
- Frozen puff pastry - Can be found in the freezer aisle at your local supermarket; thaw the pastry sheets in the refrigerator or on the counter. Use it to make my spinach and feta quiche. Or, if you're up to it, make your own homemade puff pastry!
- Apples - When making apple pie, crisp and slightly tart-sweet apples are best. Think Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala when picking out varieties.
- Light brown sugar - Adds deep flavor with notes of molasses
- Fresh lemon juice - Brightens up our apple pie filling
- Ground cinnamon and ginger - Warm fall spices perfectly complement the apples and puff pastry pie crust.
- Cornstarch - Thickens the apple filling
- Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter helps to control the amount of salt added to our pie.
📝 Variations & Substitutions
- Vegan/dairy-free: Use a brand of puff pastry that is not made with real butter (most brands are actually made with oil, so it's not hard to find) and substitute vegan butter for dolloping on top of the sliced apples. The egg wash can be replaced with 2 tablespoons of plant-based/vegan milk.
- Gluten-free version: Substitute gluten-free puff pastry for similar results.
- Leave the skin on. Whether you peel the apple skin is totally up to you. Leaving it on provides additional nutrition, texture, color, and flavor!
- Spices. Use your favorite fall spices like, nutmeg, allspice, and cardamom.
- Make apple hand pies/turnovers: Toss sliced apples with brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cornstarch, and salt. Roll out 2 sheets of puff pastry and cut them into 18 equal pieces (9 per sheet). Top with sliced apples (around 5 slices each), then lift up all four sides of each piece and pinch to seal in the middle. Transfer to 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and brush with egg. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
🔪 How to Make Apple Pie with Puff Pastry
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper or foil on a baking sheet and set aside.
On a floured surface, roll out one piece of puff pastry until thin (around 10"x11"). Carefully transfer to a pie dish and use your fingers to gently press along the bottom and sides of dish. Using a fork, make several holes in the base of pie, then bake for 15 minutes.
While the base is baking, peel, core, and thinly slice the apples (about ¼") and place into a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cornstarch, and salt. Pour over apples and mix until apples are well coated.
Roll out second sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface.
Place coated apples into pre-baked pie base. Top with pieces of butter, then cover with second sheet of puff pastry. Use a scissors to cut off any dough hanging over the side, and use a fork to press around the rim of pastry, creating a seal for the dough.
Using a pastry brush or spoon, brush beaten egg on top and cut several slits in the lid. Place pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Loosely place a piece of foil on top and bake for another 10 minutes.
Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. Serve as-is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
👩🏼🍳 Expert Tips
- How to store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- How to reheat: Cover with foil and place in a preheated 350 degree F. oven (or toaster oven) for 15 minutes, until heated through. You can also microwave it, but the puff pastry will turn soggy.
- How to freeze: Wrap individual pieces of pie in foil and place in a freezer-safe container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and follow reheating instructions above.
- Chill bottom crust. If your puff pastry becomes sticky and warm when rolling it out, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking to firm the butter/fat back up again. This prevents it from getting soggy when baked.
- Make ahead instructions: After assembling, wrap (unbaked) apple pie in foil, place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake straight from the freezer, adding 5-10 minutes to bake time.
- Keep it cold. Roll out the puff pastry while still cold and slightly frozen. It will be easier to work with and you won't end up with sticky dough.
- Use the pastry scraps to fill in any holes in your pie crust - just pinch the dough together with your fingers.
- Let it rest. Let your pie rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it. This allows the filling to set and prevents a watery pie.
- Cut apples into thin, uniform slices that are about ¼" thick.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, just be sure to pre-bake it first. In this recipe, we pierce the base crust several times with a fork and bake it at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes. This prevents it from becoming soggy after the pie is baked.
There are two important factors to prevent puff pastry from getting soggy: One is to chill the bottom pastry in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking, which firms up the fat in the pastry. And the other is to pre-bake the bottom crust. First, pierce it several times with a fork, then bake it at 400 degrees F. for 15 minutes.
Pre-baking the puff pastry before adding your pie filling will help to prevent a soggy bottom crust. In this recipe, we pierce it with a fork and then pre-bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees F.
No, just toss them with a mixture of cornstarch, sugar, spices, and salt and add to your pie crust. The apples will cook and become tender as the pie bakes in the oven.
🍂 More Fall Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with me through social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook.
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Apple Pie with Puff Pastry Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9" pie plate
Ingredients
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 8 apples
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 egg, beaten
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place a piece of parchment paper or foil on a baking sheet and set aside.
- On a floured surface, roll out one piece of puff pastry until thin (around 10"x11"). Carefully transfer to a pie dish and use your fingers to gently press along the bottom and sides of dish. Use a scissors or knife to cut off any excess dough hanging over the side of dish.
- Using a fork, make several holes in the base of pie, then bake for 15 minutes. *If puff pastry is warm/sticky, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking. Use the back of a spoon or spatula to press down on any puffed up areas of pastry after baked.
- While the base is baking, peel, core, and thinly slice the apples (about ¼") and place into a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cornstarch, and salt. Pour over apples and mix until apples are well coated.
- Roll out second sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface.
- Place coated apples into pre-baked pie base. Top with pieces of butter, then cover with second sheet of puff pastry. Use a scissors to cut off any dough hanging over the side, and use a fork to press around the rim of pastry, creating a seal for the dough.
- Using a pastry brush or spoon, brush beaten egg on top and cut several slits in the lid. Place pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Loosely place a piece of foil on top and bake for another 10 minutes.
- Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the filling to set. Serve as-is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- How to store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- How to reheat: Cover with foil and place in a preheated 350 degree F. oven (or toaster oven) for 15 minutes, until heated through. You can also microwave it, but the puff pastry will turn soggy.
- Chill bottom crust. If your puff pastry becomes sticky and warm when rolling it out, place it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before baking to firm the butter/fat back up again. This prevents it from getting soggy when baked.
- Keep it cold. Roll out the puff pastry while still cold and slightly frozen. It will be easier to work with and you won't end up with sticky dough.
- Use the pastry scraps to fill in any holes in your pie crust - just pinch the dough together with your fingers.
- Let it rest. Let your pie rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting into it. This allows the filling to set and prevents a watery pie.
- Cut apples into thin, uniform slices that are about ¼" thick.
Barb Haner says
Looks really good!!
MaryAnne says
Thank you! 😍
Jen says
This pie is really impressive!! Everyone at my house loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
MaryAnne says
You're welcome, Jen! So happy to hear that it was a hit at your house!
Toni says
This is seriously amazing!! My kids enjoyed it and asking me to make it again!
MaryAnne says
Fantastic, Toni! Thanks for leaving a review! 😍
Angela says
LOVE the idea of using puff pastry for a crust! So simple and delicious. Thanks for the great pie recipe.
MaryAnne says
You're welcome, Angela! It really is so simple, and I love the texture!
Dannii says
My favourite way to make apple pie. So quick and easy.
MaryAnne says
Thanks, Dannii!
Claudia Lamascolo says
Fantastic flavors everyone took the second piece!!! will make again thanks
MaryAnne says
Well, I guess that's the true test of a good pie, Claudia!😂
Sue says
I had no idea you could use puff pastry as a crust for pie, this is blowing my mind! I'm going to try it this Thanksgiving, thanks 🙂
MaryAnne says
Hi Sue - yes, it really is a quick and easy way to make pie for Thanksgiving! Let me know how it turns out. 😀
Gina Abernathy says
Loved this pie! Every bite tasted like fall. The spices were amazing!
MaryAnne says
So happy to hear that, Gina!
Cindy says
Can you use prepared apple pie filling?
MaryAnne says
Hi Cindy, I have not tried this recipe with canned apple pie filling, but it should work just fine!
Carol says
What was the parchment paper for?
MaryAnne says
Hi Carol, the parchment paper/foil is to make for easy clean up. Otherwise, the baking sheet that the pie is placed on could become a pain to clean. That said, it's totally optional.
Mary says
Hi i was wondering if you could use this crust for a no bake cheesecake after baking it?
MaryAnne says
Hi Mary, I've never tried that. My only concern would be that b/c it's a no bake cheesecake, you wouldn't be able to re-crisp the puff pastry crust by sticking it in the oven the way that you would with a pie or another baked item. Let me know if you give it a try!