Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (2024)

Feb
24

Post by community member: murphala

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (1)

In the late fall or early winter when I was growing up, when it was time to use up those apples in the cellar, I’d wander into the kitchen to find big half-sheet pans filled with golden-brown apple slices. They didn’t last long in my house with brothers who ate their weight in food daily and a dad who worked hard doing carpentry work during the day and taking care of his corn fields, orchard, and gardens in the evening.

For many years, I would fondly recall my mom’s apple slices. I’d mention apple slices to people when they’d talk about apple pie, and I’d get blank stares. Nobody knew what I meant.

I was talking about these on the CITR forum and to my delight, at least two people knew what I was talking about. I think these are too good to keep secret. They masquerade as pie, but pie is good right out of the oven. So are these, but where pie gets all soggy the next day, these improve with age.

This recipe makes a big half-sheet pan full (18 x 13) or can be halved to fit a regular 9 x 13 pan.

Apple SlicesGlaze:

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 400° F. Core, peel and slice apples to about 1/4-1/2 inch thickness. I used the food processor slice blade to get these done, and they ended up about 1/4 inch thick. Perfect for getting them to cook through. Combine sugar, 4 tablespoons flour, cinnamon and mix with the apples to coat them. Set aside.

Combine flour, salt and shortening (or lard) and cut the shortening into the flour mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. Beat lemon juice, egg yolks and water together and pour over flour mixture. Stir to mix, until combined. Add additional liquid to get it to come together if necessary. The picture below shows how it might come out and how it should look.

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (2)

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (3)

Divide dough in half, with one half being slightly larger than the other. Roll out dough to fit the pan size. Don’t roll it out like pie crust. Roll or pat it into shape right in the pan! I have one of those double-ended rollers, with one end that’s great for getting into the corners, and the one you see below, which is great for getting the middle done. Spread sliced apples evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with any remaining sugar/cinnamon/flour mixture that might remain in the bowl.

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (4)

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (5)

Roll out the other half of the dough to fit the top. A trick: Since this dough is so hard to handle, I took another half sheet (same size) and rolled the top out on the bottom of the second pan. Make sure the pan is heavily floured. Roll it to size and flip it over to cover the top. Pinch the edges to seal and prick the top randomly with a fork or slash with a knife to allow steam to escape.

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (6)

Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (7)

Bake in 400° oven for 40 minutes until crust is brown and apples are tender. If you notice the crust becoming too brown too quickly, cover the top loosely with foil and continue baking. Remove and place the pan on a rack to cool completely.

Glaze: Combine milk, confectioners sugar, butter and vanilla until smooth. When the slices are cool, spread the glaze over it. Allow to harden. Note: This is the recipe for glaze for a smaller version, but this amount spreads nicely over the entire pan of slices. Do more if you like thick glaze. I don’t.

Alternative: Sprinkle with confectioners sugar while still warm.

Slice into 2″ x 2″ squares, or as big as you want ’em. Or as small as you want ’em. Feel free to enjoy a large apple slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or grab one as you run out the door because they’re really portable!

Really important: If you wait at least two, if not three, days to bite into one, the crusts begin to soften. Never soggy, just tender. The top crust is crispy-ish right out of the oven, but waiting awhile makes it delectable and soft through and through. You’ll see. Eat one now, and then wait. If you can.

Get the printable and save it to your recipe box:
Apple Slices

murphala blogs at Flour, Water, Yeast & Salt.

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Comments

16 Comments • Comments Feed

  1. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (9)

    Glenda says:

    This one sounds like a keeper. I am saving it for apple season. I have frozen slices….wonder if they would work?

    I hate soggy pie so this should be an improvement.

    On February 24, 2012 at 7:27 am

  2. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (10)

    Teresa says:

    Never heard of these either – but have now and can’t wait until fall to try these!
    Thank you for sharing.

    On February 24, 2012 at 8:14 am

  3. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (11)

    LK says:

    I use frozen apples/fruit in a traditional Mennonite version of this. There are at least 3 traditional versions that I am aware of. It is called Fruit Platz. The “crust” portion of it is very simple and you press it into place. I posted it on Farm Bell Recipes a while back. It is one of our family favorites and so easy to make! It freezes well too.
    I made it for a couple of community events and they loved it each time. It disappeared quickly! I thought that it was funny…one of the MEN even asked for the recipe! lol
    Hmmm…now I’m going to have to make some…

    On February 24, 2012 at 8:19 am

  4. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (12)

    BuckeyeGirl says:

    Also good if you put cinnamon into the glaze! We like cinnamon in our house!

    On February 24, 2012 at 9:51 am

  5. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (13)

    murphala says:

    Thanks everyone! Teresa, you’re welcome, Glenda you’ll love ’em, and I think frozen slices would work just fine. I think I would probably hesitate to use canned filling though. LK, is your dough similar, with eggs? Robin, I’m make some and bring you a sample. 🙂

    I don’t think it’s really clear but this recipe makes a big half-sheet pan full (18X13), and can be halved to fit a regular 9X13 pan. Enjoy!

    On February 24, 2012 at 9:52 am

  6. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (14)

    brookdale says:

    I was going to ask you about the pan size but you beat me to it! I’ve never heard of a “half sheet” pan.
    Could you put the pan size into the recipe? Thanks! Will definitely make this when the apples are ripe this fall.
    P.S. I like your little roller!

    On February 24, 2012 at 10:27 am

  7. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (15)

    murphala says:

    Brookdale, I’ll see what I can do to get that info into the recipe. Just after I hit submit on this, I realized my error and sent an email to try to get that put in here and the recipe, but maybe Buckeye Girl knows what I can do to make that correction?

    I’m making these again soon so I’m going to try some cinnamon in that glaze!

    On February 24, 2012 at 10:35 am

  8. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (17)

    murphala says:

    Suzanne, no sweat at all! I just imagined someone making this and ending up with dough for days (and a two-inch thick crust) and shooting a nasty look toward Indiana and saying “Why didn’t she TELL us!?” 😉

    Hope you all have a lovely day today!
    –Murph

    On February 24, 2012 at 11:37 am

  9. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (18)

    prvrbs31gal says:

    These are a favorite in hubby’s family. I use small jelly roll pan (I forget what the measurement is… 10×14? 11×15?). When I was at a bakery across from the Taste of Home store in Wisconsin, they were selling it as “Slab Apple Pie” and the glaze was so thick it looked like frosting. These are great for potlucks and cookouts, because unlike apple pie, they can be eaten without utensils. Yum-O!

    On February 24, 2012 at 1:27 pm

  10. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (19)

    bonita says:

    Thanks so much for the recipe. These were a childhood favorite and I used to hope that I would be sent to the bakery for bread on Thursday, for that was the day the bakery made apple slices. MMMMMMMM

    On February 24, 2012 at 4:27 pm

  11. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (20)

    whaledancer says:

    Sounds delicious. When you’re letting these age for a couple of days, do you refrigerate them?

    On February 24, 2012 at 5:38 pm

  12. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (21)

    murphala says:

    Whaledancer, I don’t, but you can! Usually they are cut into and about half gone by the next day. 😀

    Hmmm… slab apple pie actually sounds familiar to me (though we never called it that, I’ve heard that somewhere before!) The jelly roll pan (I don’t have one) sounds like it’s about right, only slightly smaller than my half-sheets.

    Bonita, enjoy! 🙂 My favorite getting-sent-to-the-bakery day was cheese strudel day! Mom couldn’t/didn’t make those!

    On February 24, 2012 at 6:52 pm

  13. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (22)

    andtat says:

    I made these by accident a couple years ago, because I was trying to make apple bar cookies, that turned into a pie, that turned into something much like this. I’m a bit disappointed that my “invention” was not so new after all.

    I highly recommend mixing sugar, Cinnamon, and brown sugar together and sprinkling that on top.

    On February 24, 2012 at 6:58 pm

  14. Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (23)

    cbfisher says:

    Made these tonight for my family. They were a hit! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

    Actually, I had already bookmarked and printed out the recipe, thinking it would be a hit. A few days later, my 21 year old daughter saw it (she subscribes to the blog as well) and immediately emailed it to me saying we needed to make it. Great minds really do think alike! ;D

    On March 12, 2012 at 9:45 pm

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Not Pie! Apple Slices! - Farm Bell Recipes (2024)

FAQs

How to stop sliced apples from turning brown? ›

To use this method to prevent apples from turning brown, create a water bath for your apple slices with a ratio of 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to 1 cup of water. Soak the apple slices for 3 to 5 minutes, then drain and rinse them. This simple step should keep your apples from browning for several hours.

What kind of apples are good for apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

What are the best apples for baking? ›

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

How to make thin apple slices? ›

To thinly slice an apple, remove the stem and cut in half from stem top to bottom. Then, take one half and cut slices as thinly as you can. A sharp knife is helpful for this job, and you can also cut the apple half in half again to have less fruit to work with.

How do restaurants keep apples from turning brown? ›

Packaged apples found at McDonalds or in your local produce section are usually treated with a solution of calcium ascorbate (a blend of calcium and vitamin C) or citric acid (found in citrus fruit) to maintain freshness and color. Both are very safe to use on fruit that will be consumed.

Which type of liquid will prevent apples from turning brown? ›

Results. Lemon juice, Vinegar, clear soda will all prevent food from turning brown quickly. These liquids are acidic, so they will lower the pH of the food surface.

Why didn't my apple crisp get crispy? ›

Why is Apple Crisp not crispy? Don't forget to evenly distribute the butter with the topping. That melted butter helps crisp everything up on top for the perfect texture and flavor!

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

Should I cover my apple crisp while baking? ›

Baking: Start baking the apple crisp covered with foil. This allows the apples to soften without any risk of the topping over-browning. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the crisp finish cooking uncovered. Once the juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender, it is done!

What happened to winesap apples? ›

Winesap was a popular apple in the United States until the 1950s. It stores well, and its decline in popularity has been attributed to the development and increased use of controlled atmosphere storage which allowed a wider variety of apples to be sold over the course of the year.

What are the top 3 best apples? ›

10 Most Popular Apple Types—and Which Ones Are Best for Baking and Snacking
  • 01 of 10. Granny Smith. undefined undefined / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 02 of 10. Golden Delicious. liaminou / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 03 of 10. Red Delicious. LiveFree / GETTY IMAGES. ...
  • 04 of 10. McIntosh. ...
  • 05 of 10. Honeycrisp. ...
  • 06 of 10. Gala. ...
  • 07 of 10. Pink Lady. ...
  • 08 of 10. Fuji.
Oct 6, 2023

What apples make the best applesauce? ›

The following apples are great choices for your next batch of homemade applesauce.
  • Cortland.
  • Golden Delicious.
  • Gala.
  • McIntosh.
  • Granny Smith.
Nov 18, 2022

What to add to apple slices? ›

9 Things to Pair with an Apple
  1. Sharp Cheddar Cheese.
  2. Almond Butter + Orange Marmalade.
  3. Plain Yogurt + Honey + Cinnamon.
  4. Cream Cheese + Sweet Pickle Relish.
  5. Ricotta + Lemon Zest + Chopped Pistachios.
  6. Balsamic Vinegar + Brown Sugar + Ground Pepper.
  7. Berry Vinaigrette + Walnuts.
  8. Arugula + Bacon.
Sep 10, 2020

How many apples does it take to make 6 cups of thinly sliced apples? ›

If the recipe calls for 6 cups of sliced apples, you'll likely need about 8 medium-sized apples, or about 2 pounds of medium-sized apples.

Can you slice apples ahead of time? ›

Your cut and sliced apples should be stored in resealable bags or airtight containers, then stored in the refrigerator for three to five days. Left untreated, the cut surfaces of the apples will begin to turn brown very soon after slicing. Before refrigerating, take a few extra minutes to prevent apples from browning.

How long can you slice apples before they turn brown? ›

It's a chemical reaction that happens when the sugar in apple slices reacts with oxygen. This process is called oxidation. It can be prevented by storing apples with their skin on and using them quickly. But if they are cut open or bruised, it will only take about 5 minutes for them to start turning brown.

Do apples turn brown so fast after cutting them? ›

Once exposed to oxygen, enzymes in the apple begin converting natural chemicals called polyphenols into 'melanin', an iron-containing compound that gives the flesh a brown, rusty colour. The reaction happens quickly, and so a sliced apple can start to turn brown in only a few minutes.

Why do apple slices turn brown so fast? ›

Why Apples Turn Brown. When an apple is cut, oxygen is introduced into the plant tissue and a chemical reaction called oxidation occurs. Apples contain an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase (PPO). When this enzyme comes in contact with oxygen, it turns colorless compounds into a brown pigment called melanin.

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