Apple Pie Bars Recipe | My Baking Addiction (2024)

FAQs

What are the best apples for pies? ›

Should you cook the apples before baking apple pie? You don't have to pre-cook the filling before spooning it into the pie crust, but it's a quick step I recommend. Just 5 minutes on the stove begins the softening process, and also helps the flavors start to mingle.

Pay close attention to the apples you're choosing for your pie, as overripe fruits will cause your filling to turn mushy. Choose firm apples for baked pies to achieve the sweet yet tart flavor. Reserve those overripe apples for chilled pies or applesauce instead.

Yes; your apple pie will freeze beautifully and give you a taste of autumn well after apple season has hit its peak. Make sure it is sealed tight in an airtight container, and, if you really want to be thorough, put the airtight container in a large freezer bag.

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.

Honeycrisp (Sweet)

They're extra juicy and very crisp with a honey-sweet flavor that translates wonderfully into baked goods. AND they are the star of the show in my Honeycrisp apple sangria.

The Bottom Line

Glass pie pans are the way to go for the best pies, but it doesn't mean you can't bake pies in ceramic, steel, or aluminum pans, too. It just might take a little longer to get the flakiest crust in these other types of pans.

If you are making a pie with a crust you'll need to decide which type of pastry to go for. Shortcrust pastry is the best for pies that fully encase a filling as they tend to be firmer and less likely to leak. Puff pastry is great if you prefer just a pastry lid on top of the filling.

I think the peels add flavor and texture, and as you mention, nutrition. I leave the skins on, slice the apples, and soak them in cinnamon, sugar, and a little salt for a day or two. Then I drain and layer the pie with apples, cinnamon, and sugar several times and bake. I've never had complaints.

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven.

Why do you put butter in apple pie? ›

A: Dotting the top of a fruit pie filling with butter is an old habit but one that is called for in only about half of the pie recipes out there. Some maintain that the butter is for taste; others claim that it helps the filling set up, particularly when using flour as a thickener.

An unbaked crust will keep for 2 months in the freezer; a baked crust will keep for 4 months. To thaw a baked pie crust, unwrap and let stand at room temperature, or heat in the oven at 350°F for about 6 minutes. Don't thaw unbaked crusts; bake them right out of the freezer. Freeze a baked fruit pie for later!

A basic apple pie made with sugar will last up to two days at room temperature in an airtight container. Afterward, it needs to go in the refrigerator and will last for up to two days. Apple pie made with a sugar substitute or without sugar will last up to two days in the fridge.

Frozen apples should last up to a year and can be tossed with the other pie filling ingredients to go directly into the pie without needing to be defrosted first.

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.

The Honeycrisp apple is one of the sweeter varieties, so it definitely is not lacking in the flavor department. They stay relatively firm, although less so than the Granny Smiths, and this makes them a great combination of flavor and texture for your pies.