Description
This Apple Butter Pie features a rich and creamy filling made from prepared apple butter, heavy cream, eggs, and warm spices, all nestled in a flaky spelt pie crust. The pie is blind-baked first to ensure a crisp crust, then filled and baked until just set, resulting in a luscious, autumn-inspired dessert that’s perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 (9-inch) spelt pie crust
Filling
- 1¾ cups (470 grams / 17 ounces) prepared apple butter
- 1 cup (226 grams) heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup packed (110 grams) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- Pinch ground cloves
Instructions
- Prepare the Pie Crust: Roll out the spelt pie dough to an 11-inch circle. Fit the pastry into a 9-inch pie plate, pressing it firmly into the sides and bottom. Crimp the edges as desired. Prick the bottom of the dough all over with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking. Place the pie in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill the dough.
- Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 375ºF and position two oven racks in the middle and lower positions to prepare for blind baking the crust.
- Blind Bake the Crust: Remove the chilled pie shell from the freezer. Line it with a round piece of parchment paper and fill with pie weights such as dry rice, beans, or lentils, making sure to push weights towards the edges. This prevents shrinkage and bubbling during baking.
- Bake the Crust: Bake the pie on the lower rack for 20 minutes. Then carefully remove the parchment and pie weights, and bake for an additional 5 minutes to lightly brown the crust. Remove the pie crust from the oven and allow it to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 325ºF for baking the filling.
- Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the apple butter, heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, kosher salt, and ground cloves until smooth and fully combined.
- Fill and Bake the Pie: Pour the filling mixture carefully into the blind-baked pie crust, smoothing it into an even layer. Bake on the middle rack for 45-55 minutes, or until the pie reaches an internal temperature above 180ºF. The edges should puff up and start to set, while the center remains slightly wobbly.
- Cool and Chill: Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate the pie for at least 6 hours to allow it to firm up before serving.
Notes
- For the spelt pie crust, a prepared store-bought crust can be used or you can make your own using spelt flour for a nuttier flavor and better digestibility.
- Blind baking the crust prevents a soggy bottom and ensures a crisp texture.
- Pie weights can be rice, dried beans, or lentils—just make sure to push them to the edges for even baking.
- Allowing the pie to chill thoroughly in the refrigerator before serving helps the custard filling set properly for clean slices.
- Use a thermometer to check doneness for best results; the filling should not be completely firm in the center while baking but set after chilling.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: apple butter pie, spelt crust pie, custard pie, fall dessert, autumn pie, apple spice pie
