Apple Slab Pie with Homemade Vanilla Glaze

Apple Slab Pie is my absolute favorite way to make apple pie for a crowd! Tons of ripe, juicy fall apples get nestled inside a cozy jelly roll pan, topped with sugar and cinnamon and all things apple pie. Pie crust goes over the top and we are on our way to one of my favorite autumn desserts!

Bake. Eat. Share. Repeat.

Continue throughout September and October apple season.

Summer is for peach cobbler but autumn? It's apple time!!

The taste of apple pie is near and dear to me...there's just a cozy vibe to recipes like this! For breakfast, I love to make Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal, but for dessert it's all about the pie...

Our kids love apple slab pie because it can be eaten like a hand pie. Come to think of it, it would make a great harvest and tractor dessert, too!

But I usually eat my apple slab pie with a fork, because it's usually warm and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

What is apple slab pie?

Oh, friends!!!!

A slab pie is made out of any type of pie - apple, peach, cherry, blueberry apple, strawberry rhubarb. You name it.

Slab pie is the best way to make apple pie for a crowd. Instead of a wimpy, little pie crust that can only feed eight or ten people, this pie makes 24 slices of apple baking slab pie in a jelly-roll pan.

You heard me right - 24 slices of fall deliciousness.

You can cut it into "slabs" aka rectangles. Squares work too. I've heard some people call these pie bars. That works too!

It's basically love on a plate, you know???

Even better, my version of this classic all American dessert is made easier with a pre-made pie crust. If you want to make a homemade pie crust, you go right ahead. As for me, I'm taking the easy path.

I wish I could claim this amazing apple recipe as my own, but it's all Mom. She's been making pie like this forever. And then, as if 14 cups of apple deliciousness isn't enough, she drizzles a sweet glaze over the entire dessert.

Clearly, to take your apple pie to the next level, you've got to make my Mom's recipe for apple slab pie! 

Here's why I love Mom's Apple Slab Pie

1. It's easier to make than a traditional pie.
2. It's full of apples and makes the house smell delicious
3. It can feed a crowd and it keeps well for days
4. It can be picked up and eaten meaning no fork required. Farm friends, you know this means it's a field meal, too!
5. The drizzled glaze on the top is like a kiss from the pastry angels. Or something like that.

Ingredients

There are no fancy ingredients here, just multiple kinds of sugar and apples tossed together with a little cinnamon and vanilla.   I like to use two varieties of apples for the best results and a complexity of flavor.

• sliced peeled tart apples - I like a combination of Granny Smith, Gala, Honey crisp, Pink Lady, Fiji or basically whatever I can get my hands on. Use leftover apples to make some cinnamon spiced apple muffins.
• lemon juice adds tartness and keeps the apples from turning brown
• vanilla
• granulated and brown sugar - because it belongs in pie!
• cinnamon - apples best friend
• salt - just a hint to offset the sweetness
• butter - to add richness to the filling
• milk - to brush over the top and add a nice sheen as it bakes

Glaze Ingredients:

It's a simple glaze here made with powdered sugar, water or milk and vanilla.

Pie Crust

You could totally make a homemade pie crust for apple slab pie, but I'll be honest. I don't.

I do this for a few reasons:

• apple slab pie uses more pie crust than traditional apple pie because it's larger
• it's convenient. Just set out the refrigerated pie crust about 30 minutes before you start to let it come to temperature. This way it won't crack when you roll it out.
• it's forgiving. I like to piece and patch the edges of the pie, so there's no need for perfection. Now we're talking!

Grab an extra pie crust and you can make my mini pumpkin pie recipe, too!

Recipe for apple slab pie

For the bottom and top crust, take two pie crusts and gently roll them out side by side. You'll fuse the crust together and work them into a rectangle shape to cover your entire jelly roll pan.

If it seems like you can't get the crust large enough to fit the pan, you can take scraps of crust from the third box of pie crust and patch them in where you need them.

Like I said, this pie is very forgiving. It's my spirit dessert.

Mix the apples, lemon juice and vanilla and pour half of the apple mixture on top of the pie crust.

Top with the mixed sugar topping and the remaining apples.

Roll out two pie crusts to make the top of the slab pie. Again, you can pull from an extra crust to make the full rectangle.

Use a fork to crimp the edges, brush with milk and cut several slits in the pie to allow steam to escape.

Bake for about an hour. Let it cool slightly before adding the glaze. Cut into pieces and serve. I like to add some ice cream to mine!

How to store apple slab pie

I like to loosely cover the slab pie with foil or saran wrap. It does not need to be refrigerated. it will keep for several days on the counter.

Random fact: Sometimes I store my pie in the oven. If you do that, be sure to take it out before preheating your oven. Ask me how I know (wink, wink)

Give my Mom's apple slab pie a try - you can thank me later!

If you're looking for another easy pie recipe, try my Mixed Berry Galette or for cake, go for my Old Fashioned Carrot Cake recipe!

Other fall desserts you'll love:

• Mom's Cinnamon Rolls
• Pumpkin Roll Cake
• Mini Pumpkins Pies
• Air Fryer Apple Crisp
• Taffy Apple Salad

Pictured below are Pink Lady and Gala apples. The Pink Ladies are a bit on the juicy side but everything firms up nicely after sitting a bit. 

As seen on Weekend Potluck.