Prep Time:

1 hr

Total Time:

3 hrs 40 mins

Servings:

16

This cinnamon-scented twist on apple slab pie is a statement-making dessert that’s a natural for Thanksgiving dinner or a potluck. The same homemade pie dough forms the base crust and the topping—but the magic happens when a sweetened cinnamon butter is spread on half of the dough and rolled up like a log and chilled. The log is sliced into swirly rounds, and the rounds are shingled on top of the baking sheet lined with pie dough and filled with spiced apples. The pie is baked until golden brown and bubbly—and served to oohs and aahs from your eager guests.

Cinnamon Swirl Apple Slab pie — Will Anderson

What Is a Slab Pie?

Put simply, slab pie is the pie version of sheet cake, a large-format dessert to feed a crowd. Slab pies are generally made in a jelly roll pan (10 1/2 x 15 inches) or a 12 x 17-inch rimmed baking sheet. They are rectangular, rather than round, and the ratio of crust to filling is very different to a regular two-crust pie made in an 8- or 9-inch round pie plate. There is less filling to crust in a slab pie than a regular round pie, making it the dessert of choice for pastry lovers. When served, a slab pie is cut into square or rectangular portions and typically serves about twice as many people as a round pie. This one makes 16 servings.

Best Apples to Use

You need 4 pounds of apples for this slab pie, which may seem like a lot, but they cook down—and remember, this is a large-format pie. We recommend using a mix of baking apples, both sweet and tart, to provide more texture and flavor. Pink Lady, Granny Smith, Empire, Cortland, and Jonagold are all good options.

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 recipes Test Kitchen's Favorite Pâte Brisée, each shaped into a rectangular disk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons, refrigerated and cut into small cubes
½ cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 pounds assorted apples, such as Jonagold, Cortland, Granny Smith, and Empire, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch slices
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

Roll dough and line pan:

On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll one disk of dough into a 12-by-17-inch rectangle. Transfer crust to a 10 1/2-by-15 1/4-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly-roll pan and press into bottom edges and up sides. Fold overhang under and around edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Make cinnamon butter and spread on second disk of dough:

In a small bowl, combine room-temperature butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. On a lightly floured piece of parchment, roll second disk of dough into a 12-by-16-inch rectangle. Evenly spread butter mixture over dough all the way to ends, then, starting at a long edge, tightly roll into a log. Transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Bryan Gardner
Preheat oven: toss apples with flour, sugar, and lemon juice, then use to fill piecrust:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees with a rack in lower third and a foil-lined baking sheet on a rack below. In a large bowl, toss together apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar, flour, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and vanilla. Fill piecrust with apple mixture and dot with cold butter.
Slice dough log:

Cut dough log into 1/4-inch slices, rotating with each slice to keep slices round. (You'll need 63 slices total.)

Bryan Gardner
Arrange slices:

Arrange slices over apple mixture, slightly overlapping, in nine rows of seven. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Bryan Gardner
Brush with egg wash and bake:

Brush top of pie with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until top crust is just set, 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F and continue baking until crust is golden brown and juices are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Slab pie tastes best the day it's made.

Will Anderson

Extra Cinnamon-Swirl Slices

If you have extra cinnamon-swirl dough slices leftover, you can bake them on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 400°F until they become golden and crisp, about 12 minutes and serve on the side or enjoy as a tasty side to scoops of vanilla ice cream.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a slab pie always sweet?

No a slab pie can be sweet or savory, the slab pie name refers to the format of the pie rather than its filling. (We have recipes for Tomato Slab Pie and Spinach-Feta Slab Pie.)

How can I roll the dough out large enough for a slab pie?

Start by making enough dough for a slab pie; you’ll need more pastry than for a regular 8- or 9-inch round pie. Our apple slab pie recipe calls for using two recipes of our favorite pate brisée, for a round pie one recipe would be sufficient. Then you’ll need to roll the dough into a rectangle, just larger than the jelly roll pan or baking sheet you are using for the pie. Use a ruler to measure the dough to make sure it is large enough.