Apple Butter Pie

Smooth and creamy apple butter pie is filled to the brim with fall flavor, and takes just five minutes to put together.

This is probably the best alternative to pumpkin pie you will ever find. Full of cinnamon apple flavor instead of pumpkin, but with the same custard quality.

I do love my low sugar pumpkin pie, but this apple butter pie is one of my favorites lately. It’s so silky smooth, and perfect topped with whipped cream!

I love finding old fashioned pie recipes to make around the holidays. One that’s more popular here in the south is sweet potato pie, and because of my Amish background, I also love to make shoofly pie, Both of which are very economical for making desserts on a budget.

Apple butter pie is another one of those. Maybe because I think of apple butter as being old fashioned.  It’s kind of got that old fashioned feel and simplicity of ingredients, but it’s also luxuriously creamy, with a cinnamon kick.

Ingredients for apple butter pie

If you have few ingredients in your pantry, this is a great recipe for you! It’s so simple.

• Pie crust. I use homemade gluten-free pie crust. You can read about freezing gluten free pie dough here. I love how it makes allergy-friendly holiday pie making so fast and easy.
• Apple butter. I use my homemade instant pot apple butter, but you can use your own favorite, including store-bought apple butter.
• Eggs. Essential for a custard pie!
• Half and half. This richness and high fat help give this pie its silly texture.
• Sugar. Not a lot of sugar, since apple butter is already sweet, but a little.
• Cinnamon. For flavor.
• Cornstarch to help thicken the filling.

Tips and FAQs

Is this different than apple pie? yes, for sure! Apple pie is made with sliced apples, spices, and a thick starch-based filled. Apple butter pie is a custard featuring apple butter, which is cooked down, pureed apples – no slices.

Can I use homemade apple butter in this pie? yes, absolutely! I use this homemade apple butter recipe, and you can also use caramel apple butter, though the flavor and color is a bit different.

Can this pie be made ahead of time? Yes. Like many spice-infused pies, this one is actually more flavorful the day after you make it. You can cover the baked pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate is for 3-5 days before serving. This is a really good way to prep ahead for Thanksgiving!

What can I use if i don’t have half and half? If you have cream on hand, make your own half and half using the cream and milk. If not, evaporated milk can be used. If you don’t have either of those and want to use regular milk, be advised that your pie will be less creamy, and more watery. Some recipes also use sweetened condensed milk, but you would need to adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe as well.

Are there any substitutions I can make? Aside from the half and half subs already discussed, you could use brown sugar instead of white, pumpkin puree instead of apple butter, add some vanilla, and otherwise change the spices to your preference.  

How to make apple butter pie

The simplicity of this apple butter filling is really astounding. Here are the steps: 

If you haven’t prepared your pie crust, do so my rolling it out between lightly floured sheets of parchment paper with a rolling pin , turning over into a 9″ pie pan, and crimping the edges.  

Preheat your oven to 350º, then combine your sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. This distributes the cornstarch and makes it easier to mix into the filling without lumping.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs together really well.

Then, whisk in the apple butter and cornstarch/sugar combo.

When those are mixed in well, whisk in the half and half until all of it is fully incorporated.

Pour the filling into a prepared 9 inch pie crust, and bake in the preheated oven for about one hour. I like to put my pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips should it accidentally spill or boil over. 

It will still be jiggly in the center, but a butterknife inserted into the center will come out clean.

Remove from oven and let cool completely, The center will set up as it cools.

Serve with whipped cream if desired.

How to store leftover pie

You can cover the pie plate with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for several days. You can also remove the pie from the pie plate to store in an airtight container. I find that this pie is very sturdy, and hold up to being moved out of the pie plate quite well.

Can this pie be frozen? I don’t recommend it. The ice crystals that form during freezing tend to leave it watery and with a weird texture.

More recipes to enjoy:

• Sweet potato Pie
• Dutch Apple Pie
• Fried apple recipe
• Gluten free apple crisp
• Apple pie jam

Print