Love apple pie? This Sheet Pan Apple Pie is for you! It feeds a crowd, is easy to make and everyone will love it!
I love warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream! I think it should be eaten year round, not just for Thanksgiving! Having a BBQ? Celebrating the 4th of July? What better dessert to celebrate with than Apple Pie! Chances are you are feeding a crowd (even for Thanksgiving), so make your apple pie in a sheet pan! You can feed more people and it is still traditional apple pie!
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The (Half) Sheet Pan
Sheet Pan Apple pie is baked in a half sheet pan, not an entire sheet pan, not a jelly roll pan. If you have made my Peanut Butter Fingers, Banana Bars, Lemon Sheet Cake or Pumpkin Bars, you know I use a half sheet pan.
Did you know that a half sheet pan is actually a little different than a jelly roll pan? It seems like everyone says jelly roll pan and many times they mean a half sheet pan. There is actually a bit of a difference. The jelly roll pan is typically a sheet pan or baking sheet that is rimmed and measures about 10×15 inches. While a half sheet pan (what I always use- I don’t even own a jelly roll pan) is rimmed and measures about 13×18 inches.
So will this make a difference in your baking? The pan sizes may not seem like a huge difference but when baking cakes or cookie bars, it can effect your final product. The baking time may need adjusted in a smaller jelly roll pan. If using a jelly roll pan when it asks for a half sheet pan, means you could end up with a thicker, cake that make not bake completely if you use a jelly roll pan that is smaller. So double check your pan! This recipe, as well as my others use a half sheet pan.
Here is a link for the half sheet pans/baking sheets I have and love:
The Pie Crust for Sheet Pan Apple Pie
I use homemade pie crust for this Sheet Pan Apple Pie. I have never really ventured out in the world of baking pie crusts. This one is a good one, I like it, it is super yummy, maybe there is a better one out there, but I like this one so I stick with it. Maybe one day I will read up and venture out there and try some different methods, but this recipe is what I like to use. (Feel free to use your favorite pie crust recipe, or even use store bought- you will need about 4 regular pie crusts for this recipe).
My pie crust is simple. If you are a beginner and have never made pie crust, this one is for you! You will use basic ingredients that you will find in any almost any pie crust recipe! Flour, salt, butter (cold butter) and water (very cold water). I also love adding a bit of cinnamon in my pie crust- but this is my preference and totally optional.
In a medium sized bowl mix your flour, cinnamon (optional), and salt.
Cut your butter into small cubes. Make sure your butter is cold. Add it to the flour mixture.
Then taking 2 forks, a pastry blender or your hands (I start with forks and end up using my hands), mix the cold butter into the flour. It take a bit of work…keep at it! It should look like powdery balls of butter.
Measure your water and put an ice cube (or 2) in it to make it super cold. Before adding your water into the dough, dump out the ice cubes and make sure your measurement is correct (the ice cubes will melt giving you more water than the recipe calls for).
Add your cold water and mix again. Keep mixing, and kneading the dough until the butter is all mixed in. It should be a pretty smooth ball of pie crust dough.
You may ask me, is this the correct way to make pie crust? Maybe your grandma, neighbor or mom, makes it different. I do not claim to be a pie crust professional – never will- this works for me, I like the results and so I make it like this. If you have a tried and true recipe for pie crust feel free to use yours!
The Apple Pie Filling for Sheet Pan Apple Pie
I love homemade apple pie filling, but I am already putting work into making homemade pie crust. So I cut corners and use canned apple pie filling. I don’t mind canned filling, the crust is the best part in my opinion, so I don’t waste my time. But just like the pie crust, if you have a tried and true apple pie filling that is made from, scratch, go for it!
You will need 4 cans of pie filling for this Sheet Pan Apple Pie!
Making the Pie – The Pie Crust
Divide your dough into two pieces. One piece should be larger (about 2/3 of the dough), the other about 1/3 of the dough.
Lightly flour your surface and then take your larger ball of pie crust dough and roll it out into a really large rectangle. You will need it to be larger than your half sheet pan. If you are reading this blog post, you know that a half sheet pan measures 13×18…so aim for your rectangle crust to be larger than that by a few extra inches. I make mine about 16×21…giving me about 3 inches extra all around. This way the pie crust fills not only the bottom of the sheet pan, but will cover the sides as well.
When I am rolling my crust out, I put the pan on top of the crust to make sure I have plenty of room around it. Keep rolling to make sure it is large enough. Your crust needs to be pretty thin, about 1/8 inch thick.
TIP: If you find you don’t have enough dough to make the crust large enough, take some from your other portion of dough and roll it into the rectangle.
The rest of the dough will be added on top.
Making the Sheet Pan Apple Pie
You have your crust rolled out into a large rectangle and need to get it in your sheet pan. Gently fold up the crust and then lay it in your greased sheet (half) pan. Then unfold it, making sure there is enough pie crust around all edges. Gently press the crust into the pan. Leave the extra crust hanging off the edges of the pan.
Next, spread the apple pie filling on the crust in the pan.
Pie Crust Topping
The top of the apple pie is so much fun! I do a little weaving action/lattice on top. It is very apple pie-ish and then you can see all the juicy apple pie filling peek through!
Creating the lattice work on top is a bit time consuming but so worth it.
Take your remaining pie crust and roll it out into a rectangle. Try and get it as long as the pan, because you will cut it into strips. You don’t need as large of a piece, so just worry about length. You aren’t covering the entire top of the pie, so your piece doesn’t need to be as big.
Cut the pie crust into strips. The width doesn’t really matter. Your strips will be spaced out. I usually need about 7 strips that are as long as the pan and 9 that are the width of the pan.
Then take the longer strips and lay them out evenly spaced length wise.
Take smaller pieces (or cut the longer pieces as needed) and weave them over and under the pieces you already have down. You can fold up the ends to help you weave them over and under if it makes it easier.
NOTE: This can get a little messy but it is no big deal if apple pie filling gets on the strips.
Once you have your top weaved, cut off the large excess of pie crust around the edges and tuck the ends in around the lattice work. Mine never looks super perfect, but that is ok!
Pop the pie into your fridge for 40 minutes, or your freezer for 20 minutes to chill the pie. This helps the lattice top keep its shape while baking!
Brush the top of the lattice with some milk- this will help give you a brown color on your crust. You can also brush an egg yolk on the top of the lattice work to get a golden yellow/brown color on top. Either way works great, milk is easier, so I use milk!
Baking Sheet Pan Apple Pie
Your Sheet Pan Apple Pie needs a good amount of time in the oven, and you will need to adjust the temperature part way through baking.
Your pie will start out at 400 degrees and bake for 20 minutes. Then turn the temperature down and finish baking it at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the crust gets golden brown on top. Trust me you will know when it is done!
Serving Sheet Pan Apple Pie
I love Apple Pie fresh out of the oven with vanilla ice cream. It is up to you if you want to let it cool before serving or serve it warm! No matter how you serve it you will love it and so will everyone else!
Try my Perfect Apple Crisp for another apple recipe!
Looking for other half sheet pan recipe? Try my Peanut Butter Fingers (a blog favorite), my Banana Bars, my Lemon Sheet Cake (half sheet cake), or Mom’s Pumpkin Bars.
Sheet Pan Apple Pie
Equipment
- half sheet pan
Ingredients
- 4 cans (21 oz. each) apple pie filling
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon *optional
- 3 cubes cold butter, cut into small cubes * 1 1/2 cups butter = 3 sticks
- 1 cup ice cold water *see notes
- 1 tbsp milk *for brushing on top of the pie *you can use one egg yolk, whisked, in place of the milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Grease your half sheet pan.
- Mix flour, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
- Using 2 forks, a pastry blender (or your hands), mix/cut in your cold butter. Mix the best you can. It will look like little powdery balls of dough.
- Add your cold water. If you put ice cubes in the water, remove the ice cubes and double check your measurement. If the ice melted, you may have more than 1 cup of water. Make sure to double check the amount and only add 1 cup of cold water.
- Mix the water in to the dough. I use my hands at this point. Mix it in well. The butter and flour should mixed in well.
- Divide the dough into 2 parts. One part should be about 2/3 of the crust dough and the other about 1/3 of the pie crust dough. NOTE: The 1/3 portion of crusts is smaller for the top because it is not a full top of crust. It will be a lattice on top with strips of dough weaved, so you do not need as much for the top.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger amount of pie crust dough. Roll it into a large rectangle…roughly 16 x 21 inches and about 1/8 inch thick. It needs to be larger than your half sheet pan. Place the sheet pan on top of the rolled out dough to make sure it is big enough. You need a large enough piece of rolled pie crust to fill the bottom of the sheet pan and cover the sides and still have extra hanging off the sides.*If you do not have a large enough pie crust and not enough dough to roll it out, take some from the other portion of pie crust and add it/roll it on the larger piece.
- After the pie crust is rolled out large enough, fold it up, so it's easier to move into your pan. Take the folded pie crust and lay it in your sheet pan and unfold it. Make sure to gently press the pie crust into the edges and corners of the pan, leaving extra hanging off the edges.
- Fill your pie crust with the pie filling, spreading it evenly.
- Take the smaller portion of pie crust and roll it out into a large rectangle. This will be the top of the pie! There isn't an exact measurement for the top. You don't need as large of a piece for the top. You will cut it into strips and weave the pie crust strips on top, making a lattice top on the pie. There will be space in between the strips so you need less pie crust for the top than you need for the bottom. You just need the strips to be as long as the half sheet pan. Cut it into strips, lengthwise, making sure they are as long as the pan. They can be as thick or as thin as you like. You will need about 7 strips that are as long as the pan. You will need about 9 strips that are the width of the pan to lay the opposite way.
- Take the long strips and lay them equally spaced out on top of the pie. (Lay them out the long way/lengthwise).
- Cut the remaining strips of pie crust into pieces that will fit the width of the pan. I use about 9 shorter strips. Weave the remaining dough, leaving space in between each strip, forming a lattice on top, going over and under each strip.
- Cut off any excess edges of dough around the entire pan, leaving just about 1/4 inch dough all the way around. Roll up/tuck in the little bit of dough that is left around the pan, covering the lattice work and making it look finished (see photos above).
- Place your sheet pan pie in the freezer for 20 minutes or the fridge for 40 minutes. This will help the lattice top keep its shape while baking. I always put mine in the freezer because its faster.
- Take your tablespoon of milk and brush it on top of the lattice/strips of pie crust.
- Place the sheet pan apple pie into the oven at 400°. Bake for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, turn the oven down to 350° and bake for an additional 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. The lattice topped pie will be golden brown when it is done and the apple pie filling will be bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm, or let it cool! I love to eat my apple pie with vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
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