Apple Slab Pie (Feeds a Crowd for Thanksgiving)

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Coming from a big family, one single pie is really not going to do it. So that is where my apple slab pie enters the chat! It’s my classic apple pie baked in a jelly roll pan, so it feeds a crowd of up to 20 people, and it is absolutely delicious. If you love apple pie but never want to make two or three of them, this is the recipe for you. You get the same jammy brown sugar cinnamon apples and the same flaky, golden, all-butter crust as my classic apple pie, just a whole lot more of it. It comes together with simple, real ingredients, and it’s perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, or any time you’re feeding a hungry family. And if you don’t feel like making pie dough, you can absolutely use store-bought pie dough. There is no pressure here. I never want anyone to feel like they can’t make something because of one step. P.S. Cook the apples on the stove before they go in the crust. It shrinks them down so there’s no gap under the top crust, thickens the juices, and keeps the bottom crust from getting soggy.

Why You’ll Love This Apple Slab Pie

• Feeds a crowd: one sheet pan serves up to 20 people. No more baking three pies the day before Thanksgiving.
• Classic apple pie flavor: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a mix of sweet and tart apples.
• More crust in every bite: a thinner layer of filling means a better crust-to-apple ratio. Crust lovers, this one’s for you.
• Easy to slice and serve: cut it into squares and set it out. No pie server drama.
• Make-ahead friendly: bake it the day before and it’s even easier to slice.
• Store-bought dough welcome: homemade is amazing, but store-bought works too.

Ingredients for Apple Slab Pie

Here’s what you’ll need and why. Find the exact measurements in the printable recipe card below.

For the All-Butter Pie Crust

• All-purpose flour: the base of a tender, flaky crust.
• Granulated sugar: just a touch, for flavor and golden color.
• Fine sea salt: balances the sweet filling.
• Cold unsalted butter: the secret to flaky layers. Keep it cold until the second it goes into the flour.
• Ice-cold water: brings the dough together. Add it a tablespoon at a time so the dough doesn’t get sticky.

This is 1 ½ batches of the all-butter pie crust from my classic apple pie, which is exactly enough for a bottom crust and a lattice top in a jelly roll pan.

For the Apple Filling

• Apples: 12 to 15 apples (about 5 pounds). I use half Honeycrisp for sweetness and half Granny Smith for tartness and structure.
• Unsalted butter: melted with the spices to make a rich, glossy filling.
• Light brown sugar: gives the filling that deep, caramel-y flavor.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg: the cozy apple pie spices.
• All-purpose flour: thickens the juices so every square holds its shape.
• Fresh lemon juice: brightens the apples and keeps the flavor from tasting flat.

For Assembly

• Egg wash: one egg whisked with a little water for that shiny, golden, bakery-style crust.
• Coarse sugar: sprinkled on top for sparkle and crunch.

How to Make a Lattice Top for a Slab Pie

I roll the dough into two rectangles about 2 inches bigger than my jelly roll pan on every side. For a 10 x 15-inch pan, that’s about 12 x 17 inches. One rectangle gets pressed into the pan as the bottom crust, and the other gets cut into 1-inch strips for the lattice.

1. Lay half of the strips across the pie in one direction, leaving a little space between each.
2. Fold back every other strip, lay one strip across the other way, then unfold the strips back over it.
3. Repeat, alternating which strips you fold back, until the top is covered.
4. Trim the ends, fold the edges under, and crimp all the way around.

I use a ravioli cutter to get fun little squiggly edges on my strips, but that is not necessary at all. A knife or pizza cutter works great. Don’t want to lattice? Just lay the whole second rectangle on top, crimp the edges, and cut a few slits in the top so it can vent and doesn’t get all poofy. Call it a day! You do not have to be extra like I am. But I mean, it’s Thanksgiving, so you’re allowed to be extra. 😉

Tips for the Best Apple Slab Pie

• Keep everything cold. Cold butter, ice water, and a chilled dough are the keys to flaky layers. If the dough gets soft while you’re rolling, pop it back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
• Slice the apples evenly. Thin, even slices cook at the same rate and lay flat in the pan.
• Pre-cook the filling. Cooking the apples first keeps the bottom crust crisp and prevents a big gap under the top crust.
• Let the filling cool slightly before adding it, so it doesn’t melt the butter in the crust.
• Don’t skip the egg wash. It’s what gives you that gorgeous golden finish.
• Tent with foil if needed. If the edges brown before the center is bubbling, loosely cover them with foil.
• Let it cool at least 1 hour. The filling needs time to set so the squares slice cleanly.

Make Ahead for Thanksgiving

• Dough: make it up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge, or freeze it for up to 3 months.
• Whole pie: bake the day before, cool completely, and cover. Serve at room temperature, or warm squares in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Planning your whole Thanksgiving menu? My Baking Club members get my Ultimate Pie Guide with a full day-by-day Thanksgiving make-ahead game plan.

Substitutions and Variations

• Store-bought crust: use about 3 refrigerated pie crusts, pressed together and rolled to fit the pan.
• Apples: Fuji, Pink Lady, Braeburn, or Jonagold all work. Keep about half sweet and half tart.
• Salted caramel apple slab pie: drizzle homemade salted caramel sauce over the filling before adding the top crust.
• Crumble top: skip the top crust and cover the filling with a brown sugar oat crumble.
• Add-ins: stir a handful of fresh cranberries into the apples for a festive pop of color.

More Apple Pie Inspired Recipes

• Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars
• Apple Hand Pies with Brown Butter Glaze
• Fried Apple Hand Pies
• Salted Caramel Apple Pie Cookies
• Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls

Equipment You’ll Need

• 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan
• Rolling pin
• Food processor or pastry cutter: for the pie dough.
• Large saucepan or pot: for cooking the apple filling.
• Sharp knife and a pizza cutter or ravioli cutter for the lattice strips.
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Pastry brush: for the egg wash.

Apple Slab Pie (Feeds a Crowd for Thanksgiving)

My classic apple pie, baked in a sheet pan so it feeds a crowd. Same jammy brown sugar apples, same flaky all-butter crust, just a lot more of it. This is the one I make when the whole family is coming over. 

Print Recipe Pin Rate Remove Ads

Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Resting Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 3 hours hours

Servings: 20 servings

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 3 ¾ cups (468.75 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
• ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) fine sea salt
• 1 ½ cups (340.5 g) 3 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 9 to 12 tbsp (9 tbsp) ice-cold water

For the Filling

• 12 to 15 apples about 5 lbs, a mix of Honeycrisp and Granny Smith
• ½ cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

For Assembly

• 1 large egg + 1 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp coarse sugar

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make the Crust

• Combine. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
• Cut in the butter. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse about 15 seconds, until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
• Add the water. Add the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each, until the dough looks crumbly but holds together when you squeeze a handful. You may not need all 12 tablespoons.
• Shape and chill. Turn the dough out, divide it in half, and press each half into a flat rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

Make the Filling

• Prep the apples. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples, about ¼ inch thick. Halve any large slices so they lay flat in the pan.
• Bloom the spices. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Let it bubble gently for about 2 minutes, stirring, until fragrant.
• Thicken. Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture and stir for about 1 minute, until it forms a smooth paste.
• Cook the apples. Add the apples and lemon juice and toss until every slice is coated. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are slightly softened and the juices are thick and glossy. Take the pot off the heat and let the filling cool slightly while you roll the dough.

Assemble

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Roll the bottom crust. Let one rectangle sit on the counter for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll it to about 12 x 17 inches (2 inches bigger than a 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan on every side). Roll it loosely around your rolling pin, unroll it over the pan, and gently press it into the corners and up the sides, letting the excess hang over the edges.
• Fill. Spread the apple filling and all of its buttery juices evenly over the crust.
• Cut the strips. Roll the second rectangle to 12 x 17 inches and cut it into 1-inch strips with a knife, pizza cutter, or ravioli cutter for fun wavy edges.
• Weave the lattice. Lay half of the strips lengthwise across the filling, about 1 inch apart. Fold back every other strip, lay one strip across the short way, then unfold the strips over it. Repeat, alternating which strips you fold back, until the top is covered.
• Seal the edges. Trim the overhang to about 1 inch, fold it up over the ends of the strips, and crimp all the way around with your fingers or a fork.

  Short on time? Skip the lattice, lay the whole rectangle on top, crimp, and cut a few slits so steam can escape.
• Egg wash. Whisk the egg with 1 tbsp water, brush it over the lattice and edges, and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
• Bake. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350°F and bake about 45 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through the lattice. Tent with foil if the edges brown too fast.
• Cool at least 1 hour so the filling sets, then cut into squares.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream and homemade salted caramel.

Notes

Make ahead: Bake the day before, cool completely, and cover. Serve at room temperature or warm squares in a 300°F oven for 10 minutes.

How to Store Apple Slab Pie

• Room temperature: loosely covered for up to 2 days.
• Fridge: covered for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: wrap squares in plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
• To reheat: warm squares in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size pan do I need for a slab pie? A 10 x 15-inch jelly roll pan with sides. Roll your dough about 2 inches larger than the pan on every side, so about 12 x 17 inches. How many people does an apple slab pie feed? Up to 20, depending on how big you cut your squares. It’s perfect for Thanksgiving and big family gatherings. Can I use store-bought pie crust? Absolutely. Press about 3 refrigerated crusts together and roll them out to fit the pan. No pressure to make your own! Do I have to make a lattice top? Not at all. Lay the whole top crust over the filling and cut a few slits so steam can escape and it doesn’t puff up. Why do you cook the apples first? Raw apples shrink as they bake, which leaves a gap under the crust, and they release a lot of juice. Cooking them first thickens the filling and keeps the bottom crust crisp. How do I know when it’s done? The crust should be deep golden brown and the filling should be bubbling through the lattice.

More Thanksgiving Desserts You’ll Love

• Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Cheesecake
• Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars
• Salted Caramel Pumpkin Crunch Cake
• Mini Pecan Pies
• Brown Butter Salted Caramel Pumpkin Pie
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Oreo Pie

If you make this slab pie, tag me @munchiesbymallory on Instagram so I can see your lattice! Leave a comment and rating below. It helps other bakers (and me!) more than you know. Happy baking, friends!