With its bold flavor and unmatched character, this apple pie with cheese-laced crust can make even the staunchest à la mode fan melt. Sharp cheddar cheese provides a salty undertone to the buttery pie crust that complements the sweetness of apple pie filling in a way that vanilla ice cream never could. For the filling, use a combination of tart apples and sweet ones, like Granny Smith and Gala, and be sure to choose apple varieties that keep their structure when baked.
Cheddar apple pies have long, globe-trotting histories. Some believe the combo dates to 17th-century England, where fruit desserts were served with dairy accompaniments like custard or cheese. Over the next few centuries, the practice may have migrated to North America with English colonists. Today, recipes for apple pie with cheese are especially popular in corners of the US that have prominent dairy industries, like the Midwest and New England. Whether you pick up your cheddar from a local farmstand or the nearest supermarket, using quality cheese—not the shredded kind—will make this apple pie recipe shine.
Cheesy apple pie not your thing? Try out Our Favorite Apple Pie with ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
Recipe information
Total Time
5 hour 30 minutes (includes chilling dough and cooling pie)
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling and assembly:
Preparation
Crust:
Step 1
Pulse 2½ cups (313 g) all-purpose flour, ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. plus ⅛ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ½ lb. extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated, in a food processor (alternatively, whisk ingredients to combine in a large bowl). Add 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into ½" pieces and chilled and ¼ cup vegetable shortening, cut into ½" pieces and chilled and pulse (or work the butter into the flour with your fingertips or a pastry blender) until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Drizzle 6 Tbsp. ice-cold water evenly over flour mixture and pulse (or gently stir with a fork) until incorporated.
Step 2
Squeeze a small handful; if dough doesn’t hold together, add more ice water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, pulsing (or stirring) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough or pastry will be tough. Turn out dough onto a work surface and divide in half; form each half into a 5" disk. Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
Do Ahead: Dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead (keep refrigerated) or frozen up to 3 months.
Filling and assembly:
Step 3
Put a foil-lined large baking sheet in middle of oven; preheat oven to 450°F.
Step 4
Peel and core 1½ lb. Gala apples and 1½ lb. Granny Smith apples, then slice ¼" thick. Toss apple slices with ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar, 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour (23 g), 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt until evenly coated.
Step 5
Roll out 1 piece of dough (keep remaining disk chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13" round. Fit into a 9" pie plate. Roll out remaining piece of dough into an 11" round and chill until needed.
Step 6
Transfer apple mixture to bottom crust. Dot with 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes and chilled, then cover with 2nd pastry round. Trim edges, leaving a ½" overhang. Press edges together to seal, then fold under and crimp. Lightly brush top crust with 1 Tbsp. whole milk, then cut 5 (1"-long) vents.
Step 7
Place pie dish on prepared hot baking sheet and bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 375°F and bake until top of the pie is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 40 minutes more. Cool to warm or room temperature, 2–3 hours.
Editor’s Note: This recipe was first printed in the September 2009 issue of ‘Gourmet’ as ‘Apple Pie With Cheddar Crust.’ Head this way for more of our best apple desserts →
Recipe notes
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