Rustic Granny Smith Apple Pie
Rustic Granny Smith apple pie pairs a sweet and tart apple pie filling with a homemade cheddar cheese crust for a classic dessert with a savory twist.
If you’ve ever enjoyed the combo of a slice of sharp cheddar cheese with a tart green apple, you are in for a treat, my friend. This russtic Granny Smith apple pie recipe is different from regular apple pie recipes because the double pie crust is made with sharp cheddar cheese. It bakes up flaky, savory, and golden brown—the perfect complement to the warm spices and tart flavor of the apples.
Looking for more apple recipes? Check out old fashioned baked apples, cake mix apple cobbler, Red Hot cinnamon apples, or apple dapple cake.
Recipe at a glance
- Sweet and tart flavor. Tart Granny Smith apples keep the filling from becoming overly sweet.
- A homemade cheddar crust. Sharp cheddar cheese adds a slightly salty, savory flavor that pairs surprisingly well with apples.
- The apples hold their shape. Granny Smiths are among the best apples for baking because they don’t immediately turn to mush in the oven.
- It’s made from scratch. Both the apple pie filling and homemade pie crust are prepared with simple ingredients.
- It’s a showstopper. This double-crust pie is just familiar enough to feel like traditional homemade apple pie but different enough to get people talking.
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Ingredients you will need
Whether you’re looking for an easy apple pie recipe for fall baking or simply wondering what to do with a bag of tart green apples, this recipe for apple pie with Granny Smith apples puts a fun twist on a classic dessert. To make this recipe, you will need:
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Granny Smith apples – You’ll need 2½ pounds of Granny Smith apples, or enough peeled and sliced apples to generously fill a 9-inch pie plate. Core the apples, then cut them into thin, relatively uniform slices so they cook at the same rate.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – Cheddar cheese is incorporated right into the pie dough. I recommend sharp cheddar because its stronger flavor doesn’t disappear once it’s combined with the other crust ingredients. For the best texture, shred your own cheese rather than using pre-shredded cheese from the grocery store.
- Butter and shortening – This homemade crust uses both cold unsalted butter and vegetable shortening. Butter contributes flavor, while shortening helps create a tender, flaky crust. Instead of cutting the butter into the flour with a pastry blender, I grate very cold butter using the large holes of a box grater. This quickly creates small pieces of butter that can be distributed throughout the flour without overworking the pie dough.
- Ice water – Cold water brings the dough together while helping the butter stay cold. The recipe calls for up to ⅔ cup, but don’t automatically add all of it. Add the ice water gradually and stop as soon as the dough holds together when pressed.
- Lemon juice – A tablespoon of lemon juice adds a little acidity to the apple pie filling and complements the tart Granny Smith apples.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg – You don’t need a long list of seasonings here. A little cinnamon and nutmeg provide the warm spices we associate with a classic apple pie without overwhelming the flavor of the fruit.
Substitutions and variations
- Use a combination of apples: I love tart Granny Smith apples in this recipe, but you can replace a portion with Honeycrisp apples for additional sweetness. Combining tart apples with a sweeter apple can also give the filling a more complex flavor and better texture. Gala apples and other sweet red apples can also be combined with Granny Smiths.
- Add brown sugar: Replace some of the white sugar in the filling with light brown sugar for a subtle caramel flavor.
- Add lemon zest: A little lemon zest can brighten the apple filling without making it noticeably lemony.
- Use apple pie spice: Instead of the cinnamon and nutmeg, substitute your favorite apple pie spice blend.
- Make a lattice top: Cut the second crust into strips instead of covering the pie with a full top crust.
- Use a store-bought crust: In a pinch, you could make the apple filling and use a store-bought pie crust or refrigerated unbaked pie crusts. However, you’ll miss the sharp cheddar flavor that makes this particular Granny Smith pie recipe unique.
- Gluten-free: If you need a gluten-free option, use your favorite double-crust gluten-free pie crust and prepare the Granny Smith apple filling as directed.
How to make Granny Smith apple pie
Step 1: Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne. Grate the cold butter into the flour mixture, then cut in the shortening until coarse crumbs form. Stir in the cheddar cheese.
Step 2: Gradually stir in the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, just until the dough comes together. You may not need the entire amount.
Step 3: Divide the dough in half and shape into disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Roll one disk on a lightly floured surface into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate and trim the excess dough.
Step 5: Line the crust with parchment paper and pie weights. Bake for eight minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and bake for three more minutes.
Step 6: Toss the apples with the sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon the filling into the prebaked crust.
Step 7: Roll out the second crust and place it over the filling. Trim, seal, and crimp the edges. Cut several steam vents in the top.
Step 8: Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 20–35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the apples are tender. Check the crust when you reduce the temperature and cover with foil or a pie shield if it is browning too quickly.
How to keep the cheddar pie crust from getting too brown
This is important with this particular pie.
The cheddar cheese crust tends to brown faster than a traditional butter pie crust. I recommend baking the pie at 450°F for the first 20 minutes, then reducing the oven temperature to 350°F.
When you lower the oven temperature, check the crust. If the top of the pie is already nicely golden brown, loosely tent it with aluminum foil. If only the edges of the crust are getting dark, use a pie shield or strips of foil around the edges of the pie.
Continue baking for another 20–35 minutes, checking the crust periodically. Don’t judge whether the pie is done by color alone. Look for filling bubbling through the steam vents and test the apples through one of the vents with a sharp knife. They should be tender.
Transfer the finished pie to a wire rack and let it cool before slicing. Giving the pie time to cool allows the filling to thicken so it doesn’t run everywhere as soon as you cut the first slice.
Serving suggestions
This homemade apple pie is delicious all by itself, especially while it’s still just a little warm. But it’s hard to beat a warm slice topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream. If you really want to take it up a notch, drizzle a bit of rum sauce or crème anglaise over the top.
Storage, freezing, and reheating instructions
Storage. Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, cover it and store it in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Reheating. Individual slices can be reheated briefly in the microwave, but the oven or air fryer will do a better job of restoring the texture of the flaky crust. Reheat individual slices in the oven at 350°F for 10–15 minutes, or until warmed through. Loosely cover with foil if the crust begins to brown. Reheat individual slices at 325°F for 4–6 minutes in the air fryer, checking frequently to prevent the crust from overbrowning.
Freezing. Allow the baked pie to cool completely, then wrap it securely in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw the pie overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Granny Smith apple pie FAQ’s
Apple filling contains a lot of moisture. Giving the bottom crust a head start helps it set before all those apple juices are added and reduces the chance of ending up with a soggy crust.
Yes. An egg wash can give the top of the crust a glossy finish. However, keep in mind that this cheddar crust already browns quickly. If you’d like to use one, whisk one beaten egg with about a tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl. Lightly brush it over the top of the crust just before baking. Avoid allowing the egg wash to pool around the edges of the crust.
Because an egg wash encourages browning, keep an especially close eye on the top of the pie and be prepared to cover it with aluminum foil. You can also sprinkle a little coarse sugar over the egg wash before baking if you’d like a sparkling, slightly crunchy finish.
Yes. Instead of using a full top crust, cut the second disk of pie dough into strips and weave them over the apple filling to make a lattice crust. If you’d like to learn more on how to do this, check out my tutorial on how to make a lattice pie crust.
You could also use small cookie cutters to cut a few cute shapes from any excess dough and arrange them on top of the apple pie.
It’s up to you. Leaving the apple peels on will give the apple filling a firmer texture and ties into the rustic nature of the pie. For a softer texture, you can peel the apples beforehand.
Yes. Prepare the cheddar pie dough, divide it into two disks, and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. Store the dough in the refrigerator for up to two days. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes if it’s too firm to roll straight from the refrigerator.
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Granny Smith Apple Pie with Cheddar Cheese Crust
Ingredients
For the crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons cold solid vegetable shortening
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Up to ⅔ cup ice water
For the apple filling
- 2½ pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
Make the crust
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the cold butter directly into the flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until evenly combined.
- Gradually add the ice water, a few tablespoons at a time, stirring just until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and holds together when pressed. You may not need the entire ⅔ cup. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half. Shape each half into a flat disk, wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Remove one disk of dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a circle about 13 inches in diameter and ⅛ inch thick.
- Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate. Gently press the dough into the bottom and sides of the plate. Trim any excess dough, leaving enough around the edge to seal with the top crust later.
- Line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake for 8 minutes.
- Carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool slightly.
Make the pie
- While the crust is cooling, combine the sliced apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Toss until the apples are evenly coated.
- Spoon the apple filling into the prebaked pie shell, spreading the apples into an even layer.
- Remove the remaining disk of pie dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to approximately ⅛ inch thick.
- Carefully drape the dough over the apple filling. Trim any excess dough, then seal and crimp the edges of the top and bottom crusts together.
- Cut several slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Check the crust at this point. The cheddar cheese crust tends to brown more quickly than a traditional pie crust. If it is already nicely browned, loosely tent the entire pie with aluminum foil or cover the edges with a pie shield.
- Continue baking for an additional 20–35 minutes, checking the crust periodically and covering it as needed to prevent overbrowning. The pie is done when the crust is golden brown, the apples are tender when pierced through one of the vents with a thin knife, and the filling is bubbling through the vents.
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack and allow it to cool before slicing and serving.
Video
Notes
- Keep the butter cold. Cold butter helps create a flaky crust. Grating it with a box grater distributes small pieces throughout the flour without having to work the dough excessively.
- Add the water gradually. Depending on the flour, cheese, and humidity, you may not need the entire ⅔ cup of ice water. Stop adding water as soon as the dough holds together when pressed.
- Watch the crust closely. The cheddar cheese crust can brown faster than a traditional pie crust. Check it when you reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and cover it with aluminum foil or a pie shield once it reaches the desired color.
- Look for bubbling filling. Don’t rely on the color of the crust alone to determine doneness. The apple filling should be bubbling through the vents and the apples should be tender.
- Let the pie cool before slicing. Cooling gives the juices in the apple filling time to thicken and set, resulting in cleaner slices.
I love the contrast between the tart Granny Smith apples and the savory sharp cheddar crust in this pie. The crust bakes up tender and flaky, while the apples stay pleasantly firm instead of turning mushy. Just keep an eye on the crust as it bakes—it browns quickly, so I usually cover it with foil once it reaches a nice golden color.
I love apple pie with cheddar it’s such a combo that works so well.