Summary
This vintage recipe creates a “lovely balance of barely sweetened, crisp-edged cake with sweet, gooey, spiced apple filling” through an ingenious batter-based crust that forms around the apple filling as it bakes. The entire dessert comes together in one bowl with no rolling or traditional pie crust techniques required.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe eliminates all the stress and complexity of traditional pie making while delivering exceptional results. The self-forming crust means no rolling, chilling, or wrestling with sticky dough. It’s perfect for beginner bakers but sophisticated enough for experienced cooks. The texture is unique and delightful, offering something between a pie, cobbler, and cake. The recipe is incredibly forgiving and comes together quickly with minimal cleanup required.
Kitchen Equipment You’ll Need
9 or 10-inch deep dish pie pan, electric mixer (hand or stand mixer), medium mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, rubber spatula or wooden spoon for combining apple filling ingredients.
Tips for Success
Use canned apple pie filling as recommended rather than making your own, as homemade filling can be too thin and make the crust soggy. Do not stir the filling into the batter once you’ve added it to the center – this is crucial for the crust to form properly. Make sure your pie pan is deep enough to accommodate the rising batter. Preheat your oven fully before baking for even cooking. The crust should be puffed and golden brown when done.
Ingredients
For the Apple Filling:
- 1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon
For the Crazy Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 large egg
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425°F (210°C). In a medium bowl, combine the apple pie filling, lemon juice, and apple pie spice or cinnamon. Mix well and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, water, shortening, and egg. Begin mixing at the lowest speed until the ingredients are just combined, then increase to medium speed and continue mixing until the batter is mostly smooth with only a few small lumps remaining.
Spread the batter evenly in your 9 or 10-inch deep dish pie pan, making sure it covers the bottom completely. Carefully spoon the prepared apple filling into the center of the batter, spreading it outward toward the sides as needed, but do not stir the filling into the batter.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is puffed up around the filling and golden brown on top. The crust should look set and no longer appear wet or doughy.
Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. The pie can be served warm or at room temperature.
Additional Tips or Variations
For extra flavor, add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice to the apple filling mixture. If you prefer a sweeter crust, increase the sugar in the batter to 4 tablespoons. You can substitute the apple pie filling with other canned fruit fillings like cherry or peach, adjusting the spices accordingly. For a richer flavor, replace 2 tablespoons of the water with milk. Some bakers prefer using butter instead of shortening for the crust – if substituting, use 1/2 cup of softened butter. The pie is excellent served with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.