‘Heartwarming’ perfectly descibes this Ambrosia Apple Pie… with the intoxicating aroma of baked apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar, it is sure to trasnport you to a cozy and happy place!
The final result will be a perfectly tender and flaky crust encasing a warm, filling bursting with the sweet and slightly tart flavour of the Ambrosia apples. This variety of apples hold their shape and will cook down to a slightly firmer texture leaving you with beautifully sliced apples in every bite.
Serve the pie warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of cream, for a truly indulgent dessert experience.
Tip: When cutting apple slices, try to slice them as uniform as possible so that they will cook at the same rate and texture. I like to cut slices about ¼ inch thick.
This pie is made using my go-to and easy short crust pastry recipe-
Ingredients you will need
- all-purpose flour
- teaspoon salt
- cold unsalted butter cubed
- ice water
How to make a short crust pastry
- In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse for a few seconds at a time until the butter is the size of peas. Add the water and pulse again until the dough just begins to form. Add water as needed. (Too little water will cause a crumbly texture making it difficult to roll out a sheet of pastry without cracks)
- Remove the dough from the food processor and form two discs.
- Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface 1/8-inch-thick sheet.
Optional – use pie dough cutters to create fun shapes and adorn the pie in a creative manner unique to you! Then brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture.
This recipe was created in partnership with Ontario Apples. Opinions in this post are always my own.
Ontario Ambrosia apples are available at fine grocery retailers.
Tried this recipe?
If you get the chance to try this recipe, please drop back and leave us comment and rating. We would love to know what you think.
Cheers! James and Elaine
Ambrosia Apple Pie
Ingredients
Short crust Pastry
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup cold unsalted butter cubed
- 8 tablespoons ice water approximately
Pie Filling:
- 12 cups peeled & sliced Ambrosia apples about 9 apples – sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp rolled oats
- 1 egg mixed with 2 tablespoons of water for brushing
- sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling
Instructions
Pastry Preparation:
- In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse for a few seconds at a time until the butter is the size of peas. Add the water and pulse again until the dough just begins to form. Add water as needed. (Too little water will cause a crumbly texture making it difficult to roll out a sheet of pastry without cracks)
- Remove the dough from the food processor and form two discs.
- Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.
- Roll out the dough on a floured work surface 1/8-inch-thick sheet.
Pie Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large bowl toss the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt to blend, then mix in the lemon juice and set aside.
- Dust a 9-inch pie plate with flour and line the plate with the rolled-out pastry. Sprinkle the bottom of the shell with the oats (this will help absorb any excess juices). Spoon the apple filling into the shell. If using a full crust, place the second rolled-out pastry over the apples. Trim any excess dough and pinch the edges of the crust together to create a fluted edge. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Stir a little sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle generously overtop. Use scissors to snip opening in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Optional – use pie dough cutters to create fun shapes and adorn the pie in a creative manner unique to you! Then brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture.
- Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 °F and continue to bake for another 45 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Cool the pie for at least 2 hours before slicing to serve.
The flavor was good but the majority apples were still crunchy, not soft. That was after baking for 65 minutes. I prefer an apple that cooks down more. I usually use McIntosh when I can find them.
Hi Brenda,
Happy New Year!
Preferences are all very different. We like the texture of Ambrosia apples because they are slightly firm and hold their shape. Yes, McIntosh apples are definitely the way to go if you prefer a soft filling.
Have a wonderful night!
Elaine & James