Cardamom Apple Pie
This apple pie filling is the perfect consistency due to the cooking process prior to baking the pie. It has a luscious caramelly sauce that is laced with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
Cardamom Apple Pie
This apple pie recipe comes from Erin McDowell who is the pie QUEEN. You can find the original recipe here. The filling is incredible because you draw out the natural juices and create the most luscious caramelly sauce surrounding them. No more soupy filling or a pie that has a huge gap because the apples cooked down while baking. The only change I have made making this recipe is swapping out cardamom for ginger which I highly recommend.
Make the Pie Dough
The pie dough can be made 1-2 days before baking the pie which I like to do to lessen the work load the day of baking the pie. You can also make it up to 3 months in advance and freeze the dough! Of course you can skip it and buy store bought pie dough. If you do want to make your own pie dough I have a whole blog post on the recipe I love to use plus all of the tips and tricks to help you have success with mastering it!
Make the Filling
The filling can be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Prep the apples – Peel and thinly slice the apples
- Draw out the natural juices – Mix the apples with lemon juice and brown sugar and let them sit for 30-45 minutes.
- Cook the apples – Add flour, sugar and the spices and cook for 5-7 minutes until the liquid thickens.
- Add more flavor and richness – Add in some butter, vanilla and a boiled cider
- Boiled cider is apple cider that is reduced down to concentrate the flavor
- To make boiled cider – reduce 3/4 cup apple cider to 2 tbsp over medium-low heat.
- Boiled cider is apple cider that is reduced down to concentrate the flavor
- Cool filling to room temperature before adding it to the pie to bake.
Make the Pie
- Lightly flour your work surface
- Place the dough disk on a lightly floured work surface and lightly dust the top. Brush off any excess flour.
- Roll out the dough
- Starting with the rolling pin in the center roll, upwards. Re-center and roll downwards. Pick up the dough and do a quarter or half turn. Repeat the process.
- When the dough feels like it’s sticking to the work surface or the rolling pin add a dusting of flour to that area. Always dust of excess flour
- Roll it out until it’s 1/4 inch thick or 1 inch larger than your pie dish
- Transfer the bottom crust to the pie dish
- Refridgerate while you roll out the top crust
- Roll out the top crust repeating the instructions above
- For a Lattice crust –
- Transfer the rolled out dough onto parchment paper.
- If the dough gets warm at any point it will be easy to transfer it into the refrigerator to get cold again.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut long strips of the dough.
- Transfer the rolled out dough onto parchment paper.
- For a Lattice crust –
- Add the cooled filling to the pie dish or tart pan.
- Lattice Crust
- Lay strips across the whole pie vertically leaving a small equal space between them.
- Lift up every other strip of dough. Lay down one strip of dough horizontally.
- Return the strips that you lifted back down.
- Lift up the every other strip of dough again but the opposite ones you just did.
- Lay another piece of dough down horizontally and return the strips that you lifted back down.
- Repeat to make a basket weave.
- IF USING A TART PAN – press down on the edge to remove the excess dough. No need to crimp.
- IF USING A PIE DISH –
- Trim the edges so there is a 1 inch overhang.
- Fold the lower crust over the top crust.
- Crimp.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Pie Dish or Tart Pan
- Rolling Pin
- Pot
Ingredients
- Pie Dough for double crust
- 6-8 Honeycrisp Apples 3lbs
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
- 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar packed
- 1/4 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 1/3 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg freshly grated
- 1 tsp Cardamom
- 1 tsp Salt Fine Sea Salt
- 2 tbsp Boiled Cider 3/4 cup of Apple Cider reduced to 2 Tbsp
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla paste or extract
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp heavy cream light cream, half and half or milk
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the apples. Transfer them to a pot and toss them with the lemon juice and brown sugar and allow them to sit for 30-45 minutes.
- Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the apples and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Add the butter, vanilla and boiled cider and mix again.
- Allow the apples to cool to room temperature. Spread out the apples over a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to speed up the cooling process.
- Roll out the top crust. Place the dough disk on a lightly floured work surface and dust the top with flour.
- Starting with the rolling pin in the center of the dough, roll up. Re-center and then roll down. Pick up the dough and do a half turn. When it feels like it's sticking on the bottom at any point, lift it up and dust underneath with flour. If the top feels sticky dust lightly with flour.
- Once the dough is a 1/4 inch thick or 1 inch larger than your pie dish transfer the dough into the pie dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you roll our the top crust.
- Roll out the top pie crust and repeat the instructions above. Transfer the rolled out dough to a piece of parchment paper if doing a lattice crust. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into strips.
- Put the cooled filling into the pie.
- Lay strips of dough across the whole pie vertically. Lift every other strip of dough and place one strip of dough down horizontally. Return the dough back into place. Lift every other strip again but the opposite ones that you just did. Place another piece of dough down horizontally. Repeat to create a basket weave.
- Whisk an egg with some cream or milk. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle on some turbinado sugar.
- Place the pie into the freezer lightly covered. Preheat the oven to 425°.
- Bake the pie at 425° for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 375° and bake for another 30 minutes.
- If the pie is browning around the edges or crust, tent those areas with foil to prevent it from over browning.
- Allow to cool completely before removing from the tart pan and slicing into.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!