Apple Dessert Recipe:
Apple Candy Pie


This easy apple dessert recipe was my favorite dessert when I was a child. My mom made it often.

apple candy pie



Now that I'm an adult, it still tastes great! It still makes me feel all cared for and cozy when I eat it.

My mom used white flour. I use whole wheat flour. That's the only change I've made.

Apple Candy Pie has more sugar and butter than most of my healthy dessert recipes. I'm including it here anyway, for sentimental reasons. Save this one for an extra special treat!

For an absolutely decadent treat, serve this with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.



Check that you have these staples at home

  • in the cupboard

    • whole wheat flour
    • brown sugar
    • cinnamon
    • salt

  • in the fridge or freezer

    • butter

Buy these fresh ingredients

  • apples

Get out your equipment

  • Essential

    • a deep baking dish
    • a bowl
    • measuring cups and spoons
    • a cutting board and paring knife

  • Nice to have but not necessary

    • an apple corer




    The apple dessert recipe



    3/4 cup/170 mL whole wheat flour

    1 cup/250 mL brown sugar

    1 tsp/5 mL cinnamon

    1/4 tsp/1 mL salt

    1/2 cup/125 mL butter, softened

    5 large tart, juicy apples



    Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

    Butter a deep baking dish.

    In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt.

    Add the butter. Stir until mixed into a paste.

    Core, peel and slice the apples. Put them in the baking dish.

    Spread the topping over the apples.

    Bake about 30 minutes, until the apples are tender and the crust is brown.



    Substitutions

    • Use white flour (like my mom does) or another flour (like oat flour or quinoa flour) in place of the whole wheat.

    Ideas for making this recipe your own

    • Try using another fruit instead of apples - or use a mixture of apples and another fruit. Asian pear, pear or quince might all work well in this recipe.

    • Add some chopped nuts to the topping. Pecans would be good, or walnuts!

    Tips

    • Try to remember to take the butter out of the fridge a couple of hours before you want to bake so that it can soften. If you haven't done so, you can soften butter in the microwave on low power. Or you can cut the butter into small cubes and place them in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of boiilng water (or use a double boiler). Watch constantly, though. You want to soften the butter, not melt it.

    • If you don't have an apple corer, just cut slices off the apple and peel each slice.

    • You'll need about 4 cups/1 L of apple slices. If you are using small apples, you'll need more than 5.

    • Here are a few tart juicy apple varieties: Granny Smith, Cortland, Gravenstein, Jonathan, Stayman, Winesap. There may be others in your area. And of course, in a pinch, any apple will do!

    • If your apples are not very juicy, add a bit of water (about 1/4 cup/60 mL) to the baking dish with the apples.




    If you enjoy this apple dessert recipe, you may also like these other easy dessert recipes: