An out-of-the-ordinary pie crust makes this Leaf Topped Homemade Apple Pie a showstopper! The cinnamon-spiced filling takes like an old-fashioned apple pie and will tantalize you with the aroma as it bakes!

This is one of the Best Apple Pie Recipes, and you can always top it with a plain top crust to streamline the recipe process!

Close up of top crust of leaf topped apple pie.

Why You Must Make

  • The leaf topping makes for an out-of-the-ordinary presentation!
  • Filling a pie with precooked apples enables you to add a topping that’s level!
  • Though you can find a wider of varieties of apples in the fall, there is really no season for apple pie so you can make it anytime you get a craving!

I spied a picture of a Shingle Leaf Apple Brandy Pie in a Martha Stewart Cookbook. Seriously a work of art. I knew it would be nearly impossible to replicate her shingled crust, but my apple pie-loving family care about the taste, not the look of the dessert.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Kitchen Staples – Butter, Sugar, Cinnamon
  • Pie Crust – for a double crust, homemade or store-bought (My favorite pie crust recipe is below the pie recipe).
  • Baking Apples -I used golden delicious, Granny Smith, and Jonagold, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 slices
  • Fresh Lemon Juice – Don’t use bottled juice.
  • Cream – to glaze the crust.
Overhead of a slice of apple pie on a round white dessert plate next to a partial view of the rest of the pie.

Tips for Making a Decorative Crust

  • Use a good, tried, and true pie crust recipe. If your dough starts to crumble, you’ll be in trouble!
  • Cook your filling. There will be less evaporation from the fruit as it bakes, keeping the decorative topping level.
  • Take the time to level out the filling before adding the leaves or whatever special topping you’re adding.
  • I like using the plastic plunger leaf cutters for this recipe. (affiliate link)
  • Roll out your crust on a lightly floured surface. A large Silpat is nice as it is nonstick and will help with cleanup.
Overhead view of apple pie with a leaf topping with a red handle knife.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best pie apples?

Using more than one type of baking apple makes for tastier pies. An easy-to-find combination is tart, firm Granny Smith apples paired with softer, sweeter Golden Delicious. Northern Spy apples are my favorite pie apples but are often hard to find outside of Minnesota and New York areas.
Ask your produce manager for advice, but steer away from Red Delicious.

Why do you precook the filling?

Precooking the filling allows the excess water in the apples to evaporate before baking instead of during baking. Ever baked a double-crust pie and have the top crust sink in numerous spots? That’s because as the apples cook and steam, they get smaller and take up less space under the crust.

What if I don’t have the right cookie cutters?

If you’re artistic, you can cut out leaf shapes from your dough and score them to make veins. Other small cookie or biscuit cutters will also work. Small circles of dough would make an attractive topping. Or make a Dutch Apple Pie that has a crumb topping.

You May Also Like:

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Slice of apple pie on a round white plate with a red handled fork

Leaf Topped Apple Pie Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield 8 servings

A classic apple pie with a leaf cut-out crust.

Ingredients

  • One double pie crust, homemade or store-bought
  • 3 ½ pounds apples (I used golden delicious, Granny Smith, and Jonagold), peeled and each cut into 8 slices
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Cream, to glaze pie
  • Sugar, to sprinkle over glaze if desired

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in a large saucepan. Saute the apples for about a minute, gently stirring to coat apples with butter.
  2. Add lemon juice and sugar and cook till apples are just tender about 5 more minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
  3. Allow to cool while rolling out the bottom crust.
  4. Preheat oven to 400º.
  5. Place the bottom crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the pastry, leaving about a ¾ inch overhang. Fold the overhanging pastry under to form an unfluted edge.
  6. Carefully fill the crust with apples, tucking apples into any open spaces to make the top level.
  7. Roll out the top crust, then cut out leaves one at a time, placing them around the edge first, then repeat keeping the leaves touching from side to side, and overlapping slightly as you layer towards the center.
  8. Brush the crust with cream and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
  9. Place the pie plate on a sheet pan to catch any drips. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 375º, and bake for about 40 minutes, or till the top is brown, the apples are tender, and the filling is bubbling.
  10. Cool on a rack. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 386Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 16mgSodium: 160mgCarbohydrates: 68gFiber: 6gSugar: 48gProtein: 2g

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Close up of top crust of leaf topped apple pie

Best Pie Crust Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Yield 2 crusts

This is the best pie crust for decorative toppings. The egg and combination of butter and shortening make it easy to work with.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flur
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
  • ¼ cup cold shortening, cut into pieces
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 5 tablespoons ice cold water
  • 1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulse together the flour salt, and sugar.
  2. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
  3. Whisk together the egg, water, and vinegar
  4. Add the egg mixture to the food processor and pulse until the mixture just comes together, pulling away from the sides.
  5. Divide the dough into two discs, wrap them in plastic, and refrigerate for about an hour.
  6. When chilled, use as directed.

Notes

Keep a stick of shortening in the freezer to always have ready for making pie crust.

If you like lard in your pie crust, replace the shortening for lard.

This recipe makes 2 crusts. It's enough for one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 277Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 457mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 2gProtein: 1g

Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.

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Leaf Topped Apple Pie | A scrumptious apple pie with a fun pastry topping
2016 crust before baking