The Empire Apple Pie
A visually stunning New York inspired apple pie.
Category
Dessert
Prep
35 minutes
Cook
50 minutes
Style
American
Technique
Baking
Diet Friendly
Vegetarian
Daily recipe · January 23, 2026
A little about this dish
Celebrate this National Pie Day with an exceptional creation, 'The Empire Apple Pie'. This pie uses New York State’s own state fruit, the crisp and slightly tart Apple. The pie crust is decorated with the iconic NYC skyline and the quintessential Big Apple icon, giving nod to the city's famous nickname.
Ingredients (for 8)
- New york state apples — 6 — peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- Unsalted butter — 100g — plus extra for greasing
- Brown sugar — 250g
- Ground cinnamon — 2 tsp
- Lemon — 1 — zested and juiced
- Pastry dough — 500g
- Egg — 1 — lightly beaten for glazing
- Granulated sugar — 2 tbsp — for sprinkling
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🌡️🔥🕐Start by preheating your oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Step 2 — 🍎🥘🔥Melt the unsalted butter in a large saucepan. Add your thinly sliced New York State Apples, add brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and lemon zest. Let it cook over medium heat until the apples have softened and are caramelized.
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Step 3 — 🥣🥮👌Roll out the pastry dough on a floured surface and fit it into a buttered pie dish. Trim and flute the edges as needed.
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Step 4 — 🍏🥮🥄Generously spoon your apple filling into the prepared pastry crust.
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Step 5 — 🍏🌃🖌️Roll out the second pastry, cut out the skyline and apple shapes. Delicately lay this over the apple filling, leaving the cut-out areas open. Brush this crust with the beaten egg and sprinkle it with granulated sugar.
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Step 6 — 🥧🔥🕐Place your pie in the preheated oven. Bake it for about 45-50 min until the pie crust appears golden brown.
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Step 7 — 🥧❄️🍽️Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool before serving.
A final fox tip
Make this pie a day in advance to allow flavors to develop even more. Get your kids involved in decorating the pie crust with skyline and apple shapes, making it a family-bonding activity. For a touch of luxury, serve with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.