Apple Butter Apple Pie with Cream Cheese Crust

In my humble pie opinion, this sweet treat is about as good as it gets. I’m talking like, serve it to compn’y good, take it to a bake sale good … first prize at the county fair winning good. Yes, I clearly have gone all-in with my adoration and allegiances to this pie, this Apple Butter Apple Pie with CREAM CHEESE CRUST.

Table of Contents

Hello, Miss American Pie

You need nothing more than some sweet fresh apples and a great store-bought apple butter to create the filling for this pie, but if you’re so inclined (I’m always inclined) add a splash of bourbon or vanilla to the mix and watch the whole thing come to life even more.

If you like a little more sweetness in your apple filling, you can add a tablespoon or two of brown sugar to the filling (or white sugar), which is great. I think that addition really depends on how sweet your apples and apple butter are to begin with, so just add the apple butter, taste the filling, and then determine if it needs anything else.

Why a Cream Cheese Pie Crust?

Uhkay. So, this crust is the bees knees and probably the one I will be reaching for anytime I make a pie, from this day forward (this is meant to be read in a very commanding voice). Cream cheese has a way of really adding such great flavor to whatever you put it in, and as it turns out, pie dough is no exception.

By combining the cream cheese with some butter (basically three parts butter to one part cream cheese), you will end up with a pastry that is very flaky, beautifully brown, and more flavorful than a traditional all-butter crust.

Nothing not to love about that.

The Breakdown: Apple Butter Apple Pie with Cream Cheese Crust

This is just about the simplest scratch-made apple pie recipe I’ve got up my sleeve. With a filling that only takes two core ingredients (apple butter + fresh apples) and a works-every-time flaky cream cheese pastry, this pie packs a real punch in the flavor department and is such a hit during these cool, cozy fall months … where a warm slice of apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is just about the best thing imagineable.

What you’ll need:

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp salt

2 TBSP granulated sugar

12 TBSP (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cut up into small pieces

4 oz. cream cheese at room temperature, cut/pinched into small pieces

4 to 5 TBSP ice water

5 to 6 cups sliced apples (I mix and match kinds; usually Granny Smith + another)

1 cup apple butter

2 TBSP brown sugar (optional if you like a sweeter filling)

1 TBSP bourbon or vanilla extract (optional)

1 egg, beaten

Turbinado sugar

Special equipment: a 9-inch pie plate

How to make it:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the middle position.

To make the pastry, put the flour, salt, and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and cream cheese, all at once, and pulse until blended and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the ice water, starting with 3 TBSP and pulse until the pastry just holds together when you press a bit between your fingers.

Transfer the pastry onto a work surface, divide it in half, and then knead/pat the dough into two round discs. Wrap each plastic and put them in the fridge for at least one hour and up to two days.

Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the sliced apples with the apple butter and the brown sugar (if using). Add the bourbon or vanilla (if using) and stir to mix. Set aside for now.

When the pastry is nice and cold, take one disc out of the fridge (keep the other cold while you work with the first one). Flour a clean work surface and a rolling pin, and roll the dough out into a thin, round circle that is big enough to fully cover/fill your pie plate. Transfer the pasty to a 9-inch pie plate, and trim any overhang. Fill with the apple mixture.

Following the same steps, roll out the second pastry disc and place it over the apples in the pie plate. Seal the edges however you like – crimping, pricking with a fork, or just pressing together with your fingers. You can also do a lattice for this, if you like.

When the top crust is in place and to your liking, mix 3 tsp. water with the beaten egg, and brush this egg wash over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with some turbinado sugar and bake until deeply golden brown; about 40 to 50 minutes.

Serve warm.