Perfectly seasoned German apple pie, dotted with rum-soaked raisins.
German Apple Pie reminds me of my grandmother. My children refer to her as Oma. She left this world several years ago, and any time I make something like this, I can’t help but think of our trips to the apple orchard we went to every fall.
We drove in through a pumpkin patch, and then came to the apples. We would pick and pick and pick, and eat apples ’til we had them coming out our ears.
Then we would head up to the barn and drink some fresh apple cider, while looking at the massive prize-winning pumpkins of the year. Good memories.
How to Make German Apple Pie
To begin, preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
Measure out a third cup of raisins, and pour in some cognac or brandy. Let them sit and get happy while you prep the rest of the pie.
You’ll need a crust for a single pie. My recipe makes enough for a double crust, or two single crust pies. I’ll make this the same way, and if I only need half, I’ll simply stick the other half in the fridge or freezer to use later.
In my food processor, I combine 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, a teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup of cold butter that has been cut into pieces.
Pulse the processor until the mixture is crumbly. Then drizzle in 7-9 teaspoons of cold water with the processor running. As soon as the dough comes together, you are done with the water. Take the dough out and form it into a ball.
Divide the dough in half, the form each half into a disk about 7 inches across.
Wrap those separately and tightly in plastic wrap, and stick them in the freezer.
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of flour, 2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon allspice, and about 1/8 teaspoon of nutmeg. Stir those together and set them aside.
Slice and core 4 Granny Smith apples. You can peel them if you like, but I tend to always leave the peel on.
Pull out one of your dough disks, roll it out and lay it in your pie plate. Trim or roll the edges however you like to finish your crust.
Sprinkle a quarter cup of the sugar mixture into the bottom of the dish.
Layer in half of your apple slices, and sprinkle those with half of the remaining sugar mixture.
Layer in the other half of the apples. Then drain the excess liquid from the raisins and sprinkle those over the top. Finish off with the remaining sugar mixture.
Now for the finishing touch. Very slowly drizzle a cup of heavy cream all over the top.
Mmmmm….heavenly!
Place your pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 350 and bake 55 more minutes. If your crust starts getting dark, cover it with strips of foil, or a crust shield.
Let your pie cool to room temperature and enjoy…or devour it warm if you like. Top it with some whipped cream or ice cream if so desire.
Enjoy!
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German Apple Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/3 c raisins
- 3 Tb cognac or brandy
- 1 c sugar
- 1/4 c flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 1 c heavy cream
- dough for 1 pie crust
Instructions
- To begin, soak your raisins and cognac together in a little dish.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir those together and set them aside.
- Slice and core the apples. You can peel them if you like, but I tend to always leave the peel on.
- Pull out one of your dough disks, roll it out and lay it in your pie plate.
- Trim or roll the edges however you like to finish your crust.
- Sprinkle a quarter cup of the sugar mixture into the bottom of the dish.
- Layer in half of your apple slices, and sprinkle those with half of the remaining sugar mixture.
- Layer in the other half of the apples.
- Then drain the excess liquid from the raisins and sprinkle those over the top.
- Finish off with the remaining sugar mixture.
- Now for the finishing touch. Very slowly drizzle the cup of heavy cream all over the top.
- Place your pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 15 minutes.
- Then turn the heat down to 350 and bake 55 more minutes.
- If your crust starts getting dark, cover it with strips of foil, or a crust shield.
- Let your pie cool to room temperature and enjoy…or devour it warm if you like.
- Top it with some whipped cream or ice cream if so desire.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is auto-generated and the accuracy is not guaranteed.
- 1/3 c raisins
- 3 Tb cognac or brandy
- 1 c sugar
- 1/4 c flour
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 1 c heavy cream
- dough for 1 pie crust
- To begin, soak your raisins and cognac together in a little dish.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In a bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir those together and set them aside. Slice and core the apples. You can peel them if you like, but I tend to always leave the peel on. Pull out one of your dough disks, roll it out and lay it in your pie plate. Trim or roll the edges however you like to finish your crust.
- Sprinkle a quarter cup of the sugar mixture into the bottom of the dish. Layer in half of your apple slices, and sprinkle those with half of the remaining sugar mixture. Layer in the other half of the apples. Then drain the excess liquid from the raisins and sprinkle those over the top. Finish off with the remaining sugar mixture. Now for the finishing touch. Very slowly drizzle the cup of heavy cream all over the top.
- Place your pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake for 15 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 350 and bake 55 more minutes. If your crust starts getting dark, cover it with strips of foil, or a crust shield. Let your pie cool to room temperature and enjoy…or devour it warm if you like. Top it with some whipped cream or ice cream if so desire.
- Enjoy!