Love apple pie but hate making the crust? Then this creamy, fresh, loaded-with-apples pie is for you! The apples are the star of the show in this crustless apple pie; they're tender but with just enough texture to hold their own, bound lightly together with a silky custard and just a whiff of spice to bring out their orchard-fresh goodness.
Thanks to Organic Washington Apples for sponsoring this post so I could share this delicious recipe with you and tell you about my go-to apples for our family's apple snacking and baking needs.
There's something classic and comforting about a slice of juicy apple pie, lightly whiffed with cinnamon, a bit buttery, not too sugary so the natural sweetness of the apples can shine. This German apple pie doesn't even need a crust - the apples are the main attraction here.
I've always got at least two or three varieties of Organic Washington Apples in our fridge or fruit bowl at any given time. They're great for snacking, packing in lunches, and turning into delicious desserts. I love that these apples are easily accessible - sold in my local grocery stores year round and available in every key variety.
Washington State is known as one of the premier apple-growing areas in the world and the growing conditions make Washington the finest place to grow organic apples. We've driven through these orchards on vacation trips in the past, and they are a beautiful sight to see when blooming in the springtime, or when loaded with their glowing fruits in late summer. The nutrient-rich soil, arid climate, plentiful water and advanced growing practices provide the right ingredients for producing top-quality fruit in this beautiful locale.
Using Washington Organics in this crustless apple pie turns it into a guilt-free delight, loaded with fantastic flavour and nutritional goodness. One medium apple (180 g) has only 72 calories, 19 carbohydrates, is a source of fibre and is a source of Vitamin C.
So a generous slice of this delicious apple pie is kinda like getting your apple-a-day. I can go for that!
German Crustless Apple Pie
Germans looooove their Apfelkuchen (apple cake) and there are hundreds of different versions, many specific to different regions of Germany, and many specific to individual cooks. You'll find Apfelkuchen with streusel and without, with a crust, filled with custard, heavy on the batter, light on the batter, loaded with apples. Apples sliced on top, apples layered in the middle. Apple cakes with spices, or without. Big slab cakes, delicate layered cakes. Sunken apple cake. Every German Oma (grandma) is the keeper of her family's version of the Apfelkuchen. Although there really is no German equivalent to a typical pastry-crust American type apple pie, this one is close. It's a light and lovely variation, so loaded with apples just held together with a lusciously creamy batter that it's more of an apple pie than a cake. German style.
You'll be delighted with how quick and easy it is to make this type of delicious apple pie.
It's as Easy as Pie! Really.
You just peel and slice 5 or 6 sweet, crunchy Washington Organic Apples. (I used Ambrosias here.) The trick is to slice the apples as thinly as you can.
Stir together a quick and simple batter, then fold in the apple slices.
And pop it all into a baking pan. Smooth out the top slices a bit.
Drizzle with a bit of melted butter and sprinkle with a whiff of cinnamon.
Bake, and then take out this glorious dish of apple delight from the oven.
Isn't that an apple pie beauty? (And no fussing with pastry or rolling out a crust!)
* * * * *
German Crustless Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ cup (50gms) natural organic cane sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) milk or non-dairy milk
- zest of ½ a lemon ~1 teaspoon
- ¼ cup (60ml) melted butter, divided
- ½ cup (80gms) sweet rice flour or ½ cup (65gms) regular flour for non-gluten-free
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- juice of half a lemon ~1½ tablespoons
- 2 lbs Washington organic apples 900gms/5 medium (Ambrosia or another favourite variety)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Generously grease an 8-inch (20cm) springform pan or a 9-inch (23cm) deep-dish pie plate. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper cut to fit.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, sugar, milk, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of the melted butter (reserve the rest for on top of the pie). Add the sweet rice flour (or regular flour), cornstarch and baking powder and whisk until no lumps remain. Set aside.
- Squeeze the lemon juice into another bowl. Peel the apples and cut them into quarters. Cut out the cores and slice each quarter crosswise into very thin slices with a knife or mandolin. As you cut them, drop the slices into the lemon juice and toss them to keep them from browning.
- Drop one handful of apple slices at a time into the prepared batter and toss them well to prevent clumps of slices sticking together and to coat each slice with the batter.
- Scrape a quarter of the apple batter at a time into the prepared pan and pat the apples down after each addition so there are no spaces. Smooth the top of the pie with a spatula so the top layer of apple slices lays evenly.
- Drizzle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle with the cinnamon.
- If using a springform pan, set it onto a cookie sheet in case there's any leakage. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and bubbling. Let cool completely before serving. Run a knife around the edges to loosen any stuck bits before cutting (remove the sides if using a springform pan).
- Serve with whipped cream. Store leftover pie, covered, at room temperature for up to one day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Serves 6 to 8.
Notes
Guten Appetit!
Want to receive new Kitchen Frau recipes directly to your email? Sign up here and you’ll get a handy and useful kitchen tip along with each recipe, too. (No spam ever.)
If you like my recipes, follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook. You’d make my day!
PIN IT HERE to save the recipe for later:
You might also like:
Versunkener Apfelkuchen (German Sunken Apple Cake)
Dawne Roy
This looks fabulous! I am so excited to try this! Thanks Margaret!
Deborah+Ross
I second your post! 💟
Margaret
Aw, thanks to both of you. I hope you have fun making - and eating - it! 😊 It's a pretty easy way to make a pie 🥧(and perfect for when you're busy in the yard and garden).☘
Meredith Adams
I would much rather make this than labor over pie crust! Thanks for sharing!
Margaret
I'm totally with you on that one, Meredith! Making pie crust always seems like such a chore that I often put off making a pie. With this kind of pie, I can make it any time! Thanks so much 🙂
Judith Annand
Margaret… There’s only 1/4 of the pie left now. So easy and so awesome! Thank you for once again hitting it out of the park! I used buttermilk instead of milk and it certainly didn’t hurt.
Margaret
LOL, love how quickly it disappears (it's magic)! Thanks for making the pie and for the feedback. Great to know it worked with buttermilk, too - probably added a nice tang. Enjoy the last few bites 😉
Christine Enkerlin
Oh Margaret what a joy you brought to me with this recipe!
My Oma from Esslingen Germany shared a very similar recipe.
Mom baked it often and we kids loved to have Sunday coffee time with mom and dad to enjoy the stories around this cake and their childhood!
Looking forwards to try your yummy version of Oma’s Kuchen!
Margaret
Your apple cake story paints such a beautiful picture - a lovely family memory. It warms my heart and brings a smile to my face. How wonderful that a food can bring such a strong connection to family, and that lovely German tradition of Sunday Kaffee und Kuchen. I hope you enjoy the Apfelkuchen.
Louise Golder
I would like to know why you don't let everyone print your recipes?
Margaret
Sorry, I don't have a print feature on my blog, but you can highlight the recipe, then copy and paste it onto a Word document and print it that way. I apologize because it's a few extra steps, but it still works. I hope to get a print feature installed in the future when I get my blog redone.
Beverly Pavelich
I print her recipes all the time. See the 3 dots in the top right side when you open the link. If you hit on those it gives you the option to
Open in Safari. Then the print option comes up. It’s so easy. This recipe sounds so great. Can’t wait to try it. No time to make pastry thus time of year. Thanks Margaret.
Margaret
Thank you so much for your printing tips, Beverly! Much appreciated. And thanks for stopping by to comment. I agree with you about the busy time of year - we'll have more time for pastry making in the winter. Right now, it's out to the garden to enjoy all the wonderful spring happenings out there! Happy cooking, too 🙂
Karina Beaudoin
What can I use to substitute for the corn starch? Allergies in the household.
Margaret
Potato starch or tapioca starch should work well. I've used them to replace cornstarch in other recipes, although I haven't tried them in this one. Happy baking!
Sabine Macleod
Hi Margaret
This is the very best. Soooo delicious
You are such an amazing chef
Hugs
Sabine
Margaret
Awww, thank you so much. You are too kind! Hugs to you, too.
Ruth Maier
Yesterday we had this delicious apple cake for "Kaffee und Kuchen". It was very well received. I had all of the ingredients on-hand and it was simple to prepare. I will make it again and thanks for sharing another great receipt.
Margaret
So glad you liked it, Ruth! That is high praise! It's become my quick go-to Apfelkuchen now, too. I love that I can throw it together without having to make and chill any pastry first. Just thinking of having a nice Kaffeezeit makes me want to go and bake one again right now!
Jasmin Jackson
Wow this is so much more simple than I thought it was going to be in making homemade apple pie. Granted I cheated and used store-bought pastry but I was always intimidated with the filling. How much easier could it get than throwing 4 ingredients together into a pie plate? My husband didn't believe that I made this! He actually made me show him the apple peelings in the garbage can LOL!! Talk about a back handed compliment:-) This was awesome and I will be making again and again
Margaret
LOL, Glad it was a hit! It really is an easy way to make an apple pie. Happy baking!