Around this time every year, I make some version of apple pie. It's a compulsion. In 2011 I made baked apples. In 2012 I made a fairly traditional apple pie (spiked with bourbon). And last year I made a cheesy topped apple pie, inspired by the show Pushing Daisies.
This year I made slow cooker apple pie.
This is by far the easiest apple pie you can make. You basically just throw a bunch of stuff in your slow cooker, and then wait for your kitchen to start smelling like apples and cinnamon.
The apples cook for about two hours, making them soft and easy to cut with a fork (but not too mushy). What do you do during those two hours while your apples cook? I don't know. Make dinner. Clean your house. Watch a movie. Call your grandma and catch up. Go for a walk with your dogs. Write a novella. Shop online.
I can't give you all the answers to life, guys. This is just a recipe for apple pie.
Crustless Apple Pie, serves 5-6.
4 apples (any variety you prefer; I used Fuji, but another good option is Granny Smith)
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bourbon (or you can substitute with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 to 4 cups water
1 tablespoon corn starch
Cut the butter into a few cubes and place in your slow cooker on low. Let the butter melt while you prep the apples.
Peel the apples, remove the cores, and cut in half. I like to submerge the peeled apples in water as I work so they don't turn brown during the process. As you can see, I didn't quite get all the peel off, and that's fine. I used a vegetable peeler and apple corer to get my apples looking this way.
Once the apples are peeled and the butter has melted (or mostly melted), add the sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, and cinnamon, and give that a whisk so it all combines well. Add in the apples. Then pour in enough water so the apples are 2/3 submerged. The amount of water you need will vary based on your slow cooker size.
Cook on high for 2 hours. Once done, remove 1 cup of the liquid to a small pot and whisk in the tablespoon of cornstarch over high heat. Cook for a minute or two until the mixture thickens into a sauce.
Serve with the sauce drizzled over the apples with vanilla ice cream on the side. If you want to look like a pro, garnish with a cinnamon stick. Enjoy! xo. Emma
Credits// Author and Photography: Emma Chapman. Photos edited with Stella of the Complete Collection.
64 Comments
Looks delicious!
Such a great recipe! I love apple pie in any form :).
Umm this looks AMAZING! I’ve been considering a slow cooker lately and this just totally convinced me. Gorgeous photos too 🙂
Ali
Pretty in Python
I absolutely love my slowcooker! Talk about the easiest way ever to create an insanely succulent dish. Personally, I love the crust on pie, so I’m not sure this dessert is for me, hehe.
Cat
http://oddlylovely.com
Delicious! I love how you make one every year, the bets kind of tradition!
How is this apple pie, exactly?
“I can’t give you all the answers to life, guys. This is just a recipe for apple pie.”
A recipe for apple pie is a pretty good place to start, when looking for the answers to life. Don’t sell yourself short.
Yet another reason why I need to invest in a slow cooker! These look amazing. I love crust on a pie, but sometimes it just gets too heavy.
Aren’t these essentially baked apples? They look delicious but you might want to rethink calling them pie.
this is a fun idea! plus it makes my house smell like apples and cinnamon? i’m totally convinced.
Don’t like them apples, but love apple pies, and this is just awesomely yummy! Definitely trying this..
xo
agoldentulip.blogspot.com
Wow, this has all the delicious wonderful parts of apple pie without the challenge (and calories!) of a crust. What an original recipe. Thanks for sharing!
This sounds so delicious, will have to give it a try!
http://eliphi.blogspot.co.uk/
I love the sound of this recipe! Thank you for making baking so easy and pleasing for the eyes, I can’t wait to Wow my husband this week by making him this dessert 🙂
Being such a huge fan of apples I’d like to try this one and what excites me is the thought that I don’t have to use a baking oven! (I’ve always wanted a baking oven around the house but we obviously have no space so… XD)
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe! Definitely on my favorites list!
xo Trisha
http://www.trishasales.net
This makes me so hungry and looks so good!!!
This is awesome. Apple pie without the crust! I love it — gotta try this fall after we go apple picking in upstate New York!!
simply wonderful; a love letter to my tastebuds
xx
Oooh these look delicious! I’m totally going to try this. Thanks for sharing the recipe. =)
These look delicious – And I LOVE the Pushing Daisies reference!
That looks delicious!!
Sophia | sophiebysophia.blogspot.com
Yessss, omg perfect reason to buy a slow cooker. THANK YOU!
I love apples in any form 🙂
Absolutely love the idea of a slow cooked apple with the flavour of pie! Dare I say this would be a genius way to start the day with some rather tasty yoghurt too. Inspired & hungry now!
YUM YUM YUM! Thank you for this! I am pregnant and constantly craving sweets, and while this may not be like the healthiest thing on the web, it certainly is going to cut cravings this weekend!
So simple! I will definitely try this 🙂
This looks so yummy, and is probably a better/healthier options. But I just looooove the crust! 🙂 (But I’m a sucker for apple pies of any kind, especially with vanilla ice cream.)
StephanieLists.com
Applepie? In germany we would call this just “baked apples” (Bratapfel)…yummy with marzipan and vanilla sauce.
Mmm! That looks so good!:)
These look so tasty!! Great post xx
newgirl49.blogspot.co.uk
Such lovely aromatic autumn flavors with the bourbon and cinnamon! In Ireland we would simply call this baked apple and if the apple was chopped up and went mushy we would call it stewed apple. (I think baked apple might be a better description than crustless pie) We usually would put some whole or ground cloves into our baked and stewed apples, could be lovely even in your recipe. Love the new look website!
I was looking forward to you apple pie recipe this year, and this didn’t disappoint! This has to be the easiest apple pie ever!
Wow this looks delicious! What a fab idea! Love finding new uses for my slow cooker!
http://eliphi.blogspot.co.uk
OMG! I need that right now! Seems so delicious!
<3
http://nathaliakalil.com.br/
These look so good! I love finding easy and delicious gluten free recipes!
xo
This is so so fun! Great idea! Yay for fall recipe! 🙂
http://sometimesgracefully.com
Good question. It tastes just like apple pie except that it doesn’t have that traditional flaky crust. So, if you’re looking to avoid flours or you don’t have an oven this is a great option to get all that apple pie flavor in an alternative way. Try it and see what you think. 🙂
-Emma
Slow cookers really are great items to have around if you can stand having another appliance in your kitchen. Also, in my first apartment after college I didn’t have access to an oven and I wish had known more about what you can do with a slow cooker-it would have helped SO much!
-Emma
I thought about calling them baked apples, but they aren’t baked. So, I figured that would be confusing. I also thought about just calling them simply, “Slow Cooker Apples” or something along those lines but I really wanted a title that described the taste as these are just as delicious as apple pie, sans the crust.
I love your input thought. To be honest coming up with a title everyone will understand, that isn’t too boring, that will engage readers, that fits the recipe, that I haven’t used before, etc. is not my strong suit. I am always looking to improve so I appreciate your comment. 🙂
-Emma
Oh yes. And you get a big waft of apple pie smell when you take the lid off. It makes your kitchen feel full of autumn vibes. 🙂
-Emma
Apple picking! How fun! I need to put that on list to do this year.
-Emma
I like where your heads at Alice. 😉
-Emma
Marzipan and vanilla sauce? That sounds divine!
-Emma
Holy deliciousness! This looks divine. Our husbands would love it. Must try this recipe this fall! xo
Oh I really liked “stewed apple.” That really describes more how they are cooked in liquid, similar to poaching. Love that thought.
-Emma
Yes, I think this would for sure be in the running for easiest version of apple pie ever. It is far too easy for how delicious it is. 🙂
-Emma
Looks yummy and definitely easier than making a crust. Some days are just not good rolling out crust days! My Muffin (granddaughter) and I have been making traditional pies and when you are 6, the crust is a REAL challenge for grammy. 🙂
We usually do a bunch, bake a few and send a few to aunts and great-grammys for them to bake and have that wonderful aroma in their house as well. I am putting this on my to do list once I get more apples. Thanks for sharing!!!!
Que buena pinta tiene debe de estar riquisimo!! muak
This looks delicious– I can’t go a day without some form of apples!
XOXO,
Isabella
this is a great interpretation of the apple pie; very easy to make. though I have to say, I love the traditional apple pie…it’s all about the crust and apple!
http://www.thatgoodgirlchi.blogspot.co.uk
I feel like Fireball would make an excellent substitution for straight bourbon as well. I’m all over this recipe. Yum!
Yummy! I can just imagine how awesome the house smells while making these! I’m gonna have to try it out asap! Although, I’m a big crust lover, but it would be super simple to just bake some small pieces of pie crust to go on top.
xoxo
Taylor
When I look at this, I think “poached apples.” I know it doesn’t really get across that apple pie filling flavor you are talking about, but when I read “crustless apple pie,” I picture something a little different. How about “Maple Cinnamon Poached Apples” or, better yet (to me anyway) “Butter Bourbon Poached Apples.” Yum. I always like to know a little bit about the specific ingredients from the title of a recipe. If that helps, awesome. If not, the world isn’t going to end if you keep the name. It still looks delish. 😉
this is such a cool idea! sounds yummy!
xxoo,
nikki
http://www.dream-in-neon.com
This looks amazing but the crust is half the reason to eat pie.
Still not apple pie.
off to make these now, yum!
http://wethinkthereforewecreate.blogspot.com
Amazing! Is this recipe gluten free then? Sounds like a great way to remove gluten or to make it have less calories.
This is amazing, definitely trying it. I’ve never thought of leaving off the crust. I can’t wait for more fall recipes.
Made this for dinner. My husband said the recipe is a keeper. Loved it!
I tried this over the weekend. I really enjoyed it.
i must try this!!!!
My excitment for this is seriously through the roof right now. I love apple pie but am not a major crust fan. I think I might live off this stuff…once I procure a crock pot. xx
Thank you for the recipe, it was very tasty! It would be helpful to update it to let people know that it is better to first whisk the corn starch with a tablespoon of cool liquid. This was my first time using corn starch, so I added it straight to the hot liquid from the crock pot on the stove, lots of clumps!