This apple cheddar pie combines a buttery cheddar cheese pie crust and a sweet gooey cinnamon apple filling. The cheddar pie crust is extra flaky and each slice is mostly sweet, a little savory, and perfectly satisfying. If you’re craving an upgrade to traditional apple pie, this recipe is definitely it!
What Is Apple Cheddar Pie?
There’s one thing our apple pies have been missing and it’s cheese.
I feel like you’re either going to love this idea or loathe this idea. Adding cheddar cheese to apple pie is nothing new or groundbreaking, but there’s many who haven’t heard of this dessert and/or are reluctant to try. Well as it turns out, the combination of cheese and apple pie is totally underrated! A little salty, a little sweet, a lot of satisfaction. Today we’re adding sharp cheddar cheese to my beloved all butter pie crust, then filling it with a luscious apple pie filling that’s sprinkled with… you guessed it… cheese.
Will you just look at this cheesy buttery flaky perfection? This holiday season is basically screaming for APPLE CHEDDAR!
This Apple Cheddar Pie Is:
- Like regular apple pie, but totally enhanced
- Mostly sweet, a little savory
- Extra buttery and mega flaky
- Filled with gooey cinnamon apples
- For cheese lovers!
Let’s Start With the Cheddar Pie Crust
Watch the video tutorial in my all butter pie crust post. We’re doing the same thing here, just adding cheese.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour, sugar, + salt. If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use a food processor for this step. I always like to make pie crust by hand with a pastry cutter so I don’t over-mix it, which quickly leads to a tough texture.
- Add ice water. 2 Tablespoons at a time, slowly mix ice water into the butter/flour mixture. Use only as much ice water as you need until the dough begins to clump.
- Slowly mix in freshly shredded cheese. When I say freshly shredded, I mean cheese you shred yourself with a box grater. Pre-shredded cheese is much drier than freshly shredded, which can negatively affect the overall texture of the crust. I use a blend of white cheddar and regular sharp cheddar cheese. It’s INCREDIBLE.
- Bring the dough into a ball, then cut in half.
- Chill the dough. Flatten the dough into 2 discs. Wrap each half and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days; or freeze for up to 3 months. I recommend making the pie dough the night before so it’s ready.
This pie dough yields 2 crusts: 1 for the bottom of the pie and 1 for the top.
Look at all these flaky layers! This is after we cut the dough in half. ↓ ↓
How to Roll Out Pie Dough
After you chill the pie dough, roll out 1 disc. Keep a small bowl of flour nearby to keep your work surface, rolling pin, and hands lightly floured, which helps prevent the pie dough from sticking. When rolling pie dough out, always start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough as you go. If the pie dough feels too warm or the butter is melting, stop. Lift it up, place on a baking sheet, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes before continuing.
Cheddar Apple Pie Filling
It’s finally time to fill our pie! This apple pie filling is the same exact filling I use for my classic apple pie recipe. However, I skipped the lemon juice since it didn’t pair very well with the cheddar. (I usually add lemon juice to brighten up the flavor.) I love that there’s no pre-cooking involved. Simply mix the apple pie filling ingredients together and fill your pie.
Here are my tips for the best apple pie filling:
- Use a mix of tart and sweet apples, such as 3–4 Granny Smith apples and 3 Fuji apples. Here is a complete list of the best apples for baking.
- Slice apples into 1/4-inch slices, so the apples aren’t thin and flimsy
- Add flour to bind the apples together
- Layer and tuck the apples into the crust tightly so there’s no spacious air pockets
How to Braid + Lattice Pie Crust
We have a 2nd cheddar pie crust to use and you can top this pie however you’d like! Use my pie crust designs page for inspiration. Here I decided on a traditional lattice topping with some regular strips, some braided strips, and crimped edges. Let me teach you how to do all 3:
- Video Tutorial: Lattice Pie Crust
- Video Tutorial: How to Braid Pie Crust
- Video Tutorial: How to Crimp and Flute Pie Crust
I crimped the edges of the pie crust with a fork and used an apple cookie cutter for some cute shapes on top. 🙂 Have fun with this part and get creative. You could also skip the top pie crust and use the topping from my beloved apple crumble pie. YUM!
Baker’s Tip: No matter how you decorate your top pie crust, I recommend chilling the entire pie in the refrigerator or freezer as your oven preheats. The colder the pie dough, the more likely it will hold its beautiful shape in the oven. I do this with every single pie I bake, including the one in these photos!
Filled with thick apples, each slice of this apple cheddar pie is perfectly satisfying. I’m confident this dessert will draw a crowd at your holiday table this year!
Plenty More Pies
*This recipe is part of my annual Sally’s Pie Week. Find more pie inspiration there or in my roundup of favorite Thanksgiving pie recipes!
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Apple Cheddar Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: one 9-inch pie
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This apple cheddar pie combines a buttery cheddar cheese pie crust and a sweet gooey cinnamon apple filling. The pie dough must chill for 2 hours before assembling. Review recipe instructions and notes before beginning and use your favorite cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Cheddar Pie Crust
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
- 1/2 cup (120ml) ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 cup (4 ounces) freshly shredded cheddar cheese*
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust
Apple Pie Filling
- 8 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/4-inch slices (10 cups, or 1250g, total)*
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon each: ground allspice, ground cloves, & ground nutmeg
- 1/3 cup freshly shredded cheddar cheese*
Instructions
- Make the pie crust: Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter on top. Using a pastry cutter, food processor, or 2 forks (pastry cutter is ideal, see post above), cut the butter into the dry ingredients until all flour is coated. You’re looking for pea-sized bits of flour-coated butter. A few larger bits of butter is OK.
- Measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure 1/2 cup (120ml) of water since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 2 Tablespoons (30ml) at a time, and stir after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough comes together easily and begins to form large clumps. The dough will feel moist and a little sticky, but not overly wet. Do not add any more water than you need to. I always use about 1/2 cup (120ml) of ice water. Using a silicone spatula, carefully fold in the cheese. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Place pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Form it into a ball. Cut dough in half. Using your hands, flatten each half into a 1-inch thick disc. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
- Make the filling: In a large bowl, stir the apple slices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, and 1/3 cup cheese together until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside as you roll out the pie crust.
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Smooth out the edges with your fingers if you notice cracks. Keeping your work surface, rolling pin, and hands lightly floured makes rolling out easier. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. You can watch me do this at the :43 mark in my praline pumpkin pie video. (Also, for a nice thick edge, I usually don’t trim the overhanging dough from the edges of the crust. Instead, fold the excess dough back over the edge and use your hands to mold the edge into a nice thick rim around the pie. You can do this before or after you add the top pie crust.)
- Spoon the filling into the crust.
- Roll out the 2nd pie crust just like you rolled out the bottom pie crust. You can simply lay the pie crust on top of the filling to make a double crust pie (slit a few holes in the top for air vents) or you can create a pretty pie crust design on top like a lattice pie crust and/or a braided pie crust. Crimp the edges with a fork or flute the edges with your fingers. (Review my how to crimp and flute pie crust tutorial if you need extra help with this step.) Brush the pie crust with egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired. This adds a lovely sweet crunch.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). As the oven preheats, place your pie in the refrigerator or freezer to keep it cold. The colder the pie dough, the more likely it will hold its beautiful shape.
- Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30–35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.
- Cool for at least 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: A couple ways to make ahead of time! Make the pie 1 day in advance; after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared fillings can also be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Box Grater | Glass Mixing Bowl | Pastry Cutter | Silicone Spatula | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Apple Cookie Cutter | Pastry Brush | Pie Crust Shield
- Cheese: Pre-shredded cheese is often dry, so I highly recommend shredding a block of cheese yourself at home—it’s fresher and a little more moist. Use your favorite cheddar cheese. I love white cheddar cheese in this pie or a combination of white cheddar and extra sharp regular cheddar cheese. You can substitute other cheeses if desired, but avoid soft or crumbly cheeses.
- Apples: For best taste, I recommend a mix of sweet and tart apples, such as 4 Granny Smith apples and 4 Fuji, Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady apples.
My son and I love cheese on our pie, so I had to give this one an attempt. I have now made it several times and many guests just love it. Putting cheese ON apple pie is a very Eastern Canada type of thing and it was nice to see this different way to make one. Thanks for making all the recipes so easy to follow, as I am a new baker.
First time I ever made a pie in my life and I chose this…I made it in two smaller pie dishes. Came out good. However, I had some leftover apples and pie dough so after two days that the filling was in the refrigerator, I think all the spices soaked up in the apples so when I baked the leftover dough and filling it came out so much better! Now I know it helps to make the filling ahead of time to let spices soak up. Thanks for sharing recipe. Will try the blueberry pie next time.
Won my church pie contest!! So good! Thank you!!
Hi. I have made this pie twice and it is always amazing!
I want to make 2 for the weekend. Any advice on doubling the recipe?
Thanks
Joy
Hi Joy, we’re so glad this is a favorite for you! For best results, we recommend making two separate batches rather than doubling. Doubling the crust could make it easy to over or underwork the pie dough, and with such a large volume of apples, doubling it would make it harder to evenly distribute the other pie filling ingredients. Hope this helps!
I am wanting to make this for work and need to be at work early morning. Can I refrigerate the pie overnight and cook in the morning? Thank you for all of your recipes, they are fantastic!
Hi Lisa, we would recommend making and baking the pie the day before. Make the pie 1 day in advance; after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. It will still be great at work!
Thank you!
Hi Sally, this may be a silly question but would it be possible to add the grated cheese cheese to pre-made pie dough? Perhaps I’ll press it in with a rolling pin? Or combine with premade crust and roll it out? The idea of making the crust seems very overwhelming but nearly all cheddar apple pie recipes call for cheese in the crust. Thanks and love your site.
Hi Ellen! We haven’t tested that. My fear would be over-working pre-made pie dough, which would make it tough. Let us know what you try!
I usually buy giant blocks of cheese at Costco, shred them up, and freeze them until I need them. Do you think those would still be too dry, even though they don’t have the starch that preshredded cheese has, or is it best to just stick to freshly shredded cheese?
Hi Julia, we haven’t tested it with frozen cheese, so are unsure of how it would turn out. It wouldn’t contain the anti-caking ingredients that store-bought shredded cheese has, but I’m unsure how the moisture from freezing and thawing would affect the pie.
I made this yesterday and it didn’t turn out quite like I wanted. The bottom crust was burnt and the apples collapsed when cooling, leaving gaps between the top crust and the apples. The top crust was thoroughly vented. The apples did not turn to mush.
I shredded the cheese with the small shred of a box grater. I was weighing the cheese as I was grating it. In order to get to 4 ounces, I ended up with way more than 1 cup. I actually stopped at 3 ounces and estimate there was close to 2 cups of cheese. This may have added to the burnt crust.
I have read fruit pies need to reach 195 degrees in the center in order to be fully cooked, so the thickening agents fully thicken. I had to bake the pie 40 minutes more than the recipe called for. I’m thinking that may have lead to most, if not all, of my issues.
I was thinking of making this pie for an upcoming contest. I would welcome any and all comments/suggestions.
Thanks, Sally, I love your site and use your recipes on a regular basis!
I just put the dough in the fridge to chill and I’m about to start on the apples. I just wanted to say that 4 Oz of grated cheese is far more than a cup. I say stick with the cup. While in baking weight it’s usually the way to go in this case I think any more than 1 cup of cheese is overkill. Based on your issues, it seen seems so anyway. I’ll post once mine is done. Off to get a rolling pin!
I only had five medium-sized apples and pre-shredded cheddar on hand, but the pie still came out very nicely! I also chilled the dough for one hour in the fridge and 30 minutes in the freezer, and it worked out fine!
The filling is on the more heavily-spiced side, so I think it’s an ideal recipe for autumn. The crust was so delicious that I’d love to try to convert it into a savory scone recipe!
I am so glad I choose this recipe to try! I am a good cook, but need a little help with baking. This recipe with the tips, made for a delicious and professional looking pie. Thanks!!
This was delicious, I used a mild cheddar so the cheese is just a background sense but it adds an interesting dimension, not too sweet. Wonderful with some clotted cream.
Love the flavors of this pie! Cheddar and apple together is perfect. I baked as instructed but my bottom crust layer reminded raw. I’m worried the weight of the apples prevented it from cooking all the way through. I’m going to try again with a brief blind bake for the bottom.
Hi Sally,
My 22 y/o daughter is a cheese fanatic so I’ve made the pastry and will bake this pie to celebrate her birthday this weekend. My question is, the ingredient list states 1/3 cup cheese for the filling, but in the instructions say to add 1/4 cup cheese stirred into the apples etc. It’s a small difference, and given that others have noted the cheese flavour is subtle, should i add the full 1/3 cup? Perhaps you were just giving a range. Looking so forward to tasting this pie ~ so intriguing. My dad loved a chunk of cheddar with apple pie. He would have loved this.
Hi Margo! It should read 1/3 cup in those instructions– just fixed that! (All of the cheese.)
I also didn’t see in the recipe where you say to add the cheese. So I went to an bon appetit recipe where it said to add it with the butter then add the water. This I did.
Why are you adding it afterwards? My home ec teacher years ago said the more you handle pie crust after adding the water, the tougher it gets. What is the advantage of not including it in with the butter?
I’m from New England and we are famous for enjoying cheese with apple pie. And I LOVE you website. You are very thorough in your instruction
Hi Alice, thank you so much. No rhyme or reason why I add the cheese afterwards, but you can certainly add it when you mix in the flour. By doing this, you’ll break up the shredded cheese as you cut in the butter. (Am I understanding that that’s how you made it?)
That was my instinct as well!
My husband and I tried last night! It was our first time trying to braid pie crust- Id love to post a picture but theres no place to do it!
Hi Sally,
I am making this pie for Thanksgiving and wanted to make sure I have the correct amount of cheese for the crust. Your recipe says 1 cup 4oz? Should it be 8oz?
Thank you! So excited to try this.
Hi Sheryl, sorry for the confusion! That’s 4 ounces by weight not volume. Use about 1 cup shredded.
Hi Sally, I’m excited to try this pie! I want to make sure I’m not missing a step- is there no blind baking required for this pie pastry? I just had an unfortunate pie incident with a beautifully cooked top but a raw bottom (not one of your recipes but devastating all the same) and want to make sure I don’t have a repeat of that. Thanks!
Hi Sidney! That’s correct, you do not have to blind bake the bottom crust. (And it would be difficult to attach the top crust to a partially baked bottom crust!)
I forgot to lower the temperature but baked for a few minutes less and it came out great. I also used a pre-made crust and just sprinkled cheese over the bottom, in between apple layers, and over the top of the pie with a bit of butter before it went into the oven. Thanks for the recipe!
Just made this pie for Father’s Day cause my husband loves Applie Pie and Burnt Cheese. It was a big hit!
Question: Is it okay to add more cheese in the filling? Like layer the top with shredded cheese before covering with the top crust? Don’t know whether this will impact the consistency of the pie.
I’m so happy this pie was a hit, Mae! You should be able to add more cheese under the crust – let me know if you try it!
Haven’t yet tried but my grandmother (PA Dutch) had a trivet on her kitchen wall that said:
“APPLE PIE WITHOUT THE CHEESE IS LIKE A KISS WITHOUT THE SQUEEZE”
Looks luscious and I’ll try it and revise this review.
Hey Sally, you said in your buttery flaky pie post that an all-butter pie crust doesn’t do well with intricate designs, yet your baked latticework for the pictured crust is flawless! How did you keep the pie dough in shape like that?
Hi Amanda, Great question! You are right, my pie crust with shortening is a little bit easier to work with, but as long as the dough is cold this all butter crust can be made into a lattice or braids (full tutorials for each are linked in the above post!). The key for it holding it’s shape is chilling the entire pie in the refrigerator or freezer as your oven preheats. The colder the pie dough, the more likely it will hold its beautiful shape in the oven. I do this with every single pie I bake.
This recipe was amazing!!! I used a cinnamon honey cheddar from a local creamery and it paired perfect! Will definitely make this again!!
This pie is absolutely superb. I rarely write reviews, though I know I should, but had to thank you. The crust was flaky and very easy to work with. I went ahead and braided my lattice top. A little tedious, but I was taking it to a dinner party, so it was worth the extra effort for the wow factor. After 45+ years of baking, I rarely follow a recipe exactly but I did this time and wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for sharing. This will be my go to Apple pie recipe from now on. Plus, I like your name…
Wish I could send you the picture I took. It’s beautiful
Hi Sally! This was a really fun recipe to try and turned out beautiful, however, my apples came out too crunchy (I used Granny Smith & Fuji) even though I baked it for the full time you suggested. I guess it could have used another 5-10 minutes. Also, the cheddar flavor was more subtle than I expected. Everyone who tried it didn’t even taste that it had cheese until I told them. I think I will try your Salted Caramel Apple Pie next time!
Hi Sally,
Would you be able to cube the apples instead of slicing them and still have the pie turn out well? We just like the mouth feel of cubed cooked apples better.
Absolutely!
Hey Sally, I just wanted to report back after asking my question about pairing this pie with vanilla ice cream. I think this is really yummy, and I love the crust! The flakiness of an all-butter crust is so different from the flakiness of a butter/shortening combo. For those who are worried about the cheddar flavor, it’s very subtle… even though I used a sharp cheddar cheese. I used a combination of granny smith, pink lady, and opal apples. Opal apples are similar to golden delicious, IMO, and I enjoyed tasting the different flavors of apple. I don’t normally use anything about granny smiths for apple pies. My question is, which is the more accurate quantity of apples that you’re looking for–the 6-7 large apples or the 11-12 cups? I cut 8 large apples, and it was still not 11-12 cups. SO, I cut more until I hit about the 11-cup range. The apples were a little crunchier than I prefer, so I’m wondering if I should’ve stuck with the 6-7 apples instead of going with the cup measurement? I always cut my apples the same way when I make apple pies, and I never have a problem with them being too crunchy. This was a really fun recipe to try.
Hi Kristin! I’m so glad you tried this pie! You need 11-12 cups of apple slices for this deep dish style pie. Are opal apples particularly crunchy? I’ve never tried them before. I wonder if their texture was why the apples didn’t become soft.
Made this for my husband and he loved it!!
Hi Sally,
My family is not big on crunchy apples in pies. Normally, when I make an apple pie, I cook the apples with the spices before adding them to the pie once it’s cool. Would I be able to do this with this recipe as well, and just add the cheese after the filling has cooled a bit? Thanks
Hi Jessica! If you’d like a mushier apple pie filling, you can certainly cook down the apples and spices beforehand. I haven’t personally done that with this recipe, but I can’t see why it wouldn’t work for the result you’d like. Add the cheese after cooking.
Love your site and every recipe I have tried has been a hit with our family and friends!
Question about chilling the pie while the oven is reheating. My pie plate is glass. If I chill the pie and then insert into a hot oven, will the pie plate not be at risk of shattering? A similar thing happened to a friend at a potluck a few years back and I have been nervous about it ever since.
Hi Abby! I can’t say for all glass pie dishes, but I’ve never had an issue with mine. (And I do it all the time.) Just make sure the glass/pie isn’t completely frozen. If you’re nervous, you can use a disposable aluminum pie pan. You can find them in the baking aisle. 🙂
Yes i just wanted to ask you how you got the measurement in grams for the flour? When i measured mine it lower than that. What should i do? I did it with your measurement and it came out too hard. Gotta re do it again.
Hi Maricela! You can read more about measuring baking ingredients in this post.
Pie plates are Pyrex which is special treated glass that isn’t temp sensitive like regular glass. It will be fine!
Sally, I’m intrigued! I really want to make this pie and try this combination, but I have one, probably stupid question first… do you still eat it with vanilla ice cream? I always eat apple pies with vanilla ice cream, but I didn’t know if it wouldn’t pair well with this particular recipe.
I’m going to leave that up to you! There isn’t melted/gooey cheese in the filling at all– it’s mostly in the crust, so I personally eat it with vanilla ice cream. It’s great!