Apple pie

Lore & Background

The earliest known apple pie recipe appears in the 14th-century English collection the Forme of Cury, which includes good apples, spices, figs, raisins, and pears in a pastry casing. Lattice pastry styles emerged by the 17th century alongside dome-shaped crusts. Traditionally, apples were stewed before baking, but modern English versions use thick layers of sweetened apple slices, often Bramley apples, topped with shortcrust pastry.

Apple pie was brought to the American colonies by the English, Dutch, and Swedes during the 17th and 18th centuries. Two recipes appear in America's first cookbook, American Cookery (1796). Early colonists had no native apples except crabapples, so they relied on European varieties brought across the Atlantic. Apple pie became a common food in 18th-century Delaware, where dried apples were used when fresh were unavailable.

Various countries have distinct versions: France offers tarte Tatin (caramelized apples, puff pastry, served upside down); Germany has Gedeckter apfelkuchen (fully encased); the Netherlands has appeltaart (lattice-top) and appelkruimeltaart (crumb-top); Poland has szarlotka (shortcrust with spiced shredded apple); and Sweden's äppelpaj is often an apple crumble with breadcrumbs.

Reader's Guide

Apple pie holds significance as a dessert standard across many apple-growing nations, including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and the United States. Its long history, from 14th-century England to colonial America, illustrates the adaptation of a simple fruit pie to local ingredients and tastes. American apple pies are notably sweeter than European versions. The dish has inspired numerous regional variations, from the French tarte Tatin to the Dutch appeltaart, each using local apple varieties and pastry styles. In the US, apple pie is often served à la mode (with ice cream), while in the UK it is traditionally accompanied by custard or cream. A 17th-century English practice of topping a slice with sharp cheddar or Wensleydale cheese persists in parts of the US and Canada. Commercially, a 100-gram serving of US apple pie provides 237 kilocalories and 13% of the daily value of sodium. The dish remains a comfort food, sold in supermarkets as mini versions and enjoyed hot or cold.

Did You Know?

• The earliest recorded apple pie recipe is from the 14th-century English collection the Forme of Cury.
• American apple pies are considerably sweeter than European versions.
• In the UK, apple pie is traditionally served with custard; in the US, it is often served à la mode with ice cream.
• A 17th-century English serving style places sharp cheddar or Wensleydale cheese on top of apple pie.