Apple Pie with Cheese
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Level up your traditional apple pie with cheese! Cheddar cheese is added to the crumble for this delectable twist on apple pie.
Have you ever heard of the apple pie and cheese rule?
Growing up in Wisconsin, land of Cheeseheads, I heard it repeated often.
You see, the requirement of serving a slice of cheese with a slice of apple pie has long been an urban (rural?) myth among ‘Sconnies.
From what I can find it was technically never true, although from 1935-1937 restaurants were indeed required to serve a small amount of butter and cheese at every meal, likely to help boost the dairy industry in the Great Depression.
(Interestingly, Vermont passed a ruling in 1999 that asked for restaurants to make a “good faith effort” to serve some form of dairy with apple pie. Copycats.)
Before you freak out at the thought of cheese on pie, don’t worry. The flavor is subtle, but adds a layer of depth.
It might just be your new favorite pie!
Ingredients for apple pie with cheese
You’ll need:
Pie crust – This recipe calls for just a single pie crust. If your pie pan is larger than 9 inches, make sure to roll out your crust larger.
Apple pie filling – For a 9-inch pie, you will need 32 ounces of pie filling. You can make your own apple pie filling, or buy at the store.Â
If you like a more piled-on apple pie or have a larger pie pan, you will need more filling.
Flour – I use all-purpose flour for the topping. You can swap in whole-wheat flour or a gluten-free blend.
Brown sugar – Both light brown and dark brown sugar will work well in the topping. Dark brown sugar has a deeper molasses flavor.
Unsalted butter – You’ll need cold butter for making the crumble topping. I recommend unsalted due to the salt content in the cheese.
Cheddar cheese – You can use any variety of cheddar cheese, though I do recommend grating it yourself.
Mild, sharp, and extra sharp cheddar all work well. I’ve also made this pie with smoked cheddar cheese for a really unique flavor!
seasonal spotlight: apples
Fall is the perfect time to make apple pie. Apples are at their freshest both in stores and at local orchards, so take advantage!
How to make this recipe
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Roll out your pie crust and fit it into the pie plate. Crimp the edges as desired.
Line the inside of the crust with a piece of foil or parchment paper. Fill with dried beans or pie weights.
Bake the crust for 18 minutes, then remove from the oven. Remove the foil and beans and let cool slightly.
This step of blind baking will keep the crust bottom from being underbaked and soggy.
Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
In a bowl, stir together the flour and brown sugar.
Cut in butter and cheese until the mixture is crumbly and sticks together when a handful is squeezed together.
Pour the apple pie filling into the pie crust, spreading to fill evenly.
Scatter on the cheddar crumble on top of the pie. Make sure to reach all the way to the edges and cover the apples.
Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any spills. Bake for 45 minutes, until crust and topping are nicely browned.
Let cool before serving. The longer the pie cools, the more the filling will firm up for neater slices.
Storage tips
This pie can be kept at room temperature for about 3 days. For longer storage, or if you like a chilled pie, keep in the refrigerator.
Make sure to wrap the pie well with plastic wrap to keep fresh.
You can also freeze this pie, baked or unbaked.
Assemble the pie in a disposable pie plate, then freeze immediately (wrap tightly in foil first), or bake and cool completely before freezing.
To bake from frozen, bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to 375°F. Cover crust edges with foil or a pie shield and continue to bake 30-40 minutes.
How to serve apple pie with cheese
This apple pie is so good either hot or cold!
I love it right from the refrigerator, or warmed briefly in the microwave.
Serve with vanilla ice cream. Or for even more apple cheddar flavor, serve with a slice or two of your favorite cheese!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star review below!
It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.
Apple Pie with Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, about 1 ½ ounces
- 32 ounces apple pie filling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pie crust and fit to pie plate, crimping edges as desired. Line with foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights.
- Bake crust for 18 minutes, then remove from the oven. Remove beans and foil and set aside to cool slightly.
- Turn oven down to 375°F.
- In a small bowl, mix together flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter and cheese with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs
- Pour pie filling into prepared crust. Scatter crumble mixture over the top, covering the apples evenly.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust and topping have browned. Let cool before serving to help pie set.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.
About Megan
I focus on fresh ingredients and easy methods, with spins that keep meals interesting. Dinnertime shouldn’t be stressful or complicated, and I’m here to help you enjoy the time spent in the kitchen. Read more…
I’ve never used Thick Gel or Ultra Gel in my pies before. I will have to give that a try! It sure does make a pretty looking pie.
My favorite autumn tradition is taking a drive through the mountains to peep the leaves. The landscape looks like the most gorgeous and colorful quilt!
I grew up in FL so I don’t have a favorite fall tradition, seeing as how the seasons are “beach weather and non-beach weather.” I’m intrigued by these gels, though, as I just made what I refer to as pie soup. Trying to guesstimate on the right amount of corn starch to add to pie filling drives me bonkers.
I’ve made a lot of apple pies but never a cheddar one like this. Looks amazing and I’m totally pinning this!
I grew up in Iowa, and my favorite fall tradition is picking apples. Apple picking is always followed by endless days of apple cooking.
I love decorating gingerbread men!!
I live in the Hudson Valley, and fall is one of my favorite times of the year.
My favorite tradition has always been picking apples, and then using them every which way I can concoct. Pies, applesauce, cakes, strudel, crumbs; you name it!
But now, that tradition has changed a bit, and it now includes bringing my niece to pick with me. She is 2 years old, and quite possibly the cutest little girl ever.
Saturday we went picking, and while I was up in the tree harvesting from the tippy top Taylor says to me “Aunt Jess, I climb apple trees too!!!!!!!” So I asked her if she would like to climb, and happily said yes, and that is how it came about that I taught Taylor to climb an apple tree. One of my favorite parts of my favorite traditions.
It’s all about love, family, and food. 🙂 <3
Oooh…the cheddar is a killer idea! I haven’t done that yet. And since I am from Cornaby’s please count me out of the drawing, but I love the look of this pie. Must make a cheese topped pie for the husband now.
Jana
This pie is wonderful! I grew up eating apple pie always with a chunk of cheddar cheese. My Dad was French Canadian and we lived in France for five years and perhaps that’s where he grew to love cheddar with his pie, I don’t really know. All I know is that I love it. I’ve never thought to add cheddar to the topping but the next apple pie I bake, I’m going to try your recipe.
I’ve never heard of the Thick Gel so I’ll be looking for some of that. Your pie looks delicious.
Yum! Love apple pie! Looks fantastic! My favorite fall tradition is going up to Green Bluff, WA and spending the whole day picking apples, pears and pumpkins. And watching Pumpkin-Chunkin, of course. Who doesn’t love watching pumpkins being hurled through the air? Great post!
xo
Heather
Wow, cheese with apple pie? I eat apple slices with cheese all the time but never thought of this combination before. I’m definitely saving this recipe.
My favorite fall tradition is going out to a rural farm to pick out pumpkins to carve for Halloween. They have a huge cornfield maze too and it’s different every year so it’s always fun for my family.
I am fascinated by this pie and although I’ve heard that people eat cheddar cheese on apple pie all my life I don’t think I ever have! I have to make this since oh I love apple pie in autumn (a favorite of my men). Very cool! And oh we’re going through one of those life changes now so your thoughts all ring a bell with me!
Hi Megan-I never heard of the Cornaby’s line before. I’ve also never canned apples before. I bet yours were delicious. (I still dream of your fig jam:)
Your pie looks fabulous. Well, if I were in Italy right now (instead of rainy/muggy/hot Florida), I would go to a local festival on the weekend and walk around in the cool, crisp air. I would buy the kids hot roasted chestnuts and look around at all the pretty colors of the leaves. I’m dreaming:)
Wow I would never think of combining the cheddar with the apple in a pie.Good thinking and good looking pie!
It’s funny to hear that people have never heard of cheddar cheese with apple pie, thought not from Wisconsin, it was certainly a tradition where I grew up in Missouri too; maybe it’s a midwest thing?
Looks gorgeous and now I’m thinking I desperately need to make something apple; especially since the fruit is on the counter and my taste buds are craving something. NOW.
It’s funny but until about 10 years ago I’d never heard of pairing apple pie with cheddar cheese… and when I thought about it, it was one of those “duh” moments.. of course it would be delicious!
I love the idea of this pie and will definitely have to try it out!!
checking out the leaves
Forcing bulbs for winter : )
Oh that pie is definitely going to see my table this season.
We always begin the season by cooking gumbo. In fact, it’s on the stove, now.
There is nothing that says Fall like a nice warm apple pie. I have found a great way to make this all time favorite even better. Personal peices of pie:) All you do is make your pie as normal but instead of it getting put into a pan to bake you simply put the shell and stuffing into a cupcake pan. Only 6 are allowed at a time for spill over. This way there is no cutting and everyone gets just the right size/hand held peice of apple pie:)
Oh great, now I’m craving apple pie!!! I love that you put cheddar in yours…I love cheddar in desserts.