Apple Crinkle Pie | Viral Recipes

Pies are very much an autumn recipe but apples are all year round fruits. Spring is here and Summer is fast approaching but the cravings for an apple pie are through the roof. But, instead of working with a classic apple pie, I want to switch things up and make an apple crinkle pie.

You must have seen the viral crinkle pie recipes on TikTok and Instagram. The basic recipe looks simple enough, but what happens when we add apples to the mix? Let me show you this beautiful (and frankly insanely delicious) apple crinkle pie recipe and how you can make it too.

What Do You Need For An Apple Crinkle Pie?

Phyllo Pastry (Yufka): This store-bought flaky and super thin pastry is ideal for recipes like baklava and borek. But it’s also very versatile. You can use it in a variety of different cuisines from Turkish to Middle Eastern to Far East Asian and even South Asian. Of course, not every recipe will be authentic, but these flaky thin pastry sheets are super easy to work with and make the perfect wrap for your fillings.
Butter: You know that butter (a lot of it) is very important when using Phyllo Pastry. We will be generous with our butter and apply it to the layers of Phyllo before ruffling them up and placing them in our baking dish.
Apples: To stay true to the authentic flavors, I’m going for Granny Smith apples. They’re crunchy and tart which balances out the sweetness of the custard filling we will pour all over our pie. Plus, they retain their shape and crunch well after baking as well.
Cinnamon Sugar: For a deeper flavor infusion, I’m using a simple cinnamon sugar mix to add to our Phyllo pastry layers. This way we’ll be able to enjoy the very essence of an apple pie amidst all the crinkle pie layers.
Custard: Our custard filling is a simple one and it goes over everything at the very end – right before we pop our apple crinkle pie in the oven.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Lighter Than Traditional Apple Pie: Without a heavy crust, this dessert feels indulgent yet light, making it easy to go back for seconds (or thirds!).
Show-Stopping Presentation: The ruffled phyllo layers create a visually stunning dessert that’s as Instagram-worthy as it is delicious.
Easy Customization: Add your own twist with different spices, fruits, or flavored custards.

Puff Pastry vs. Phyllo Pastry: Can You Swap?

The simple answer is no. Puff Pastry is much thicker than Phyllo. Puff Pastry is made with multiple layers of dough and fat laminated and kneaded together to form a fluffy thick layer of pastry. Phyllo, on the other hand, are singular wafer-thin sheets of pastry.

I love this recipe so much because it tastes so close to a classic apple pie but it feels so much lighter. Without a dense crust, you can help yourself to multiple servings without feeling painfully full. Besides, the aesthetics are definitely on point.

Behind the Ruffles: My Method

Creating symmetry in a crinkle pie might seem counterintuitive, but I love giving mine a neat, polished look. Here’s how I do it:

Prep Your Phyllo: Layer each sheet with melted butter, ruffle it, and place it snugly in the baking dish. I use a 6×6-inch glass dish for this recipe.
Trim the Edges: Cut off any excess pastry for a clean fit, but don’t toss those scraps! Use them to fill gaps or add more texture to the pie.
Add Apples: Slide thinly sliced Granny Smith apples between the ruffles for bursts of tart flavor.
Pour the Custard: Once assembled, pour the custard over the entire dish, letting it soak into the layers.

The result? A dessert that tastes like a classic apple pie but feels lighter and more modern. And those buttery, golden ruffles? Absolute perfection.

I mean look at these gorgeous ruffles. I know the whole point of the crinkle pie is a messy ruffle, but I wanted it to have a little bit of symmetry. So I folded the Phyllo pastry layers in a ruffle pattern and trimmed the excess edges so they would fit just right into my baking dish (I’m using a 6x6in glass baking dish).

And I didn’t throw the edges out. After stacking all my ruffled layers next to one another, I used the edges to fill in any gaps and spaces in between. Then I placed my apple slices between the Phyllo layers, and topped off the whole dish with a classic custard filling.

You can watch the whole process on my Instagram.

This fresh take on apple pie is bound to impress everyone at your table. Whether you’re hosting a gathering or simply indulging a craving, this Apple Crinkle Pie is the perfect dessert to make a statement!