Apricot pie is a great way to enjoy summer stone fruit! Lightly spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, brown sugar adds a luscious caramel note. For this recipe you'll need one batch of our our all-butter basic pie crust recipe, and add a simple lattice top.
Try some more summer desserts with an easy no-bake chocolate raspberry refrigerator cake, seasonal plum upside down cake, or rich blueberry clafoutis.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Brown sugar: coconut sugar makes a good substitutions for brown sugar if you don't have it on hand. To use dark brown sugar instead of light, reduce it to a quarter cup and make up the difference with more white sugar.
- Cornstarch: plain flour can replace the cornstarch, using double the amount. So instead of 2 tablespoons cornstarch, use a quarter cup flour for the filling.
- Make it plant-based: use our vegan pie dough recipe and non-dairy milk in place of the egg wash.
Method
Step 1: make the dough in advance so that it has time to chill, then roll out and place into a pie dish.
Step 2: mix the filling ingredients in a large bowl.
Step 3: add the filling to the prepared pastry base.
Step 4: make a lattice top (or place rolled out pastry on the top).
Step 5: trim and crimp the edges of the pie.
Step 6: brush with an egg wash, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and bake.
Top Tips
- Cover if needed: use a pie shield or aluminum foil around the edges if they're browning too quickly.
- Easily remove pits: when slicing apricots, cut opposite to the cleft or line running down the fruit. Then simply twist and remove the pit.
- Sprinkle with sugar: the egg wash and coarse sugar are optional, but make for a more golden crust. Sugar adds a nice crunch and beautiful glitter to the pie.
Recipe Notes
Apricots are weighed with the pits in, so you can be sure you're buying the right amount at the grocery store or market. This is about six cups of halved apricots, but we find it much easier to weigh them.
When choosing apricots look for fruit that's ripe, but not super soft, and definitely not mushy! They will ripen a bit at home so if yours are a bit hard just leave them for a few days.
If your home is particularly warm and the pastry is warming up while you're making the lattice, feel free to chill the pie before baking. This will re-solidify the butter and make for a nicer crust. Simply chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before baking as usual.
How to Store
Storage: leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in a sealed container at room temperature, but the crust will soften a little over time.
Freezing: transfer the fully cooled pie to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving as usual.
FAQ
Should you peel apricots before baking?
There's no need to peel apricots before using them for baking. The skin is so thin, and it softens so much during cooking, that it's not noticeable in the finished product.
What's the difference between pie crust and pastry crust?
Pie crust is more flakey and pastry crust (shortcrust) is meant to be short, or more crumbly. It's just a difference in the method, with the pieces of butter in pie crust being a bit larger to create more pockets during baking.
Can I use puff pastry instead of pie crust?
You can sometimes sub puff pastry for pie crust - especially for the top crust of pies - but note that the bottom can get a bit soggy, especially in fruit pies.
If you make this Apricot Pie recipe or any other pie recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Fresh Apricot Pie
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- Baking dish
- sharp knife
- pastry brush
- Pie shield or aluminum foil
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- Basic Pie Crust
- 3 lbs. fresh apricots halved and pitted*
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch**
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom two pods fresh
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Egg wash and coarse sugar optional
Instructions
- Prepare the pie dough in advance so that it has time to refrigerate before use.
- To make the apricot filling, add the apricots, white sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, cardamom, and lemon juice into a large bowl. Mix until fully combined and the fruit is well coated. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roll half of the pie dough out to fit your baking dish, leaving enough excess on the sides to crimp.
- Add the apricot filling to the pie, arranging it as evenly as possible.
- Roll out the second half of the pie dough and cut into strips to make the lattice (optional – alternatively, make a normal double-crust pie).
- Arrange the lattice, trim the edges, and fold the sides of the crust over and crimp.
- Brush the top of the pie with egg wash or milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake the pie for about 60 minutes, or until the filling is bubbling and the top and edges of the crust are golden brown. Use a pie shield or aluminum foil around the edges if they’re browning too quickly.
- Cool for at least four hours before slicing and serving. Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days and can be frozen in an airtight container.