Ready to elevate your apple pie this year? Try a boozy twist. This Drunken Apple Pie with Bourbon Glaze enhances a classic with bourbon’s oak, vanilla, and caramel notes for a richer, more complex dessert.
The scent of apple pie is synonymous with the holidays, but the warm cinnamon, caramel and baked-apple aroma is welcome any time. If you love bourbon in desserts, this pie delivers a subtle, comforting boozy flavor without overpowering the apples.
Pie can be intimidating—there are a lot of opportunities for the crust or filling to misbehave. The flakiest all-butter crusts are sensitive, and overcooked filling can taste bitter. A soggy bottom is a common pitfall if timing and temperature are off.
As a busy home cook and parent who likes elevated flavors, I wanted a dependable recipe that still tastes special. Follow these steps and tips and you’ll have a delicious, slightly rustic pie that’s worth the effort.
Drunken Apple Pie Ingredient Highlights
Use frozen butter for the crust so it won’t melt too quickly in the blender or food processor; this helps create a flaky texture. I use unsalted butter and add salt separately, but salted butter works if you omit the added salt.
Keep the water cold when making dough; warm water will soften the butter and ruin the flakiness.
For the apples, a mix of sweet and tart varieties is best. This recipe calls for six apples—use three tart (Granny Smith is my favorite) and three sweet (Gala, Fuji, or Honeycrisp work well). The tart apples give structure and bright flavor while the sweet apples caramelize and add richness.
A squeeze of lemon juice prevents the slices from browning while you prep. For the bourbon, pick one you enjoy drinking—its oak and vanilla notes will shine through; Maker’s Mark is a great choice if you have it on hand.
Drunken Apple Pie Tips and Tricks
How to Make Easy Pie Dough
Make a flaky all-butter crust in a food processor or high-powered blender. Add frozen unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt, pulse until the butter is cut into the flour. With the machine running, add cold water a little at a time until the mixture just begins to clump. Stop while you still see pea-sized pieces of butter—those create flakiness.
Transfer the dough to a floured surface or bowl and gently bring it together with your hands. Divide into two pieces. Wrap one half and refrigerate for at least two hours. Press the other half into your pie dish and chill as well; chilling prevents shrinkage and helps keep the bottom crisp.
How to Make Apple Pie Filling with Bourbon
While the dough chills, slice and core the apples into roughly 1/2-inch slices. Toss them in a bowl with a little lemon juice to prevent browning. In a large saucepan, combine the apples with butter, brown and granulated sugars, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and bourbon. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes to release juices, then uncover and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes. If the filling remains too loose, stir in up to 1 tablespoon cornstarch to reach the desired consistency.
Let the filling cool to room temperature before adding it to the chilled crust. Spoon the cooled filling into the bottom crust and spread it evenly.
Tips for Assembling & Baking Spiked Apple Pie
Roll the top dough out on a floured surface to about the size needed to cover the pie. You can cut strips for a lattice top or leave it whole and cut vents or an “X” to let steam escape. Brush the top with an egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar for a glossy, caramelized finish.
To avoid a soggy bottom, bake in two stages: a higher temperature to set the crust and then a lower temperature to finish cooking without burning the edges. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then lower to 375°F and bake another 40 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden.
How to Make a Simple Bourbon Glaze for Pie
Whisk bourbon and powdered sugar together to make a pourable glaze. Start with 1 tablespoon bourbon and about 1/4 cup powdered sugar, then add more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until the glaze is thick but still drips off a spoon. You shouldn’t need more than 1/2 cup powdered sugar. If it becomes too thick, thin with a little milk. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled pie.
How I Store My Drunken Apple Pie
Store the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Individual slices can be frozen for up to 6 months—thaw overnight in the fridge.
I enjoy my pie warm; microwave a slice on high for 20–30 seconds to take the chill off and revive the aromas. A scoop of vanilla ice cream pairs beautifully with the warm, bourbon-kissed apples.
Mouth-Watering Drunken Apple Pie with Bourbon Drizzle
Marley Goldin
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
- Pie dish and saucepan
Ingredients
All-Butter Pie Crust
- 1 cup frozen unsalted butter (1 cup = 2 sticks)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Drunken Apple Pie Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 large apples (half sweet, half tart)
- 1 squeeze lemon juice
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
Bourbon Drizzle
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- ½ cup powdered sugar (you may not need all)
Instructions
All-Butter Pie Crust
- Add butter, flour, brown sugar, and salt to a food processor or blender and pulse until the butter is cut into the flour.
- With the machine running, add cold water and blend just until dough begins to clump. It’s okay if there is still some loose flour.
- Transfer to a floured surface and gently bring the dough together, leaving pea-sized butter pieces. Split in half, wrap one half and refrigerate.
- Press the other half into your pie dish, pinch up the edges, and refrigerate both halves for two hours.
Drunken Apple Pie Filling
- Core and slice apples, leaving the skin on if you like. Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Cook apples with butter, both sugars, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and bourbon in a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, then uncover and simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in up to 1 tablespoon cornstarch if needed. Remove from heat and cool.
Assembling Drunken Apple Pie
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Roll out the chilled top dough to about 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into strips for a lattice or leave whole and cut vents.
- Add cooled filling to the pie dish, top with the crust, brush with egg white, and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Bake 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce to 375°F and bake another 40 minutes until filling bubbles and crust is golden. Cool before adding glaze.
Bourbon Drizzle
- Whisk 1 tablespoon bourbon with about ¼ cup powdered sugar, adding more powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time until the glaze is thick but pourable. If too thick, thin with a little milk. Drizzle over the cooled pie.
Pro Tips
- Always use three tart apples and three sweet apples for balanced flavor and texture.
- Flour your rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- Allow the filling to cool completely before adding the top crust to avoid a soggy finish.