Pull-Apart Pie

I know you’ve never eaten pie like this before. This aptly named pull-apart pie needs no finicky slicing—why does the first slice of pie always break?—no tricky lattice crossing, and no need to choose just one fruit pie flavor. We chose apple, blueberry and cherry, but you can fill each pie cup with your crew’s favorite, like peach, blackberry, raspberry or pear.

Our pull-apart pie recipe was inspired by The Pancake Princess’s mosaic pie. We went an easier route by using premade fillings and a genius trick for shaping the pie crust molds. It’s so easy that even the bored kids can get involved!

Ingredients for Pull-Apart Pie

• Refrigerated pie crusts: Buy one of the best premade pie crusts to keep this recipe easy, but still delicious and impressive. Make sure you purchase the roll-out kind, not the ones already molded into the crust.
• Blueberry pie filling: Find premade pie fillings in the baking aisle. They are normally sold in cans, although Bonne Maman recently came out with a line of jarred pie fillings (in blueberry, cherry and apple varieties!) that are knockouts.
• Cherry pie filling: Premade cherry pie filling lets you skip one of the most tedious kitchen tasks: pitting cherries. It’s already done for you!
• Apple pie filling: If the apples in your premade filling are large, take a second to dice them so they fit nicely in the pie crust shells.

Directions

Step 1: Cut out the pie crusts

On a lightly floured surface, unroll the two pie crusts. Cut out 21 circles using a 3-inch cookie cutter.

Editor’s Tip: If your cookie cutter is sticking to the dough, dip the cutter into flour between cuts.

Step 2: Shape the pie crusts

Lightly grease a mini muffin tin, then press the pie circles into the cups using your fingers. Place the tins in the freezer and freeze the pie crusts until they are firm and sturdy, about 15 minutes. If you don’t have a mini muffin tin, press the pie circles around a 1-3/4-inch tamper or muddler and freeze them.

Step 3: Arrange in a pan and add the filling

Once firm, remove the pie crust shells from the tin and arrange them in a greased 9-inch springform pan. Fill each shell with 1 to 2 tablespoons of blueberry, cherry or apple pie filling.

Refrigerate the assembled pie until the pie crusts are firm, about 15 minutes longer. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F.

Step 4: Bake the pull-apart pie

Bake the pie until the filling is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Let the pie cool slightly at room temperature before serving it warm.

Pull-Apart Pie Variations

• Try something new that’s red, yellow or blue: No need to stick to apple, cherry and blueberry pie fillings. Other pie fillings, like strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, pear or apricot, work perfectly. Whatever you choose, make sure to use precooked pie filling so everything bakes evenly.
• Make it gluten-free: Feel free to replace the premade pie crust with a homemade gluten-free pie crust. If you can find a premade gluten-free pie crust that can be rolled out, great!
• Try just one filling: No need to make a mosaic pattern, you can totally just use one filling for the whole pie. It’s the perfect solution if you love the aspect of pull-apart pie, but just want to enjoy your favorite filling.
• Add streusel: Love a little texture on your pies? Streusel is the key. Crumble the streusel dough over the pie pieces just before everything goes into the oven. Keep in mind that, depending on how much you use, the streusel will cover up some of the pretty filling.

How to Store Pull-Apart Pie

Allow any leftover pull-apart pie to cool to room temperature, then cover it with storage wrap or transfer the pieces to an airtight container. Refrigerate the pie for up to five days. Reheat pieces in the microwave or enjoy them chilled.

Can you make pull-apart pie ahead of time?

Yes, you can make pull-apart pie ahead of time. The day before serving, assemble the pie in the springform pan, then wrap the pie tightly with storage wrap. It’s imperative that it’s wrapped tightly so the crust doesn’t dry out and become crackly and too delicate.

When you’re ready to bake the pull-apart pie, remove the storage wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven. Bake it as directed in the recipe, adding extra time as needed.

Pull-Apart Pie Tips

Can you make your own pie crust for pull-apart pie?

Yes, you can use a homemade double pie crust instead of a store-bought one for pull-apart pie. Keep in mind, a single pie crust won’t make enough pie dough for this pie, so you’ll need to make a double pie crust recipe (or just double a single pie crust recipe). Roll out the pie crust dough to 1/4-inch thickness. If the pie dough feels too delicate to fill and shape, knead it a little more to incorporate the butter and hydrate the dough.

Can you use puff pastry instead of pie crust?

We haven’t tried using puff pastry instead of pie crust. If you try it, let us know how it goes! Keep in mind that baked puff pastry is a little more delicate than a baked pie crust, so it may not hold up as well to the amount of filling in this recipe.

What can you serve with pull-apart pie?

Serve pull-apart pie with the usual pie toppings and sides, like a dollop of homemade whipped cream, a scoop of good vanilla ice cream or a healthy pour of custardy creme anglaise. It’s quite a summery pie, so try serving it with summery drinks. To match its sweetness, pair it with stiff after-dinner drinks or sweet wines like ice wine or late-harvest riesling.