This canned apricot pie recipe is one of my favorite desserts. It uses a flaky crust and a canned apricot filling. It's both tangy and sweet and perfect for making year-round.
Fresh apricots are delicious, but I like the taste of canned apricots more when it comes to pie. They have a full flavor and are the perfect mix of sweet and tangy. Sometimes fresh apricots can be a little too tart.
Canned apricots are easy to source all year round, even when it's not apricot season, or you don't have an apricot tree. They're so delicious in fruit pies. Most canned stone fruits are. Here is a canned peach streusel pie that tastes amazing too!
The pie crust
This homemade apricot pie uses a homemade pie crust. However, if you're short on time, feel free to use a store-bought 9-inch double pie crust.
If you are going down the homemade route, though, it's well worth it.
Ingredients
Find the ingredient amounts for this easy apricot pie in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need.
- A 9-inch double pie crust. I have a homemade pie crust post on making one and all the tips you need.
- Canned apricots - This recipe uses 4 x 15oz cans of apricots
- Corn starch
- Almond extract - optional, but it's a perfect match for apricot
- Lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
- Granulated white sugar - This can be substituted for light brown sugar for a richer flavor
- Salt
- Egg for the egg wash at the end
Equipment
You will need a 9-inch pie dish.
Method
The pastry
Begin by chopping cold butter into small cubes.
To a large mixing bowl or bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour.
Pulse the food processor, or use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into small pieces into the flour.
The result should be like coarse bread crumbs with lots of pea-sized pieces of butter in the mix.
Add the lemon juice to the iced water and drizzle it into the flour mixture slowly, about a tablespoon worth at a time.
Use a spatula or your hands to combine the dough and add in as much cold water as needed.
It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky.
If the butter has softened or the dough is warm, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before continuing with the next step.
Roll the dough Into a rough 10-Inch/25cm rectangle on a lightly floured work surface.
Fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top ⅓ of the dough over the top to make a pamphlet shape.
Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat this roll and fold process once more.
Once finished rolling, cut the dough into two and use your cupped hands to shape each piece into a flat disc gently.
Wrap the dough discs up tightly using cling film or beeswax wrap, or place them in a fitted airtight container. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before using it.
Assembling
Drain the canned apricots in a colander and drip for at least 20 minutes to remove the extra juices.
While the apricots are draining, roll out one pastry disc into a 12-inch/30cm circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, then gently roll it up the rolling pin like a spiral. Transfer it to a pie pan and carefully unroll it from the rolling pin until it's draped over the pie plate and overhangs the sides.
Dust off any excess flour.
Add the drained apricots to a large bowl along with the cornstarch, almond and vanilla extracts, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir it together to combine.
Spoon apricot mixture into the pie shell.
Roll out the second pastry disc into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. You can drape this second layer of the pie or create a lattice pie crust.
If you're not making a lattice top, add 2-3 slits to the pastry's top to allow steam to escape when baking.
Lattice top
Cut dough into 10-12 strips of dough, depending on how wide strips you prefer. Lay 5-6 strips vertically on top of the pie filling. The longest strips will go in the middle of the pie, and the shorter strips can go on the ends.
Fold back every second strip halfway. Lay one of the unused strips horizontally in the middle of the pie. Lay it over top of the strips that haven't been folded back. Unfold the folded strips so they cover the horizontal strip.
Repeat this now but with the other vertical strips. Fold them back and add a horizontal strip to create a woven pattern. Continue with the remaining strips until the whole pie is covered.
Cut off the uneven excess dough overhang. Leave enough overhang to roll and pinch the pie's top and bottom crust. Flute the edges of the pastry with your fingers.
You can use a pastry brush to brush the top crust with egg wash.
Bake pie at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350°F/175°C and continue baking for a further 50-55 minutes until the filling is thick and bubbling.
The pastry should be a deep golden brown. If the pastry edges are browning too fast, you can tent them with strips of aluminum foil.
Serving
The pie must cool to room temperature for at least 4 hours before slicing to allow the filling to thicken up. If you serve it too soon, it will leak.
Serve the pie slightly warmed or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
More delicious pie recipes
Full Recipe
Canned Apricot Pie
Sweet and tangy apricot pie using canned apricots, with a homemade flaky pie crust.
Ingredients
Pastry
- 312g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose flour or pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 190g (¾ cup + 2 ½ Tablespoons) salted or unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar (apple cider vinegar or white vinegar)
- 8-10 Tablespoons ice-cold water
Filling
- 4 x 15oz canned apricots (4 x 410g cans)
- 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 3 ½ Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Egg wash
- 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
Pastry
- Begin by chopping cold butter into small cubes.
- To a large mixing bowl or bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt and mix them. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour.
- Pulse the food processor, or use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into small pieces into the flour. The result should be like coarse bread crumbs with lots of pea-sized pieces of butter in the mix. If the butter is melting at any point, place the bowl in the refrigerator.
- Add the lemon juice to the iced water and drizzle it into the flour mixture slowly, about a tablespoon worth at a time.
- Use a spatula or your hands to combine the dough and add in as much cold water as needed. It should hold together easily when pressed but not be sticky. If the dough is crumbly, add a bit more water.
- If the butter has softened or the dough is warm, place it in the fridge for 30 minutes before continuing with the next step.
- Roll the dough Into a rough 10-inch/25cm rectangle on a lightly floured work surface. Fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough up to the middle, then fold the top ⅓ of the dough over the top to make a pamphlet shape. Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat this roll and fold process once more.
- Once finished rolling, cut the dough into two and use your cupped hands to shape each piece into a flat disc gently.
- Wrap the dough discs up tightly using cling film or beeswax wrap, or place them in a fitted airtight container. Chill it in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before using it.
Assembling
- Drain the canned apricots in a colander and drip for at least 20 minutes to remove the extra juices.
- While the apricots are draining, roll out one pastry disc into a 12-inch/30cm circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
- Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, then gently roll it up the rolling pin like a spiral. Transfer it to a pie pan and carefully unroll it from the rolling pin until it's draped over the pie plate and overhangs the sides. Dust off any excess flour.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C.
- Add the drained apricots to a large bowl along with the cornstarch, almond and vanilla extracts, salt, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir it together to combine.
- Spoon the apricot mixture into the pie shell.
- Roll out the second pastry disc into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured work surface. Cut dough into 10-12 strips of dough, depending on how wide strips you prefer. Lay 5-6 strips vertically on top of the pie filling. The longest strips will go in the middle of the pie, and the shorter strips can go on the ends.
- Fold back every second strip halfway. Lay one of the unused strips horizontally in the middle of the pie. Lay it over top of the strips that haven't been folded back. Unfold the folded strips so they cover the horizontal strip.
- Repeat this now but with the other vertical strips. Fold them back and add a horizontal strip to create a woven pattern. Continue with the remaining strips until the whole pie is covered.
- Cut off the uneven excess dough overhang. Leave enough overhang to roll and pinch the pie's top and bottom crust. Flute the edges of the pastry with your fingers.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the top crust with egg wash.
Baking
- Bake pie at 425°F/220°C for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350°F/175°C and continue baking for a further 50-55 minutes until the filling is thick and bubbling.
- The pastry should be a deep golden brown. If the pastry edges are browning too fast, you can tent them with strips of aluminum foil.
Serving
- Let the pie cool for 4 hours before slicing to allow the filling to thicken up. If you serve it too soon, it will leak.
- Serve the pie slightly warmed or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 392Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 231mgCarbohydrates: 56gFiber: 4gSugar: 26gProtein: 6g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
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