Apple Pie Pizza

If I ever go missing, some of the first people you need to check with are my friends here in Tucson. It’s likely that they have me locked in a cellar somewhere with an unlimited supply of apples and are forcing me to make Apple Pie Pizzas for them every day.

It’s true – the demand for apple pie pizza (or apple pie cheesecake) is so great among our friend group that I’ve never even been able to make our favorite dessert recipes for them. I personally don’t even think of this as a dessert because it has fruit in it. Real desserts consist of chocolate.

Anyway, I have decided to share my secret recipe today. I think it’s only fair that I pass it along before I move. And hopefully this will eliminate any plans of a hostage situation.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 stick (½ cup) butter or margarine

¼ tsp salt

¼ cup ice water

¼ cup butter or margarine

4 medium sized apples (any kind!), cored, peeled, and sliced thin

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

¾ cup all purpose flour

1 cup oats

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter or margarine, melted

¼ tsp cinnamon

2 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp milk

1 tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Opptional: Caramel syrup

Crust: Cut butter/margarine into small cubes, mix in bowl with flour and salt. Slowly add the water – I usually add it a tablespoon at a time and stir it into the mixture. Add more or less depending on how dry or sticky it’s turning out. Wrap in cling-wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours. (If I need it done faster than that, I’ll freeze for a half hour and it still works fine.)

Apples: I like to use my apple corer to make the apples sliced thin and peeled. Melt butter in a large frying pan at medium heat, then add apples, sugar, and seasoning. Leave on stove for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Really let the apples soak in the sugar and seasoning.

Crumble: While apples are on the stove, mix together the dry ingredients and melt the butter, then mix together.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray pizza pan with non-stick spray. When the apples are about finished, roll out the crust and put on the pan. Place the apples on the crust evenly, then add the crumble evenly on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until crust is slightly browned.

Icing: After removing pizza from oven, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and butter. Drizzle icing on top of the pizza. You can also drizzle caramel syrup with it on top.

It tastes best when eaten immediately while it’s warm, but I’ve also refrigerated and saved for later and it still does great.

I’ve also made this in bar form in a 9×9 pan and in a 9″ pie tin for easier transportation. You don’t necessarily have to use less ingredients when making it in different dishes, it may just be thicker, but none of my friends have ever had a problem with that!

Enjoy!