• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • Frugal
  • Resources
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe

BeeyondCereal logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Frugal
  • Resources
  • About
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Frugal
    • Resources
    • About
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Pies

    Published: Jul 5, 2021 Modified: May 26, 2023 by Nicole This post may contain affiliate links.

    Applesauce Custard Pie

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This applesauce custard pie is a unique and wonderfully flavorful pie that is perfect for Fall. Serve it warm or cold and enjoy with some caramel sauce or scoops of vanilla ice cream.

    side view of a slice of applesauce pie topped with caramel and whipped cream with remaining pie in background

    Fresh apples can get rather expensive depending on where you are or what time of the year it is. One thing that's usually affordable though, is applesauce.

    It's so cheap you can often find it in dollar stores or even get it for free if you're signed up for your state's WIC program. It's also got a great shelf life, so it's something worth keeping on hand for snacking.

    This old fashioned applesauce pie recipe is an older one for sure, but that doesn't mean it can't compete with other "more modern" pie flavors. With all the great taste of your favorite apple pie recipe in a smoother textured bite, it's no wonder why we love this pie in Autumn and year round.

    Check out these other apple pie favorites like Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust, Easy Butterscotch Apple Pie, Instant Pot Apple Pie Filling, and Apple Pie Bites.

    Why This Recipe Works

    1. It bakes like magic. Made with real applesauce and a few other ingredients, the pie filling bakes into a great custard-like consistency.
    2. It is novice-friendly. Baking pies from scratch can feel daunting or scary, but this is one of the easiest baked pie recipes you'll ever find.
    3. Simple ingredients. Made with basic pantry staple ingredients, this recipe comes together easily and cheaply so it can fit conveniently into your meal plan and budget.
    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredients
    • 🍽 Equipment Needed
    • 🔪 Instructions
    • 🍴 Recipe Tips
    • 💭 FAQs
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments
    labeled ingredients needed to make applesauce custard pie

    🥘 Ingredients

    Eggs- You will need eggs for the binding agent and to create that custard-like texture.

    Sugar- For sweetness, use some granualted sugar. This will also help the consistency of the pie to thicken.

    Butter- Used for richness and flavor.

    Applesauce- This is the base of the pie filling, so it's very important. Make sure to use plain flavored sweetened applesauce, or see notes below on different types of applesauce that you can use.

    Cinnamon- For added warmth and spice, use ground cinnamon.

    Flour- This is the thickening agent needed to keep the pie filling from being too runny.

    Vanilla- For a flavor enhancer.

    Lemon juice- Adding freshness to the pie.

    Pie crust shell- You can use a store-bought pie crust or make your own pie crust if desired. I recommend regular pastry crust pie shells and not graham cracker style crusts, as those will not hold up well to the filling and baking.

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    BeeyondCereal is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.

    • Measuring Cups
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Whisk

    🔪 Instructions

    Check out how to make applesauce custard pie with these simple step-by-step instructions:

    Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

    thawed pie crust with fork holes in a pie plate

    Roll your pie crust into a pie plate and crimp the edges. Poke multiple times with the prongs of a fork along the sides and bottom of the crust.

    baked pie crust in a pie plate

    Bake in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes and remove. Let cool before use.

    After the crust has cooled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

    stick of butter in large mixing bowl

    In a large mixing bowl, add your stick of butter.

    melted butter in large mixing bowl

    Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds and cool slightly (until no longer hot).

    apple sauce, butter, and eggs in mixing bowl

    Add in the applesauce, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice.

    butter and egg mixture in a mixing bowl

    Whisk together until well mixed.

    cinnamon sugar and flour in a bowl

    In another bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.

    whisked cinnamon sugar and flour mixture in a bowl

    Whisk together until blended.

    cinnamon sugar ixture in large mixing bowl with applesauce egg mixture

    Add the cinnamon sugar mixture to the applesauce mixture.

    applesauce custard pie filling in a mixing bowl

    Stir together to combine.

    applesauce custard pie filling in a prebaked pie crust

    Pour the applesauce filling into the prebaked pie crust.

    aerial view of baked applesauce custard pie

    Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a knife can be inserted into it and come out clean (clear liquid is okay!)

    Let the pie cool for about 1 hour to set before slicing.

    I recommend chilling the pie in the fridge after it has cooled for 2 hours before serving.

    Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, or caramel sauce.

    aerial view of sliced apple sauce pie with a slice garnished on a wooden cutting board to the side

    🍴 Recipe Tips

    When you add the filling to the pie crust, it will look a bit like a wet pumpkin pie filling, and once baked, it comes out cracked. As the pie cools, more cracks will appear, but this is okay. This is a sign that the pie filling is settling and not going to run a mess over the plates when you go to serve it!

    Once baked, the filling will jiggle, and it will solidify as it cools and sets. Test the filling with a knife to see if it is done. The knife may come out shiny and wet, but shouldn't have clumps of pie on it. If it does, bake for another 5 minutes.

    💭 FAQs

    Can I use apple butter instead of applesauce for pie?

    Yes, apple butter and apple sauce can be interchanged within this recipe and the results should be the same or similar. If you feel your apple pie filling is a bit too dry before baking, you can add in up to 3 tablespoons of apple juice to help dilute the mixture.

    What type of applesauce is best for applesauce custard pie?

    You can use any applesauce of your choice! This includes the berry flavored ones, cinnamon ones, sweetened, or unsweetened. Simply adjust ingredients to accommodate the flavors (cinnamon should be omitted if using cinnamon flavored applesauce, and lemon juice should be omitted if using unsweetened applesauce).

    Do you serve applesauce pie warm or cold?

    Either one is totally fine! I like serving mine either at room temperature or slightly chilled because the texture is great but serving your applesauce pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce is an incredibly tasty experience.

    a slice of applesauce pie on a wooden cutting board topped wtih caramel sauce and whipped cream with more pie off to the side

    More great apple recipes to try

    • No Bake Apple Donuts
    • Apple Cider Donut Muffins
    • Simple Apple Nachos Recipe
    • Apple Cider Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting

    📖 Recipe

    an upclose view of sliced applesauce custard pie on a wooden board topped with caramel and whipped cream and more pie in a glass pie plate in background
    Print Recipe
    5 from 4 votes

    Applesauce Custard Pie

    This applesauce custard pie is a unique and wonderfully flavorful pie that is perfect for Fall. Made with real applesauce and a few other ingredients, the pie filling bakes into a great custard-like consistency. Serve it warm or cold and enjoy with some caramel sauce or scoops of vanilla ice cream.
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 45 minutes mins
    Cool 1 hour hr
    Total Time 2 hours hrs
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 311kcal
    Cost Recipe $5.42 / Serving $0.45
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Measuring Cups
    • Mixing Bowl
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Whisk

    Ingredients

    • 2 large Eggs ($0.16)
    • 1 cup Granulated sugar ($0.22)
    • ½ cup Butter, melted ($0.75)
    • 1 cup Sweetened plain flavor applesauce ($0.44)
    • 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon ($0.20)
    • 2 Tablespoons All purpose flour ($0.01)
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract ($0.04)
    • 2 Tablespoons Lemon juice (unless the applesauce is tart) ($0.48)
    • 1 9-inch Pie shell, thawed ($3.12)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
    • Roll your pie crust into a pie plate and crimp the edges. Poke multiple times with the prongs of a fork along the sides and bottom of the crust.
    • Bake in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes and remove. Let cool before use.
    • After the crust has cooled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
    • In a large mixing bowl, add your stick of butter.
    • Melt in the microwave for 30 seconds and cool slightly (until no longer hot).
    • Add in the applesauce, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice. Whisk together until well mixed.
    • In another bowl, add the sugar, cinnamon, and flour. Whisk together until well mixed.
    • Add the cinnamon sugar mixture to the applesauce mixture. Stir together to combine.
    • Pour the applesauce filling into the prebaked pie crust.
    • Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a knife can be inserted into it and come out clean (clear liquid is okay!)
    • Let the pie cool for about 1 hour to set before slicing. I recommend chilling the pie in the fridge after it has cooled for 2 hours before serving.
    • Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, or caramel sauce.

    Notes

    Recipe Tips

    When you add the filling to the pie crust, it will look a bit like a wet pumpkin pie filling, and once baked, it comes out cracked. As the pie cools, more cracks will appear but this is okay. This is a sign that the pie filling is settling and not going to run a mess over the plates when you go to serve it!
    Once baked, the filling will jiggle, and it will solidify as it cools and sets. Test the filling with a knife to see if it is done. The knife may come out shiny and wet, but shouldn't have clumps of pie on it. If it does, bake for another 5 minutes.
    Apple butter and apple sauce can be interchanged within this recipe and the results should be the same or similar. If you feel your apple pie filling is a bit too dry before baking you can add in up to 3 tablespoons of apple juice to help dilute the mixture.
    You can use any applesauce of your choice! This includes the berry flavored ones, cinnamon ones, sweetened, or unsweetened. Simply adjust ingredients to accommodate the flavors (cinnamon should be omitted if using cinnamon flavored applesauce and lemon juice omitted if using unsweetened applesauce). 
    I like serving mine either at room temperature or slightly chilled because the texture is great but serving your applesauce pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of salted caramel sauce is an incredibly tasty experience.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1slice | Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 2.4g | Fat: 21.7g | Saturated Fat: 11.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.2g | Cholesterol: 71.7mg | Sodium: 101.3mg | Potassium: 47.2mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18.7g | Vitamin A: 143IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 14.3mg | Iron: 0.7mg
    Author NicoleDurham
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Mention @BeeyondCereal on Instagram and hashtag it #BeeyondCereal
    To view how this recipe was calculated you can visit my Pricing Disclosure Page for more information.

    More Pie Recipes

    • close up view of graham cracker crust in a glass pie plate
      No Bake Graham Cracker Crust
    • an upclose side view of a slice of apple pie with graham cracker crust and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top
      Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
    • a slice of smores ice cream pie with a fork holding a bite of pie on it
      No Bake Smores Ice Cream Pie
    • homemade strawberry pop tarts on a wire rack, one pop tart is sliced in half to reveal the insides
      Homemade Strawberry Pop Tarts

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Nicole from Beeyond Cereal

    I'm Nicole and I am the owner and recipe developer here at Beeyond Cereal. I love saving money and one of the best places to trim expenses is in the kitchen. With this site, we are serving up tasty and frugal homemade dishes that the whole family will enjoy.

    More About Me →

    Trending NOW

    • angled upclose view of cinnamon rolls with icing on top in an 8x8 baking dish
      Small Batch Cinnamon Rolls
    • roasted chicken, carrots and potatoes in a baking dish with a sprig of rosemary on top
      Roasted Whole Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots
    • aerial view of zucchini carrot oatmeal muffins with fresh zucchini and carrots to the sides
      Zucchini Carrot Oatmeal Muffins
    • a close up of taquitos enchiladas in a bowl with a board filled with toppings in background
      20 Minute Lazy Enchiladas

    Seasonal Recipes

    • angled view into a glass of ice cold lemonade with sliced lemons on a wooden cutting board and fresh lemons to the side
      Single Serving Lemonade
    • an upclose view of bowl of zucchini penne pasta
      Zucchini Penne Pasta
    • close up of a white bowl filled with orange fluff sald and topped with marshmallows and orange slices
      Creamy Orange Fluff Salad
    • an upclose view of a bowl filled with cheddar bacon ranch pasta salad
      Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

    As Seen In

    parade yummyle foodgawker the pioneer woman

    Footer

    ↑ Back to Top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Affiliate Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Public Sharing Policy
    • Pricing Disclosure

    Follow

    • Sign Up! for emails
    • Follow on Facebook
    • Follow on Instagram
    • Follow on Pinterest

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Beeyond Cereal --Brunch Pro Theme by Feast Design Co.