Creamy Marlborough Pie
Creamy Marlborough Pie is a rustic New England apple dessert featuring a silky custard base and tender grated apples in a flaky crust. It’s easy to make, comforting, and perfect for fall gatherings or cozy family dinners.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: New England, American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups tart apples, peeled, cored, and grated (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp recommended)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk (or 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream for extra creaminess)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
- 1 single 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought (gluten-free if needed)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for sprinkling over the crust
Instructions
- Roll out your pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Press into the plate, trim excess, and crimp edges. Chill the crust in the fridge for about 10 minutes while preparing the filling.
- Peel, core, and grate 2 cups of tart apples. Pat dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half-and-half or milk, sugar, melted butter, flour, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon zest, and salt until well combined.
- Add grated apples to the custard mixture and stir gently until evenly distributed. If apples are very juicy, add an extra teaspoon of flour.
- Pour the apple-custard filling into the chilled pie crust. Smooth the top with a spatula. Optionally, sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over the filling.
- Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden and the custard is set with a slight jiggle in the center.
- Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving.
Notes
Pat grated apples dry to avoid a runny custard. Chill the crust before filling for flakiness. Tent crust edges with foil if browning too quickly. For gluten-free, use almond flour and gluten-free pastry. For dairy-free, substitute coconut or oat milk and vegan butter. Add nuts or raisins for texture. Pie is best served slightly warm or at room temperature and can be made ahead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of a 9-
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 120
- Fat: 9
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: Marlborough Pie, apple dessert, creamy pie, fall baking, rustic pie, New England recipe, custard pie, easy apple pie, autumn dessert