Szarlotka Recipe (Polish Apple Pie)

Szarlotka is a Polish apple pie recipe with a buttery sweet semi-short pastry crust and a spiced apple filling. If you’re looking for a cozy fall dessert, give this a try!

If you like apple pie or apple cake, you’re going to love this classic Polish dessert. When apples are in season, this is the perfect cozy treat to make!

Buttery semi-short, slightly sweetened pastry with juicy sweet apples and the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s the epitome of fall baking.

And you don’t have to be an adventurous baker to try this. There are multiple steps, but they’re all easy and beginner-friendly. Read the whole recipe before starting to get a feel for the process and follow along with the step-by-step photos as you bake, and it’ll be smooth sailing.

Serve it warm along with a cup of hot coffee and imagine you’re at a café in Poland.

What is Szarlotka?

Szarlotka is a traditional Polish apple dessert that’s like a cross between pie and cake. However, don’t confuse it with jabłecznik, which is more commonly thought of as Polish apple cake. (I’ll get more into the differences between the two desserts later.)

This fall dessert has a bottom layer of pastry, a middle layer of apple filling (and sometimes a middle layer of custard or meringue as well), and the top is another layer of pastry. A sprinkling of powdered sugar on top is common.

Using the same dough for the top and bottom pastry layers simplifies this recipe. And it’s simplified even more by the fact that you don’t have to roll out any of the dough! The dough is divided: the dough for the bottom layer is pressed into a baking dish, and the dough for the top layer is frozen and then grated (like how you’d shred or grate cheese on a box grater). This gives the top pastry a deliciously crisp texture similar to a crumbly streusel topping to contrast the soft pastry layer on the bottom.

Szarlotka is more of a pie than a cake, but the pastry itself is quite a bit different than pastry used for American pie. For starters, this pastry is sweet. Typically for American pies, flaky shortcrust dough is unsweetened (like in this blueberry pie recipe) because the fruity fillings are very sweet. However, even though this pastry is sweetened, it’s not overly sweet. The sugar added to the dough is to balance the apples’ tangy flavor because the filling is a lot less sweet than the filling in American apple pie.

Also, the pastry for szarlotka has a unique texture, kind-of like a cross between a thick cake (such as pound cake) and a shortbread cookie. The pastry is typically a semi-short crust (instead of a shortcrust, which is commonly used in American-style pies), but you can also find some versions of this Polish apple pie that use shortcrust.

Another thing about szarlotka that I find interesting is that it typically contains semi-sweet or sweet-tart apples, instead of tart baking apples (such as Granny Smith) that are commonly used to make American apple pie. Which means that you can use much less sugar in the filling!

What Makes This Apple Dessert Special

• It’s not overly sweet, so the flavors of buttery pastry and cinnamon-spiced apples shine through.
• If you don’t like working with finicky pie dough or aren’t a fan of rolling out pastry crust, this recipe is perfect for you! The bottom pastry gets pressed into the baking dish, and the top pastry is frozen, grated, and sprinkled on top.

Ingredients

Top and Bottom Crust Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour – All-purpose flour is the base of our pastry dough.
• Granulated white sugar – One of the things that makes Polish apple pie unique is that the crust is sweet. Here we add just enough sugar to create a subtle sweetness; feel free to bump up the sugar to 3/4 cup if you want it a bit sweeter, or even 1 cup if you like your sweets on the sweet side.
• Salt – Salt is a natural flavor enhancer that pulls out the flavors of everything else.
• Unsalted butter – Butter adds richness and is a classic ingredient in shortcrust pastry that helps create the perfect “short” texture.
• Egg – In this recipe, instead of making a short, flaky pastry crust, we add egg and sour cream, which gives the pastry a more cake-like texture.
• Sour cream – I love the tangy flavor that sour cream adds for balanced flavor, and you can use plain Greek yogurt as well.
• Vanilla extract – For flavor and aroma.

Apple Filling Ingredients:

• Honeycrisp apples – Use apples with a sweet/tart flavor and crisp texture that hold up well when baked. Honeycrisp is my favorite here, but Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Winesap all work well.
• Granulated white sugar – One of the benefits of using sweet/tart apples instead of tart baking apples in this recipe is that we can use a lot less sugar in the apple filling. Here we only use 2 tablespoons of sugar, but if you use apples that are more on the tart side, you may need to increase the amount of sugar.
• Salt – Helps create a balanced flavor profile and pulls out the natural sweetness of the apples.
• Cinnamon and nutmeg – These warm spices are classic in apple pie and apple baked goods.
• Vanilla extract – For flavor and aroma.

Other Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter – To grease the pan.
• Powdered sugar – To sprinkle on top.

How to Make Szarlotka

1: Make the Dough for the Top and Bottom Pastry

1. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add the butter and pulse to mostly incorporate it.
2. Leave some larger pieces of butter the size of peas.
3. Pulse in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla until the mixture forms a shaggy dough.
4. You want the dough wet enough that it sticks together when you squeeze it, but still shaggy/crumbly looking.

Pro Tip: You don’t have to make the dough in a food processor! It’s also easy to make by hand. To do so, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chilled cubed butter and work it into the dough with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until it’s mostly incorporated but some pieces of butter the size of small peas remain. Add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla, and work the mixture together with your fingers until it forms a shaggy dough. To see step-by-step photos of how to make dough by hand, check out my individual steak and ale pie recipe.

2: Divide the Dough

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions.

1. Grease a 10.5 by 7.5-inch baking dish with butter. Press half of the dough into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the baking dish.
2. Chill the baking dish with the dough pressed into it in the fridge while you make the apple filling.
3. Wrap the other half of the dough with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.
4. Later (after 1 hour in the freezer), coarsely grate the frozen dough ball on a box grater the way you’d grate cheese. We will use this as the pastry topping.

3: Make the Apple Filling

1. Wash the apples. Peel them, and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. You’ll need about 6 to 8 cups of chopped apples for this recipe.
2. Add the chopped apples, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook (uncovered) until the apples start to soften a bit but still hold their shape, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
4. Cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. While the apple filling cools, preheat the oven to 350F.

4: How to Assemble and Bake the Pie

1. Poke the bottom of the dough in the baking dish a few times with a fork.
2. Spoon the cooled apple mixture onto the dough in the baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
3. Now is the time to coarsely grate the frozen dough ball on a box grater the way you’d grate cheese. Sprinkle this evenly across the top of the apple mixture.
4. Bake until the pie is golden, about 1 hour, to 1 hour 15 minutes.

5: Cool and Serve

Let the pie cool to room temperature, and then sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Enjoy!

How to Prevent Mushy Apple Pie Filling

Here are a few tips to help make sure your pie filling isn’t mushy:

• Use crisp apples that hold their shape well when cooked.
• Make sure your apples aren’t over-ripe or mealy.
• Cut the apples to the correct size because if they’re too small they’re more likely to turn to mush. I recommend 1/2-inch pieces.
• Stew the apples briefly as directed in the recipe to soften them and help cook off their excess moisture, but not so long that they get mushy.
• After stewing the apples, let them cool to room temperature. At this point, you’ll notice that just about all of the liquid that was in the pot after stewing is gone. You’re left with slightly softened apples that have already released their extra liquid – no soggy pie bottoms here!
• Make sure to let the pie cool before slicing into it so that the filling can thicken properly.

Variations

• If you want a shorter, more crisp pastry crust, you can omit the egg and sour cream, and instead use 3/4 cup cold water.
• For a more cake-y pastry, add 1 teaspoon baking powder along with the flour, reduce the sour cream to 1/4 cup, and increase the eggs to 2.

Storage and Freezing

Once it’s cooled to room temperature, you can wrap szarlotka well and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

After freezing when you want to serve this, thaw it overnight and reheat it in a 350F oven until warm, about 10 minutes. (This helps re-crisp the pastry, which has the tendency to become waterlogged and mushy after freezing and thawing.)

Frequently Asked Questions

More Apple Desserts You’ll Love

• Apple Streusel Muffins – soft, tender cake with a crumbly topping and vanilla icing
• Chewy Cinnamon Apple Cookies – crispy outside and chewy inside with gorgeous crackled tops
• Apple Hand Pies – portable apple pie in a flaky butter crust

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Szarlotka Recipe (Polish Apple Pie)

By: Faith Gorsky

Prep TimePrep Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cook TimeCook Time: 1 hour hour

Other TimeChill Time: 1 hour hour

Yields: 16 servings

Szarlotka (Polish Apple Pie) features a cinnamon-spiced apple filling in the middle of a buttery sweet pastry. The pastry is what truly makes this autumnal pie unique; it’s a cross between shortcrust and pound cake.

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Equipment

• 10.5 by 7.5-inch baking dish

Ingredients

 

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Crust (Top and Bottom):

• ▢ 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter chilled and diced small
• ▢ 1 large egg chilled
• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream chilled (or plain Greek yogurt)
• ▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Apple Filling:

• ▢ 2.2 pounds Honeycrisp apples or Braeburn, Pink Lady, or Winesap, peeled, cored, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 6 to 8 cups chopped)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
• ▢ 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Other:

• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter to grease the pan
• ▢ 2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting the top

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

 

For the Crust:

• Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse a couple times to combine. Add the butter and pulse to mostly incorporate it, but leave some larger pieces of butter the size of peas. Pulse in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla until the mixture forms a shaggy dough. You want the dough wet enough that it sticks together when you squeeze it, but still shaggy/crumbly looking.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Wrap half of the dough with plastic wrap and freeze for 1 hour.
• Grease a 10.5 by 7.5-inch baking dish with butter. Press the other half of the dough into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the baking dish. Poke the bottom a few times with a fork. Chill this in the fridge while you make the apple filling.

For the Apple Filling:

• Add the chopped apples, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook (uncovered) until the apples start to soften a bit but still hold their shape, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
• Cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.

To Assemble and Bake:

• Spoon the cooled apple mixture onto the dough in the baking dish, spreading it out evenly.
• Coarsely grate the frozen dough ball on a box grater the way you’d grate cheese. Sprinkle this evenly across the top of the apple mixture.
• Bake until the pie is golden, about 1 hour, to 1 hour 15 minutes. (Note that baking time will vary depending on whether you use a glass, metal, or ceramic baking dish.)

To Serve:

• Cool, and then sprinkle the powdered sugar on top.
• Serve.

Notes

• Storage and Freezing: Once it’s cooled to room temperature, you can wrap szarlotka well and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. After freezing when you want to serve this, thaw it overnight and reheat it in a 350F oven until warm, about 10 minutes. (This helps re-crisp the pastry, which has the tendency to become waterlogged and mushy after freezing and thawing.)
• Making the Dough by Hand: You don’t have to make the dough in a food processor! It’s also easy to make by hand. To do so, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the chilled cubed butter and work it into the dough with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until it’s mostly incorporated but some pieces of butter the size of small peas remain. Add the egg, sour cream, and vanilla, and work the mixture together with your fingers until it forms a shaggy dough. To see step-by-step photos of how to make dough by hand, check out my individual steak and ale pie recipe.
• The Filling: I’ve made versions of this pie where the apple filling was soft with a texture similar to chunky applesauce. It’s delicious, but I prefer filling where the apples hold their shape. However, if you prefer a mushier apple pie filling, you can use a potato masher to mash the apples while they’re stewing, and cook them a bit longer until they reach your desired consistency.
• Sweetness Level: Taste your apple filling and adjust the sweetness if desired. Add sugar to make it sweeter, and lemon juice if it’s too sweet. (But don’t compare it with regular American pie! Remember that in general, this dessert is much less sweet.)
• The Pastry: If you want a shorter, more crisp pastry crust, you can omit the egg and sour cream, and instead use 3/4 cup cold water. For a more cake-y pastry, add 1 teaspoon baking powder along with the flour, reduce the sour cream to 1/4 cup, and increase the eggs to 2.

Nutrition

Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 460IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Polish

Keyword: Polish Apple Pie, Szarlotka, Szarlotka Recipe

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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.

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