This delightfully colorful autumn leaves apple pie may look like it's difficult to make but with my tips and tricks, you too can make this adorable (and delicious) showstopping apple pie!
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Our lives are so much busier during the fall and holiday season.
With cooking, baking, shopping, and entertaining, who's got time to whip up a fancy pie crust design?!?!
YOU do!
Jump to:
- The ingredient list for making autumn leaves apple pie:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- Why this recipe works:
- How long with this colorful autumn leaves pie take to make?
- How long does this pie take to bake pie crust designs in the oven?
- Can this decorative pie crust pie be frozen?
- A look back at the inspiration for this fancy pie crust design:
- Want more dramatic pie crust ideas?
- How to make autumn leaves apple pie:
- Can homemade pie dough for this decorative pie crust?
- What size cookie cutter should I use for this leaf pie crust?
- What if I don't want to use food color for this apple pie crust design?
- Printable Recipe Card
For all your gourmet and kitchen gadget shopping needs, check out For the Gourmet and have fun browsing the aisles.
The ingredient list for making autumn leaves apple pie:
**Note - The following lists of ingredients plus kitchen tools and equipment contain affiliate links (highlighted in blue) for your consideration and shopping convenience.
- Apples (I used Granny Smith)
- Fresh lemon juice
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Cinnamon
- All-Purpose Flour
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Salt
- Butter
- Frozen Prepared Pie Crust, or homemade crust (for the top crust)
- Deep Dish Pie Crust (for the bottom crust)
- Egg
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- Gel Food Color
- Paint Brush, specifically used for food
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper (optional)
- Paring Knife
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Leaf Cookie Cutter
- Extra small bowls or Paper Cups
- Paper Towels
- Vegetable Peeler
- Large Mixing Bowl
Why this recipe works:
Since this beauty takes advantage of store-bought pie dough and takes virtually no painting or artistic ability (honest), anyone will be successful at making this autumn leaves apple pie.
How long with this colorful autumn leaves pie take to make?
If using store-bought pie dough (as I did), this pie will be ready for the oven in approximately 30 minutes.
Since painting the leaves for this painted pie crust takes no artistic skill whatsoever, this can be performed relatively quickly.
How long does this pie take to bake pie crust designs in the oven?
Approximately 60 minutes.
Once you see the juices ooze and smell the incredible aroma wafting from the oven, you know your pie is ready!
Can this decorative pie crust pie be frozen?
By all means...YES!!
Once it is completely cooled, wrap it well in several layers of cling wrap. This pie can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Unwrap, and thaw completely at room temperature before serving.
A look back at the inspiration for this fancy pie crust design:
If I'm going to be totally honest here (and if you know me at all, you know that I'm all about honesty and integrity), the idea for this colorful autumn leaves apple pie came to me due to the overwhelming popularity and success of my Adorable Turkey Crust Pumpkin Pie (pictured below)
Naturally, I'd like to do my part in keeping the excitement alive for creative pie crusts, and this colorful fall pie is hopefully one that excites and inspires you in your own kitchen.
I'm always extremely proud to place a decorative pie with a fancy pie crust design on any dessert table. They're not only pretty, but they're also conversation starters.
Want more dramatic pie crust ideas?
How to make autumn leaves apple pie:
- Peel, core, and slice 6 Granny Smith apples.
- Toss them in a large bowl with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
- Pile the sugared coated apples in a deep-dish pie crust (I used a preformed store-bought deep dish pie crust), and dot with butter.
- Set aside while preparing the leaves.
- Unroll a store-bought pie crust and use a leaf maple leaf cookie cutter to cut out 8 leaves.
- Use a paring knife to score the veins in each leaf.
- In a small bowl, make an egg wash of 1 egg, 2 tablespoons water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Divide the egg wash evenly between five small dishes or paper cups.
- Add 3-4 drops of gel food color (red, orange, green, yellow, brown) to each of the dishes, and use a fork to mix the colors thoroughly in the egg wash.
- Use a clean paintbrush to liberally, and with utter abandon, "paint" each leaf. *Note - It's best to start with yellow as painting yellow over another color will not work. As we all know, no two leaves are perfect or ever the same, so go at this with a sense of fun and don't worry about perfection.
- Once the leaves are painted, place them over the apples in the pie dish, in different directions. *Note - the leaves will not cover the apples completely. This is part of the charm.
- Top the leaves with a generous coating of granulated sugar.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the pie juices run liberally from the crust.
- Cool completely. Serve and enjoy!
Can homemade pie dough for this decorative pie crust?
If you're not pressed for time and feel at ease in making your own pie dough, I fully urge you to do so.
Since I wanted to make it this recipe less intimidating for all my readers, store-bought seemed to be the way for me to go.
What size cookie cutter should I use for this leaf pie crust?
The leaf cookie cutter I used is 3" in diameter.
Other size cutters (or shapes) can be used if desired, but this recipe was written using a 3" cutter.
Have fun making this pie, and get creative if you feel comfortable. As always, I completely encourage you to play with your food!
What if I don't want to use food color for this apple pie crust design?
Not a problem. Just don't use it!
This pie will be just as spectacular with plain pie leaves as with colored leaves.
Get creative! It's your pie, make it your way!!
Below is the full-length live video. Please enjoy!
I'm proud and pleased to say that this autumn leaves apple pie crust design was featured in an easy Thanksgiving dessert post on Shari's Berries blog.
Check it out along with all sorts of other delicious (and easy) desserts to grace your Thanksgiving table! Thanks, Shari's Berries!!
When you make this recipe, and I hope you do, I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to leave a star rating on the recipe card and briefly comment on why you rated it as you did. FYI - Google appreciates recipe ratings and, in turn, will share my recipes with more people. Thank you so much!!
Printable Recipe Card
Autumn Leaves Apple Pie
Ingredients
- 6 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and sliced into ¼" slices
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¾ cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons for topping
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla divided
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 9 " deep-dish pie shell found in the freezer section or homemade pie dough for 2 crust pie.
- gel food color yellow, red, orange, green and brown
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
- Place the sliced apples, lemon juice, ¾ cup sugar, brown sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl and toss to coat the apples evenly in the mixture.
- Pile the sugar-coated apples in the deep dish pie shell and dot the top with butter. Set aside.
- Unroll a flat, round pie dough (found in the refrigerated section) press out any broken areas (if needed).
- Use the cookie cutter to cut 8 leaves into the round pie dough. Remove the scraps, leaving only the leaves. *Note - if desired place the scraps on a separate baking sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 until crispy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until blended.
- Divide the egg wash into 5 separate small dishes (or paper cups), and add a few drops of each gel color to each dish. Mix each color thoroughly with a fork.
- Use a paring knife to gently score the veins on each leaf.
- Liberally paint the leaves with the gel egg wash (starting with yellow) and adding color as you like to each leaf. *Note the colors will intensify slightly during the baking process.
- Place the leaves in random fashion over the apples in the pie plate and sprinkle the leaves with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
- Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the pie juices are flowing.
- Remove and cool on a baking rack.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's easy apple pie recipe and crust design as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
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Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you'll come back and visit me often. There is always room for you around my table!
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen here on my blog, please don't hesitate to reach out to me. It is always my distinct pleasure to respond to you just as soon as I possibly can.
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!!
Jamie says
Hi Renee,
Question: Do I need to use gel food coloring? I have liquid food coloring. Will that work? I doubt the gel is easily available where I live. (I live abroad.)
Renée says
Hi, Jamie!
I'm sure they'll work in a pinch but the colors probably won't be as vivid or you won't have the color selection that gels have.
That said, still mix the colors with the egg wash and have fun with it!
Have a great day!
Renee
Grace Down says
I made this pie today. It looks & tastes great. I baked it for recommended maximum time. Was disappointed that apples didn’t cook down more and there is so much juice, it filled up empty spot where first slice was cut. What could have gone wrong?
Renée says
Hello, Grace!
Thanks for your question.
The first thing I thought of when you stated how juicy your pie was, was possibly you cut into it before it had cooled sufficiently, and the juices had no time to thicken?
Or, I also wonder if maybe you'd forgotten the thickening agent (the flour) in the filling?
Since the apples didn't cook down as much as you'd hoped, I'm wondering where all that extra juice came from?
I'm curious...After the pie had cooled a bit, how were the other slices?
I wish I had more specific answers for you but those are the things that first came to mind.
In any case, I'm glad you were happy with the looks, and the taste. Those are the most important.
Take good care,
Renee
Grace Down says
@Renée, I did let the pie cool on rack for many hours. I also used flour for thickening. Could it have been too much lemon juice? Should I have baked bottom crust first? Would Macintosh apples be better? Like I said everything else was great. I poured out all the extra juice and sent 1/4 of the pie for my son-in-law and he loved it. ☺️
Renée says
Gosh, Grace, then I have no clue. I wrote the recipe exactly as I make it and I don't have the problem of a too juicy pie or the apples not cooking down. I doubt it would be too much lemon juice (if you used the amount written in the recipe) as it's basically just used for keeping the apples from oxidizing. You've stumped me. Of course you can always use another apple as you stated, if that's your favorite for apple pie, and you can also pre-bake you bottom crust if you prefer. Other than that, I'm glad your son-in-law loved the pie. I'm happy about that.
Take good care, Grace!
Renee
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
This is such a delicious recipe! Can’t wait to try it!
Renée says
Thanks, Shadi! Enjoy!
Dave wallace says
How do you prevent 'soggy bottom' ? I have made this twice, and had soggy bottom both times!??
Renée says
Sorry to hear that, Dave. Although I've never had that problem, I'll give you a few potential solutions to prevent a soggy bottom.
1. Perhaps blind baking your bottom pie crust before filling may help. I wouldn't bake it too long, maybe only like 3-5 minutes in a preheated 350-degree will help seal the crust. Since you'll be baking the pie longer than the recipe calls for (with this method), make sure to keep an eye on the bottom crust edges and cover them with foil during the last minutes of baking (after filling) so the edges don't get too brown.
2. Try brushing on a thin layer of a complimentary flavor of jam or jelly before adding the filling and bake as instructed.
3. Add a light eggwash brushed on the bottom crust and then a pre-bake for 3-5 or so minutes before filling and continuing with the recipe. Make sure to watch the bottom crust during the final minutes of baking.
4. Cut back the amount of butter used for the filling. Perhaps the filling is too juicy.
5. OR increase the amount of flour in the filling a tiny bit to thicken the juices even more.
I hope these suggestions are helpful.
Please let me know as I want you to be happy and successful when making my recipes in your kitchen.
Take good care,
Renee
Linda says
I am using your pie as an inspiration for an apple pecan pie. I have been requested so many times to dress it up. I usually concentrate on the fillings. I will give you credit for the inspiration when I post it on my blog!
Renée says
I'm thrilled to be of inspiration to you, Linda.
When you post to social media, I do hope you'll tag me @kudoskitchen
Thanks so much!!
Renee
wilhelmina says
Mine wasn't nearly as pretty as yours, but it sure tasted delicious!
Renée says
It's the taste that really counts. I'm glad to hear it Wilhelmina!
Claudia Lamascolo says
You have such great talent! Also patience I would love to make this but wouldn't let anyone touch it after all the work what a gorgeous masterpiece, your work in all you do is exquisite!
Renée says
You are so sweet, Claudia. Thank you so much but honestly, you'd be successful making this pie too. I do hope you'll try it.
Renee
Angelina says
Thank you so much for this amazing idea, I love the painted fall leaves! My daughter (3 years old) and I used your idea yesterday. We baked the leaves separately and placed them on our homemade pumpkin pie! I cant wait to try out your full recipe!
Renée says
I'm sure your pie was lovely. How fun to make it with your young daughter.
Next time, try baking the leaves directly on the pie for a whole new look.
Have a great day!
Justine Howell says
Ok just delicious but seriously the most beautiful pie ever!
Renée says
Thank you! I do hope you'll try it. It's easier to make than you may think
Jennifer Fishkind says
This is STUNNING!!!!
Renée says
Thanks! It does make for a showstopper presentation. I hope you'll make one for yourself!
Elizabeth @ GlutenFreeBaking.com says
These pies are so lovely!
Megan says
Thank you so much for the detailed instructions! I am very excited to try this over the holiday season!
Renée says
It's my pleasure, Megan. I'm a visual learner so I know how important the step-by-step photos are. Enjoy making this pie 🙂
Alice @ hip foodie mom says
Wow, so creative! This will be a hit at Thanksgiving!
Renée says
Thank you, Alice!
Joanie Zisk says
Your pies are absolutely beautiful, Renee. It would be hard to cut into either of them - they would look so nice on our holiday buffet table.
Renée says
Thank you so much, Joanie. I'm so glad you like the pies, and I hope you have fun making them this year.
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
Both of your pies here are amazing! The leafy pie, however, is simply amazing! Living in Phoenix now, I miss the leaves changing color like they do back in Ohio. This pie makes me feel like I'm not missing out 🙂 And how pretty will this be on the table for Thanksgiving! Fantastic creation!
Renée says
Thank you so much, Patricia! I love the changing seasons here in Illinois. Guess that's what inspired this pie!
Allison says
Renee, oh my gosh, this is the most beautiful pie I've ever seen! I am totally trying out the leaf painting technique for Thanksgiving, and now my mind is thinking of all the other awesome "painted pies" I could make with other shapes. GORGEOUS!!!
Renée says
I'm so glad to have inspired you, Allison! This makes me happy 🙂 Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Oh my goodness, Renee, you make the most stunning pies! Another winner!
Renée says
That's very kind of you to say, Kimberly. Thank you.
shockinglydelicious says
Utterly perfect, in every way. Sharing, pinning and sticking my face to the screen, trying to lick it.
Renée says
HaHa. Thanks for the early morning laugh, Dorothy! Also thanks for the shares and pin.
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchen says
I was so intrigued the moment I saw this, and really had fun learning how you did it! My very favorite quote that absolutely captures the whimsy a joy of this recipe: "go at this with a sense of fun and don’t worry about perfection." Love that! Oh - and your Turkey Crust Pumpkin Pie is BEYOND adorable! Such great ideas, with truly useful instructions and helpful hints (like paint the yellow first! 😀 ).Fantastic post!
Renée says
Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment, Shelley. I want the people who try my recipes to be successful, so I'm thrilled that you noted my helpful tips. I think people worry WAY too much about things being perfect. So much so, that they won't even try new things. For gosh sakes, it's only food! Life is short. Have fun, and lets not worry so much about perfection!
grandbabycakes says
I adore how fun and colorful this is!
Renée says
Thank you so much!
artofthepie says
I love this easy idea for topping an apple pie. It's Pie-fectly stunning!
Renée says
LOL. Pie-fectly stunning! Thanks so much!