Go Back
+ servings
Overhead view of a whole Drunken Apple Pie

Mouth-Watering Drunken Apple Pie with Bourbon Drizzle

Print Recipe
Kick your apple-pie up a notch with a boozy twist! This Drunken Apple Pie with Bourbon Glaze plays off the natural oak, vanilla, and caramel flavors of bourbon to add depth to your favorite classic.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Diet Vegetarian
Keyword Apple Pie, Bourbon Drizzle, Fall, Thanksgiving, Whiskey
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings 10 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

All-Butter Pie Crust (Standalone Recipe Post)

  • 1 cup frozen unsalted butter 1 cup = 2 sticks
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Drunken Apple Pie Filling

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 large apples half sweet, half tart
  • 1 squeeze of lemon juice
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons Bourbon

Bourbon Drizzle

  • 1 tablespoon Bourbon
  • ½ cup powdered sugar you may not need all ½ cup

Instructions

All-Butter Pie Crust

  • Add the butter, flour, brown sugar, and salt to a food processor or blender and blend until the butter starts to cut into the dough.
    3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 cup frozen unsalted butter
  • Next, with blender still on, add cold water and blend for about 10-15 more seconds. It's okay if there is still some loose flour.
    ½ cup cold water
  • Transfer contents of blender to a large mixing bowl or clean surface and use clean hands to work the dough until no extra flour is left behind. You should still have chunks of butter in your dough!
  • Split the dough roughly in half. Roll one half into a ball, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, saran wrap, or beeswax, and place it in the refrigerator.
  • Use your hands to press the other half into your pie dish, using your index finger and thumbs to pinch the crust up against the sides of the dish. Put your pie dish in the refrigerator, and let both halves rest in the refrigerator for two hours.

Drunken Apple Pie Filling

  • While your dough is resting, make your filling. Cut and core your apples. I like to leave the apple skin on to retain some color. As you are cutting, squeeze small amounts of lemon juice on the apple slices to keep them from turning brown.
    6 large apples, 1 squeeze of lemon juice
  • Add the sliced apple to a shallow pot or large saucepan with the butter, both sugars, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and bourbon. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until juices from the apples start to release.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons Bourbon, ½ cup brown sugar
  • Remove cover and stir until apple is evenly coated in sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and bourbon. Cook until most of the liquid is evaporated (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool at room temperature.

Assembling Drunken Apple Pie

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.
  • Remove the ball of dough from the refrigerator. Flour your surface and rolling pin and roll out the dough until it is roughly 1/2 inch thick. Cut into strips to make lattice (detailed instructions on how to make lattice crust here) or cut out an "X" shape in the center, to allow steam to escape the top while baking.
  • Add cooled filling to the pie dish, and add top crust. Brush the top crust with egg whites and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
    1 egg white, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then lower oven to 375°F and bake for another 40 minutes. Your filling should be bubbling and very aromatic.
  • Allow your pie to cool before adding the Bourbon Drizzle.

Bourbon Drizzle

  • In a large mixing bowl, use a hand or stand mixer to whip 1 tablespoon bourbon and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until combined. Test consistency and add more powdered sugar if needed. It should be loose enough to drip off your spoon, but thicker than liquid (think glue!).
    1 tablespoon Bourbon, ½ cup powdered sugar

Notes

  • Always use 3 tart apples and 3 sweet apples for the filling!
  • Always flour your rolling pin.
  • Allow your filling to cool completely before adding the lattice top.
  • Love a good pie? You gotta check out this list of my best pie recipes!