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There’s nothing worse than putting a couple of hours into baking an apple pie only to end up with a soggy crust.

It’s not so hard to achieve a crisp apple pie crust, nonetheless. So, if you’re wondering how to keep an apple pie crust from getting soggy, keep reading for some handy tricks.

How To Keep an Apple Pie Crust From Getting Soggy

We can break down the tips to bake apple pie without getting a soggy crust into three stages. The prep, the baking, and then the after-baking phase. Let’s delve into each.

1 – Preparation

The first phase is the prep one. In this stage, you can do some things to prevent sogginess before putting the pie in the oven.

Don’t Moisten Your Dough Completely

Naturally, the more moisture there is in the dough initially, the higher the risk of the crust sogging.

This is why it’s always wiser to add water little by little. You should add around a teaspoon or two at a time. Once the dough softens and looks flaky yet sticks together when you roll it in a ball, you know that it’ll hold up well.

Coat the Bottom Crust

Adding a layer of coat on the bottom crust creates a barrier that stops the moisture from penetrating the crust and causing sogginess.

You can use corn syrup or slightly beat some egg white to brush the bottom before you add the filling.

By creating this seal between the filling and the dough, you’re protecting the crust and ensuring that it’ll come out flaky and crisp.

Add a Dry Filler

You don’t have to add an extra filler, but it can be an excellent way to prevent a soggy crust. Using something dry helps create a barrier before you add your pie’s filling. You can use several barriers, but the best options are breadcrumbs and cornflakes.

Mind the Pan You Use

When baking a pie, you want to use a metal pie plate with a dull finish or a glass one. The glass plates heat up less quickly, which gives your crust enough time to bake evenly. Not to mention, the fact that it’s transparent gives you visibility.

Consequently, you’ll be able to tell when to take your pie out easily. Just wait until it starts looking golden and crispy.

On the other hand, the metal heats up quicker, but it distributes the heat evenly. This is especially true for aluminum, which is the quickest to distribute heat.

Make the Crust Thicker

Try to roll the bottom crust thicker than the top one. This makes it sturdier and better able to handle the extra weight of the filling. As a result, no moisture will seep through the dough or cause sogginess.

Use a Thickener for the Filling

To ensure that the filling has a balanced consistency, use a thickener. Cornstarch is a good option to keep your filling from becoming applesauce. You can also use apple jelly or quick-cooking tapioca.

Alternatively, you can use arrowroot.

Some modified cornstarch options have a higher thickening effect. Yet, it has an advantage over regular cornstarch because it gives your pie a softer feeling and less gumminess to the texture.

While you can use flour, it’s not the best thickener. It’s because flour leaves a cloud behind, which takes away from the smoothness of the filling.

2 – Baking

After the prep phase comes the baking. During this phase, here’s what to do:

Blind Baking

Blind baking is when you bake the crust before you add the filling. You can bake it completely if you’re going to add cream or custard.

Alternatively, you can only partially pre-bake the crust, in case the whole pie needs to be baked.

Add to that, you can place a piece of parchment paper and add pie weights before putting it in the oven to prevent the crust from forming bubbles.

Pick the Right Rack

Picking the right rack makes a difference when it comes to how crisp your crust will turn out.

Baking the apple pie on the lower rack allows the heat to concentrate on the bottom of the pie. This, in turn, results in a crisper crust.

It’s worth mentioning that the bottom is the most crucial part. It’s what holds the liquid and moisture.

That’s why baking the pie on the low rack is the best approach for baking apple pie, regardless of whether you’re having trouble with sogginess or not.

Use a Baking Sheet

Lining a metal baking sheet with parchment paper is a real lifesaver when it comes to preventing apple pie from having soggy crusts.

The metal baking sheet helps in absorbing the heat and transferring it to the pie’s bottom. This, in turn, makes the pie brown evenly on all sides. It also prevents any goo from sogging up the bottom or spilling on your oven’s floor.

3 – After Baking

Now let’s look at what you should do to prevent sogginess after taking your pie out of the oven.

Add Slits

When you add a couple of slits to the pie, this allows the steam to get out instead of sogging up the crust.

This is especially crucial if you have a double-crust pie.

The best part is that the slits aren’t only functional, but they’re also decorative as they add a very nice aesthetic to the pie.

Invest in a Pie Bird

You can also invest in a pie bird. These handy little devices come with a hollow center which creates a way for the steam to escape the pie.

In other words, it’s a way to provide your pie with proper ventilation.

What’s the Best Apple Pie Recipe for Avoiding a Soggy Crust?

Here’s the recipe with the perfect balance of ingredients and the exact directions to get a crisp crust while making your apple pie.

Ingredients for the Pie Itself

Use 5 apples, after peeling and slicing them.
¼ a cup of brown sugar
¼ a cup of all-purpose flour
¼ a cup of white sugar
¾ a teaspoon of cinnamon (ground)
A 9-inch pie shell (deep-dish)

Ingredients for the Topping

¾ a cup of all-purpose flour
¾ a cup of oats (quick-cooking)
⅔ a cup of brown sugar and two tablespoons extra
⅓ a cup of melted butter

Directions

First, start by preheating the oven to 400°F.

Then, mix the apples, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar. After that, pour them into the deep-dish pie shell.

Next, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, and melted butter. Stir them until they have a crumbly texture. After that, add them to the top of your pie to finish the topping.

Finally, bake the pie in the preheated oven. After around 15 minutes, when the apples start softening, turn down the heat to 350°F.

Leave the pie for around 40 or 45 minutes more, until the apples are completely soft and the topping has a brown color.

Final Thoughts

After going through these handy tricks to keep your pie crisp, we hope you could pinpoint anything you were missing.

Following these tips will ensure that you’ll get no sog on any crust, be it the top or bottom, or side.

Happy baking!

Sarah Bridenstine

Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.