Skip to Content

4 Reasons Why Your Apple Pie Turned Out Dry

4 Reasons Why Your Apple Pie Turned Out Dry

Share this post:

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links and make a purchase, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. In addition, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’re wondering why your apple pie is dry, you should know that there are a few potential reasons.

The first one is that you may have exceeded the recommended baking time of the recipe. Another reason can be that you incorrectly prepared the crust.

The type of apples you used for your pie and how you incorporated them into the filling can also stand behind this issue.

Luckily, we’ve written this guide to provide you with simple tips and tricks to ensure your next pie will come out perfectly moist.

Why Is My Apple Pie Filling Dry?

Here are the two common causes of a dry apple pie filling:

1 – Making an Imbalanced Filling

Some pie filling recipes are more susceptible to dryness than others. However, in most cases, what causes dryness isn’t the recipes themselves, but the changes you make to them.

When you pick an apple pie recipe, sometimes, you randomly alter its required quantities to match your available ingredients.

This results in a ratio imbalance between the ingredients. That way, the filling might dry out.

2 – Using Improper Apples or Overcooking Them

It’s called apple pie, so it’s apparent that apples play a pivotal role in its success or failure. This role goes beyond just the pie flavor.

The type of apple also affects the moisture level of the pie. This is because some apples are moist while others are much less juicy.

Equally important, the way you prepare the apples impacts the moisture too. If you overcook the apples, this might evaporate their juices and result in a dry pie filling.

Why Is My Apple Pie Crust Dry?

Here are the two common causes of a dry apple pie crust:

1 – Exceeding the Baking Time

Each pie recipe has its required baking time, and exceeding the recommended time can cause many problems. One of these issues is crust dryness.

Baking your pie for a long time can lead to a tough and dry crust.

2 – Preparing a Crust Incorrectly

The way you make your crust has a significant impact on its tenderness. This includes your ingredients and, more importantly, how you mix them.

One of the main causes of dry pie is that you don’t blend fats and flour well when making the dough. As a result, your dough may contain some parts that aren’t coated enough with fat.

These parts with insufficient fat can dry quickly when exposed to high heat.

Another cause of dry crust is not letting the dough chill enough. Chilling is vital as it allows the dough to absorb moisture, preventing dryness later.

How Do You Keep Pies from Drying Out?

To protect your apple pie from getting dry, follow these four tips when preparing it:

1 – Follow the Recommended Cooking Time

Each recipe has a recommended cooking time. You should adhere to it to get the best result and avoid a dry pie.

Equally important, monitor the crust and check it frequently when the recommended time is about to end.

Once the crust turns golden brown, it’s time to take the pie out to prevent any dryness.

2 – Pick Appropriate Apple Types

Choose the most suitable apple for baking to avoid pie dryness. This is also vital to a yummy apple pie. Here are the ideal five apple types for baking your pie:

  1. Crispin
  2. Honey Crisp
  3. Granny Smith
  4. Braeburn
  5. Cortland

3 – Make an Ideal Pie Dough

Mix butter with the flour well when you make the pie dough to avoid a dry crust. You should ensure you coat the flour evenly with butter.

For this, we recommend using a food processor for blending instead of your hand to get the desired result.

Additionally, use the exact amount of flour required for the recipe. This is because if you use an excessive amount of flour, you increase the chances of pie dryness.

Plus, ensure the dough sticks together when you pinch it as you prepare.

Further, you should let the dough chill in the refrigerator for at least three hours. This allows it to absorb moisture.

4 – Use a Moist Pie Filling Recipe

Follow a well-balanced recipe to avoid getting a dry apple pie filling. More importantly, maintain the same ratio of ingredients regardless of the quantity used.

Here’s our recommended moist filling recipe:

For ingredients, you’ll need:

  • 9 apples (around 3 pounds)
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp of lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp of cornstarch
  • 1 ½ tsp of cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp of nutmeg
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp of vanilla
  • 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
  • ¾ cup of fresh apple cider + extra 2 tbsp to use separately

Once you have all the ingredients, follow these steps precisely:

  1. Peel and thinly slice your apples.
  2. Mix the apples with brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a large pot.
  3. Stir well till they’re completely blended. Then, leave the mixture for 15 minutes.
  4. Once the time is finished, add ¾ cup of apple cider to the mixture and blend well.
  5. Cook the mixture over medium heat and stir every 3 minutes.
  6. After 10 minutes, mix 2 tbsp of apple cider with cornstarch and add them to the mixture pot.
  7. Stir well until they’re well-mixed, and continue cooking until the blend thickens.
  8. Remove from the cooker, add the butter and vanilla to them, and mix well.
  9. Leave the mixture until it cools down.
  10. Now, you can add it to your pie or transfer it to a container and store it for later usage.

Final Thoughts

Why is my apple pie dry? There are a few common reasons that can stand behind your pie dryness.

If you used unbalanced ingredients to make the filling, this might be the reason. Similarly, if you didn’t mix the dough’s flour and fats well, this may be an issue too.

Another cause can be that you overcooked the crust until it turned tough. In addition, if you used improper apple types or overcooked them, this also can cause dryness.

Whatever the reason, follow the tips and tricks above to get a moist apple pie.

Share this post: