If you’ve ever pulled an apple pie out of the oven to find a burnt crust or soupy filling, baking an apple pie in a brown bag might be the game-changing trick you didn’t know you needed!
While there are plenty of pie-baking tips, like using a pie shield to protect the edges or precooking the filling, the paper bag apple pie method is a one-step hack. It keeps the crust crisp and flaky without overbrowning and gives you a tender, thickened fruit filling every time.
The best part about this brown bag apple pie recipe? The big reveal! Since you can’t peek inside while it bakes, tearing open the bag to uncover a golden pie bubbling with spiced apple goodness feels almost magical. And the paper bag method isn’t just for apple pies—you can use it with most fruit pie recipes.
Why do you bake an apple pie in a brown paper bag?
Baking an apple pie in a brown paper bag guarantees a crisp, evenly cooked crust and a perfectly tender fruit filling. But how does it work? The paper bag acts as both a steamer and a shield. It traps moisture to keep the apples tender, not mushy, and protects the crust from the oven’s direct heat. The pie bakes up flaky and golden all over without overbrowning.
Ingredients for Brown Bag Apple Pie
- Pie dough: You’ll need enough dough for a double-crust pie (unless you want to skip the top crust for a crumble topping—see below!). Store-bought pie crust is a timesaver, but if you want to bake the entire pie from scratch, you need only four ingredients to make a classic butter crust.
- Apples: The best apples for pie are firm and hold their shape when cooked, like Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples. We recommend using a mix of sweet and tart varieties for more complexity.
- Sugar: We use brown sugar and granulated white sugar to sweeten the pie filling and add a touch of caramel flavor.
- Tapioca flour: This thickening agent helps set the filling and keeps the apple juices from turning the filling into a soupy mess. You can also use cornstarch if you don’t have tapioca flour.
- Spices: Ground cinnamon and nutmeg bring that signature cozy flavor that apple pie is known for.
- Lemon juice: A couple of tablespoons of lemon juice brighten the flavor of the filling. Half a medium lemon should yield enough juice.
- Egg: Brushing the crust with egg wash is optional but highly recommended to give the pie an irresistible golden color and bakery-style shine.
- Brown paper bag: We’re all for eco-friendly choices, but this isn’t the time to reuse grocery bags with inks or dyes. For safe baking, stick with a plain kraft paper bag, or make your own by stapling together several large pieces of parchment.
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