Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices
These Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices are a nostalgic Windy City staple. Unlike a traditional deep-dish pie, these are baked in a large, flat “jelly roll” pan, resulting in a portable, rectangular treat that features a flaky, buttery crust and a sweet vanilla glaze. The secret to that iconic bakery texture is the grated butter technique, which creates thousands of tiny layers in the dough, ensuring it stays crisp even under the weight of the apple filling.
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Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount |
| For the Pie Dough | |
| All-purpose flour | 4 cups |
| Unsalted butter (chilled/grated) | 1 1/4 cups (2.5 sticks) |
| Ice water | 1/2 cup (plus extra) |
| Granulated sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| For the Filling & Glaze | |
| Apple pie filling | 4 cups |
| Powdered sugar | 1 cup |
| Unsalted butter (softened) | 2 tablespoons |
| Whole milk | 2 tablespoons |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon |
How To Make Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices:
Step 1: The Grated Butter Crust: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Grate the chilled butter directly into the flour mixture using a cheese grater, stirring occasionally to coat the shreds.
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Tip: If the butter starts to melt from the heat of your hands, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes. Cold butter is non-negotiable for a flaky crust; those little frozen “shreds” create steam pockets in the oven that puff up the dough.
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Step 2: Hydrate and Chill: Add the ice water to the center of the flour. Use a fork to toss until a shaggy dough forms. Add extra water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together but isn’t sticky. Divide in half, flatten into rectangles, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Step 3: Assemble the Layers: Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out the first rectangle to fit a 9×13-inch jelly roll pan. Press it into the bottom, then spread the apple filling evenly over the top. Roll out the second piece of dough and lay it over the apples, pinching the edges to seal.
Step 4: Bake and Vent: Cut a few small slits in the top crust to let steam escape. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the crust is a deep golden brown. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 5: The Signature Glaze: Beat the powdered sugar, softened butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Spread the glaze evenly over the cooled crust. Let the glaze harden for about 20 minutes before slicing into squares.
