Vanilla Bean Apple Pie

This Vanilla Bean Apple Pie takes your traditional apple made, made with Granny Smith apples, and I add ground vanilla bean to the crust! And instead of doing a traditional egg wash on top, I top this with a sweet glaze. This makes this traditionally tart pie have the perfect amount of sweetness!

If you're looking for more out of the box apple pies, check out Orange Blossom Honey Apple Pie, Lattice Spiced Apple Pie, Brown Sugar Honey Apple Pie, or Apple Berry Pie.

vanilla bean apple pie with a slice cut out with a pie server in the pie pan.

A Quick Look At The Recipe

Recipe Name: Vanilla Bean Apple Pie
Ready In: 7 hours 45 minutes
Makes: 9-inch pie
Main Ingredients: Granny smith apples, salted butter, all purpose flour, vanilla bean
Flavor Profile: vanilla richness combined with a tart apples baked to perfection
Dietary Info: eggless, no seed oils
Difficulty: Medium
Why You’ll Love It: subtle, luxurious flavor that elevate this apple pie beyond ordinary

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Why You'll Love This Recipe

Vanilla Bean Crust: I made this Vanilla Bean Pie a little different than your traditional apple pie. First, I used ground vanilla bean in the crust. This is a total game changer guys. Adding just a small amount of ground vanilla bean into the crust gives this pie crust some warm and cozy vibes.
Light & Airy: I used Granny Smith Apples along with cane sugar and ground vanilla bean in the filling. I intentionally left out the traditional brown sugar and cinnamon, in favor of a completely different flavored apple pie. This apple pie filling is very light and the vanilla bean compliments the Granny Smith Apples in a way I just can’t explain, you really have to experience it for yourself.
Naturally Eggless: Instead of traditional egg wash, I brushed the unbaked pie crust with Organic Valley French Vanilla Creamer. Using a heavy cream on top of pie can mimic egg, and still create a golden brown crust. Plus, this coffee creamer also added French vanilla flavor to the crust!
Glazed: Lastly, I made a donut-like glaze with powdered sugar and water. I brushed this on top of the baked pie for a glistening finish that added a little more sweetness. So, if you have ever wondered – should I glaze my apple pie? The answer is definitely yes!

Jump to:

A Quick Look At The Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Baker’s Tips
How to Make Vanilla Bean Apple Pie
Vanilla Bean Apple Pie FAQ’s
Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration
More Vanilla Recipes
Vanilla Bean Apple Pie
The Bake Shop

Delaney and I were almost fighting over the last piece of this pie – which rarely ever happens in our house as we always have too much dessert. And we didn’t even share any of this Vanilla Bean Apple Pie with our neighbors! That’s a big deal in our house – if it never makes it to friends, then you know it’s too good to share. This is the Thanksgiving pie you want at your dessert table this year.

If you're looking for more out of the box Thanksgiving dessert ideas, check out some of my other favorites. Try cakes like Pumpkin Pie Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting, Maple Spice Cake With Brown Sugar Frosting, or Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Zucchini Cake Without Eggs.

And, cookies are always a great addition if you're serving lots of people (especially kids!). Try Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies With Caramel, Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies, or The Best Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Ingredients

Butter: Always use a high quality butter whenever making a butter pie crust as you really can tell the difference. My favorite is Sierra Nevada, check out Best Salted Butter for Baking where I do a side by side comparison and taste test of different butters in pie crust! And, if you're new to making pie crust, check out How to Make Pie Crust in a Mixer for a tutorial on pie crust with tips and tricks
All Purpose Flour: My favorite is Cairnspring Mills. I use this organic all purpose flour for the pie crust and a little bit in the filling to solidify the fruit juices.
Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar for the filling. While traditional apple pies have brown sugar, just using cane sugar here lets the vanilla bean shine and also makes a really light and delicious pie filling.
Vanilla Bean: I use organic ground vanilla bean in the crust and in the pie filling. This is not the same as vanilla extract so don't substitute it!
Apples: I use organic Granny Smith apples in this pie. This may be the only pie recipe on my site with this variety of apple as I usually prefer a sweeter apple. But, the tart apple paired with the creamy vanilla bean is truly a match made in heaven in this recipe so don't swap them!
Cornstarch: I use organic cornstarch to help solidify the pie filling. If you have a corn allergy, you can use tapioca or arrowroot starch as well.
French Vanilla Coffee Creamer: I use Organic Valley French Vanilla Coffee Creamer for the pie wash. This is another vanilla element that adds to the depth of flavor. But, it also makes this pie naturally eggless!

*For a full list of ingredients and measurements, visit the recipe card below.

Baker's Tips

Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
I use Granny Smith apples as the crust is a little sweeter with the vanilla bean, so I really love the tart apple here. But, any apples you have will work.
You do not have to lattice the pie, this is optional. You can just place the top pie crust on top for a traditional pie. Just be sure to make 4 vent holes if you do that.
Allow the pie to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before glazing.
You can make this in advance, a day before is just fine. Just be sure to store in a cool, dry place. Do not cover this as the crust can become soggy.

How to Make Vanilla Bean Apple Pie

flour sugar and ground vanilla bean in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

To make the crust: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour and vanilla bean. Turn the mixer on low for two to three rotations to combine the dry ingredients.

chopped cold butter on top of flour in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Remove the butter from the fridge and chop into small cubes. The smaller the cubes, the flakier the crust. Cut the stick of butter into four and then chop into small cubes from there. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Measure out the cold water and have it ready.

vanilla bean pie crust being made in a glass mixing bowl of a stand mixer on a white marble counter.

Turn the mixer on low and slowly start to incorporate the ingredients. Gradually turn the mixer to medium speed. Once the butter mixture looks like wet sand, immediately add in all the water.

mixed vanilla bean pie crust in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

As soon as the dough comes together, stop the mixer. Do not over mix.

vanilla bean pie crust disks wrapped in plastic wrap on a white marble counter.

Divide the dough into two portions, one should be almost double the size of the other. I prefer to weigh them, the large one should weigh 312 grams and the small should weigh 170 grams. Form them both into disks and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Allow to cool in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight.

vanilla bean apple pie filling ingredients in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. To make the filling: In a medium bowl, add the cane sugar, flour, cornstarch, and vanilla bean and whisk to combine.

sliced granny smith apples in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Slice the apples, leaving skins on, and add to the sugar and flour mixture.

vanilla bean apple pie filling mixed together in a glass mixing bowl on a white marble counter.

Toss to coat completely, set aside.

vanilla bean pie crust being rolled out with a marble rolling pin on a white marble counter.

Grease a 9-inch pie pan well with butter. Remove the pie dough from the fridge. Remove the plastic wrap and place on a floured surface. First, roll out the large disk to ¼-inch thick, it should be about 11-inches in diameter. Place the pie dough into the pie pan, and press lightly to form against the pan. It should be large enough that the dough folds right over the top. Roll out the smaller disk to ¼-inch thick, it should be about 9-inches in diameter. Set aside.

vanilla bean apple pie filling in a pie pan on a white marble counter.

Add the filling into the pie pan and spread evenly.

lattice vanilla bean apple pie on a white marble counter.

I like to use a pizza cutter for this next step, but a sharp knife will work as well. Cut the rolled out dough into 1-inch wide strips. Place the strips on top of the apples going horizontal leaving 1-inch between strips. Use the smaller strips towards the sides of the pie and use the longer strips for the middle. Next, add the remaining dough strips going vertical, alternating each strip over and under the horizontal ones.

vanilla bean apple pie brushed with french vanilla coffee creamer on a white marble counter.

Once the lattice top is complete, crimp and fold over the edges of the dough to seal the top and bottom together. Flute the edges. Using a pastry brush, brush the dough with the French vanilla creamer. (If you are new to pie making, check out my post How to Lattice a Pie Crust for a step by step tutorial with photos and video! Or, also watch the recipe video below). Bake for 1 hour, then turn the oven up to 400°F and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until golden brown.

glaze mixed in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk on a white marble counter.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, add the powdered sugar and water. Whisk to combine completely.

glazed vanilla bean apple pie on a white marble counter with green apples and white pumpkins.

Let the pie rest for 15 to 20 minutes before glazing. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the dough with the glaze.

Vanilla Bean Apple Pie FAQ's

How can I make my apple pie taste better?

Make your apple pie taste the best that it can by using organic ingredients. Organic ingredients have more flavor than conventional ones, as they are less processed. Therefore, the true flavor can shine through more. Also, be sure to use apples that are ripe and taste good.

How do you add vanilla beans to baking?

You can buy organic ground vanilla beans, or you can scrape the vanilla beans out of the bean. Either option is fine for adding vanilla bean to baked goods. I prefer to buy organic ground vanilla bean, because I use it a lot. My favorite ground vanilla bean is the Lafaza Organic Ground Vanilla Bean.

What do you glaze pie with?

Traditionally, you glaze the top of raw pie dough with egg or egg wash (which is egg and water). You can use other things such as honey, butter, milk, heavy whipping cream, coconut milk, or coconut oil. And I even used Organic Valley French Vanilla Creamer on top of this Vanilla Bean Apple Pie! I used a flavored creamer, as Organic Valley French Vanilla Creamer is made with real cream. So, I knew that the fat would be there to brown the top. Plus, it gives this pie an amazing French vanilla flavor to top it off.

Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration

This is a gorgeous and delicious pie for Thanksgiving and it's one of those desserts that will have people talking about it! Try it out with this curated Thanksgiving menu so you can celebrate organically this year!

Appetizer: I always serve Organic Dill Dip With Sour Cream with a charcuterie for an easy appetizer that always pleases everyone.
Cocktail: Try Sparkling Apple Cider Bourbon as your signature cocktail of the day. It's also great to have sparkling cider on hand for kids or people not drinking alcohol.
Main Course: If you have a large crowd, try the Roasted Herb Butter Turkey for your bird. If you're hosting an intimate dinner, try the Slow Cooker Turkey which is perfect for a smaller family or if you don't want a ton of leftovers.
Sides: You can never go wrong with Bone Broth Mashed Potatoes and Easy Stuffing Recipe! Add a Simple Cranberry Kale Salad with Homemade Dressing for color and veggies!
Dessert: Serve this Vanilla Bean Apple Pie with Homemade Organic Whipped Cream or Salted Caramel No Churn Ice Cream. If you want to add some cookies, try Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies With Caramel or Frosted Pecan Pumpkin Spice Cookies.

vanilla bean apple pie cut into slices on a white marble counter.

vanilla bean apple pie slice on a white plate on a marble counter.

More Vanilla Recipes

Simple Vanilla Cupcakes

Vanilla Buttermilk Sheet Cake with Vanilla Frosting

Homemade Vanilla Oreo Cookies

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