Lattice Apple Pie with Mexican Brown Sugar

Name: Lattice Apple Pie with Mexican Brown Sugar
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: ½ pound piloncillo (unrefined brown sugar; also called panela); ¾ cup water; 4 strips orange zest; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground allspice; 2½ pound medium apples; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 recipe pastry dough; 1 tablespoon milk; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1 serving rum ice cream

A delightful twist on classic apple pie featuring piloncillo (Mexican brown sugar), warm spices, and orange zest, all encased in a beautifully woven lattice crust. The piloncillo syrup adds a rich, complex sweetness that perfectly complements the tender apples.

8 servings

2 hr 55 min

Published October 4, 2025

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Ingredients

•½ pound piloncillo (unrefined brown sugar; also called panela)
•¾ cup water
•4 strips orange zest
•¼ teaspoon cinnamon
•¼ teaspoon ground allspice
•2½ pound medium apples
•3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•1 recipe pastry dough
•1 tablespoon milk
•1 teaspoon sugar
•1 serving rum ice cream

Cooking Instructions

1.
Put a large heavy baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
10 min
2.
Bring piloncillo, water, zest, spices, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally until piloncillo has dissolved. Remove lid and boil over medium-low heat until syrup is thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 6 to 10 minutes. Discard zest and cool syrup slightly.
15 min
3.
Meanwhile, peel and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges.
15 min
4.
Toss apples with flour, then with syrup.
5 min
5.
Roll out 1 piece of dough (keeping remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate.
10 min
6.
Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, and chill shell.
5 min
7.
Roll out remaining piece of dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 16-by 11-inch rectangle. Cut dough crosswise into 11 (1 1/4-inch-wide) strips.
10 min
8.
Stir apple mixture, then spoon evenly into pie shell. Weave a tight lattice pattern over pie with pastry strips.
15 min
9.
Trim all strips flush with edge of pie plate. Fold bottom crust up over edge of lattice and crimp. Brush lattice (but not edge) with milk and sprinkle with sugar.
10 min
10.
Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes.
20 min
11.
Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes more. Cool pie to warm or room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.
60 min

Lattice Apple Pie with Mexican Brown Sugar

8 servings

2 hr 55 min

Published October 4, 2025

Be the first to rate this recipe

Ingredients

•½ pound piloncillo (unrefined brown sugar; also called panela)

•¾ cup water

•4 strips orange zest

•¼ teaspoon cinnamon

•¼ teaspoon ground allspice

•2½ pound medium apples

•3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

•1 recipe pastry dough

•1 tablespoon milk

•1 teaspoon sugar

•1 serving rum ice cream

Cooking Instructions

Put a large heavy baking sheet in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

10 min

Bring piloncillo, water, zest, spices, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, covered, stirring occasionally until piloncillo has dissolved. Remove lid and boil over medium-low heat until syrup is thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 6 to 10 minutes. Discard zest and cool syrup slightly.

15 min

Meanwhile, peel and core apples, then cut into 1/2-inch-wide wedges.

15 min

Toss apples with flour, then with syrup.

5 min

Roll out 1 piece of dough (keeping remaining piece chilled) on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch round, then fit into a 9-inch pie plate.

10 min

Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, and chill shell.

5 min

Roll out remaining piece of dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 16-by 11-inch rectangle. Cut dough crosswise into 11 (1 1/4-inch-wide) strips.

10 min

Stir apple mixture, then spoon evenly into pie shell. Weave a tight lattice pattern over pie with pastry strips.

15 min

Trim all strips flush with edge of pie plate. Fold bottom crust up over edge of lattice and crimp. Brush lattice (but not edge) with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

10 min

10.

Bake pie on hot baking sheet 20 minutes.

20 min

11.

Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, 50 to 60 minutes more. Cool pie to warm or room temperature, about 1 1/2 hours.

60 min