Apple Slices: Home-Grown Deliciousness

Fall means apples, and in Chicago, apples bring to mind apple slices. Apple slices consist of apple filling between two layers of dough topped with sugary icing that is cut into squares and sold by the slice or pan. I didn’t realize apple slices were a Chicago thing until recently when Curious City, my favorite podcast about all things Chicago, did an episode on them. A listener contacted the podcast asking if apple slices are a local dessert and the experts’ answer was a resounding yes. However, you might not see them around as much now as you would have in the past.

According to WBEZ, many European groups have some type of apple dessert, but apple slices are purely American Midwestern. The exact origins of apple slices are hard to pin down, but the earliest known recipe for them appeared in a 1945 issue of the Chicago Daily Tribune. A 1957 article in the same newspaper stated that apple slices were Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley’s favorite dish. The heyday of the pastry’s popularity was in the 1950s and 1960s.

I remember my mom getting apple slices from Miara’s bakery (now closed) on the Northwest Side, and my husband Joe remembers his grandfather bringing them back from La Dolce bakery (also now closed) in Burbank on Sundays. My sister Pauline, who worked at Miara’s, says the bakery used “essentially the same recipe for apple slices as for apple pie but just shaped it differently.” According to Dobra Bielinski, who runs Delightful Pastries bakery on the Northwest Side, “Basically, apple slices are a way for the bakery to make money instead of making individual pies.”

But are apple slices better than apple pie? While that’s purely a matter of opinion, there are some pros to apple slices. The icing on top makes apple slices sweeter than pie. They’re also convenient for when company comes over. “If you get a pan of apple slices, you don’t have to worry about slicing a pie,” Joe says. Joe also believes that with apple slices, you enjoy the filling more because there’s less crust overall. What I personally like about apple slices is that you don’t hit a “wall of crust” at the end as you do when eating a slice of pie, so the first bite is the same as the last.

Apple slices have since somewhat fallen out of popularity. Bielinski stopped selling them at her bakery in the early 2000s because few customers were ordering them. But some bakeries, including House of Cakes in Norwood Park and Iversen’s Bakery in Blue Island, still sell them. Apple slices can also be found in the bakery section at Mariano’s, Caputo’s, and Jewel grocery stores. Or you can make your own with the recipe I tested out below. Happy Fall! 

Apple Slices:

*Based on a recipe from 12 Tomatoes

Dough:

4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. unsalted butter, chilled (2 1/2 sticks)

1/2 c. ice water, plus more as needed

Filling:

4 c. (32 oz.) canned apple pie filling

Icing:

1 c. powdered sugar

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tbsp. whole milk

For the dough:

1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt with a whisk.
2. Slice the butter and cut in to the flour mixture using a pastry blender or two forks.
3. Using a cheese grater, grate butter over the flour mixture. If butter gets too soft during the process, place in the freezer until firm again and start on the next stick of butter. Stir butter into the flour mixture after each stick is grated.
4. Create a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the ½ c. ice water. Using a fork, toss quickly to combine.
5. Refill the ice water container, then drizzle in 2 tbsp. of cold water at a time, stirring after each addition, until dough is moist and holds together easily. Try not to add any more water than you need to; the dough shouldn't be sticky. You should be able to see small pieces of butter throughout the dough.
6. On a lightly floured work surface, quickly and gently knead dough just to bring it together. Divide in half, then flatten each half into a 1-in. thick rectangle.
7. Wrap each rectangle in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

To assemble the apple slices:

      1.  Preheat oven to 400°F and set aside a 9x13-inch jelly roll pan.

      2.    Lightly dust a work surface with flour, then roll out one rectangle of dough roughly the same size as               the jelly roll pan. Press into the bottom of the pan.

      3.    Spread apple filling evenly over the pie dough.

      4.    Roll the remaining rectangle of dough out to the same size, then pick up and lay on top of the apple               filling. Pinch the edges of the dough together, but don't worry about sealing completely.

      5.   Slice a few vents in top crust to release steam, then bake until crust is golden brown, about 40 minutes,            rotating pan halfway through. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

      6.  When pie has cooled, make the glaze: Cut the butter into small cubes. With an electric beater, beat                  together the sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk until smooth. Spread glaze evenly over the top of the crust             with a brush. Let set and harden, then slice into squares and serve.

Sources:

“Apple Slices: A Nostalgic Piece of Chicago Pastry History,” Curious City podcast (March 21, 2024).

Esther Yoon-Ji Kang, “Apple Slices Are a Nearly Forgotten Piece of Chicago Pastry History," WBEZ Chicago (March 21, 2024).

Kristy Norrell, “Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices" 12 Tomatoes.