Upper Crust Apple Pie Thanksgiving Camping Dessert
We don’t make sweet Dutch oven camping recipes very often, but when we do … they are out of this world yummy! Don’t want to roll pie dough? No problem! This Upper Crust Apple Pie is sort of like a cobbler but has a more traditional pie dough type-topping.
Instead of rolling the dough you just sprinkle it over the top of your filling and voila it makes one of the easiest camping dessert recipes! The upper crust is crunchy with a unique slightly almond flavor.
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Prep To Make This Upper Crust Apple Pie Camp Dessert
There are two reasons this pie tastes amazing. Many camping apple pie recipes use apple pie filling. That is easier than using fresh apples but you won’t get the same flavor and texture you get when using fresh apples.
- The fresh apples
- The almond-flavored upper crust
You’ll want to prep the apples, assemble the pie and bake it right away so the apples don’t get brown. That’s why my recipe has you preparing the crust ingredients before you prepare the apples.
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees. This recipe can be made in a Dutch oven, camp oven, solar oven or RV oven.
NOTE: If you are using a Dutch oven, baking times vary depending on outside air temperature, elevation and humidity so be ready to make adjustments as necessary. See my Dutch Oven Camp Cooking Tips for helpful tips if you will be baking this pie in a Dutch oven.
Baking In Pie Plate Within Dutch Oven vs Directly In Dutch Oven
This particular time I made my Upper Crust Apple Pie Camp Dessert, I was making a lot of other recipes … so … I did not want to have to clean my Dutch oven after making this pie … and … I ran out of liners.
My solution: I used a 9-inch glass pie dish inside my 14-inch Dutch oven so I could easily lift this pie out of the oven when it was done baking.
It is best to raise the internal glass dish away from the bottom of the Dutch oven with a Cast Iron Rack/Trivet during cooking. These trivets are pre-seasoned which is great for lifting cuts of meat off of the pan bottom to prevent scorching too.
Preheat Dutch oven to 375 F degrees.
For a 14 inch Dutch oven you need 34 coals total = 22 Top/12 Bottom, see my note below about using a 14-inch oven.
If you are baking this directly in a Dutch oven, use a 10-inch oven and you will need 23 coals total = 16 Top/7 Bottom).
See my Dutch Oven Temperature Chart post for more information and tips.
Steps To Make Upper Crust Pies At The Campsite
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees. If you are using charcoal briquettes with your Dutch oven, a Rapidfire Chimney Starter is great because it is a fast, efficient and clean way to light your charcoal.
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Step 2. Make the crust. Combine the shortening, sugar, flour, egg, vanilla extract and almond extract in a bowl and mix with a hand pastry blender or fork then set aside.
Step 3. Prepare the apples. Peel, core and slice the apples. Use cute retro RV camper trailer Flexible Cutting Mats! They are lightweight and easily hang from hooks. In a separate bowl, toss together the granny smith apples, sugar and cinnamon.
Step 4. Prepare the pan. Whether you are using a pie plate inside a Dutch oven or baking the pie directly in the Dutch oven, prepare the pan or Dutch oven with butter. Use a 9-inch pie dish or 10-inch Dutch oven, respectively.
Step 5. Add apple mixture, top with dough and bake. Pour the apple mixture in the prepared dish, then sprinkle with crust topping. Bake at 375 F degrees until the apples are softened and the crust is browned (approximately 1 hour).
Step 6. Serve warm. Let the pie cool just a bit and serve slightly warm (we like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream too!)
Baking Tips For Dutch Oven Upper Crust Pies
I use charcoal briquettes as my heat source (rather than campfire coals) when baking because I can better control the heat with uniform-sized briquettes rather than different sized coals available from a burning campfire.
Make sure you use a standard sized Dutch oven when baking (rather than a deep oven) so your pies and cakes bake evenly (top to bottom) and are browned nicely. Deep Dutch ovens are designed to make soup, chili and stew recipes.
Similar Recipes
If you like this, you should also try these simple ideas.
Like the idea of an apple dessert but don’t have time to prep all those apples? Try this Dutch Oven Apple Dump Cake! It is a sweet, gooey mess that will satisfy your sweet tooth after you just “dump and bake” simple ingredients together right in the oven, no mixing bowl required!
You can have freshly baked Dutch Oven Cinnamon Rolls on your camp trips! The ready-to-bake dinner roll dough from the freezer makes them simple. The cream cheese frosting makes them amazing.
The reason this Dutch Oven Blueberry Cobbler tastes so good is because of the combination of fresh blueberries and orange juice.
This Dutch Oven Carrot Cake is so moist and delicious thanks to the carrots and raisins. Pecans give it a nice texture and the cream cheese frosting adds the perfect amount of sweetness.
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Thanksgiving Upper Crust Apple Pie Camp Dessert
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Crust
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Apple Mixture
- 9 granny smith apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/2 cup sugar depending on tartness of apples, you may want to add more or less sugar
- 1/2 cup ground cinnamon
For The Pan
- Butter about 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
- Make the crust, combine ingredients in bowl and mix with a hand pastry blender or fork, then set aside.
- Prepare the apples, in separate bowl, toss together with the sugar and cinnamon to coat the apples. Camp Cooking Tip: Taste the apples and determine how sweet or tart they are before tossing with sugar. Adjust the amount of sugar you use based on the flavor of the apples.
- Prepare the pie pan or Dutch oven. Butter a 9-inch pie dish or 10-inch Dutch oven if you are baking directly in the oven.
- Pour the apple mixture into the prepared dish, then sprinkle with crust topping.
- Bake at 375 F degrees until the apples are softened and the crust is browned (approximately 1 hour).
- Serve it. Let the pie cool a bit and serve slightly warm (we like to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream too!)
Notes
Nutrition
Thanksgiving Menu: Turkey & All The Trimmings
This is one of the recipes we make when we are camping on Thanksgiving. See our entire menu on our Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner At The Campsite post.
Have Your Thanksgiving Meal Ready To Serve At The Same Time
Get tips for cooking the big meal on our Thanksgiving Dinner At The Campsite With Camping For Foodies post.
Plan The Best Thanksgiving Camping Trip
Get trip planning help on our Easy Tips for a Thanksgiving Camping Trip post!
Learn How To Use Your Camp Dutch Oven
Check out our Dutch Oven Camp Cooking Tips post for more helpful info to cook like a pro with your camp Dutch oven!
More Camp Meal Ideas
If you’re looking for awesome ideas for yummy camping food, you’re in the right place! Here’s our entire camping recipes list.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment, question or suggestion below. I’d love to hear from you so let’s chat.