Authentic Polish szarlotka – traditional apple pie from Poland

Sweet and soft inside, crunchy on the outside. This is autumn in every bite. When it comes to Polish desserts, szarlotka, our cozy apple pie, always warms my heart. You can find versions everywhere, but in Poland, it’s something truly special.

The best szarlotka memories? They’re made in mountain shelters after a long hike!

Serve warm with tea. From my home to yours ❤️.

Sweet potato and cheese pierogi

Servings: Makes around 10-15 dumplings
Cook Time: 60 min roasting + 30 mins assembly & cooking
Difficulty: Easy
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Polish szarlotka is a cozy apple pie with a buttery crust and cinnamon-spiced apples, perfect for autumn baking

Ingredients

5-6 apples (around 1-1.5 kg)
2 cups (320g) all purpose flour
200 g butter
1 medium egg
80 g (1/3 cup) sugar
1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling

The dough: Mix flour, sugar, egg, baking powder, and butter (cut into small pieces) in a bowl. Use your hands or a mixer to knead the dough until it forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1 hour. Prepare the apples: Peel the apples, grate them coarsely. Let the grated apples sit for 20 minutes to release some juice. Squeeze out the extra juice using your hands or a clean cloth. Add cinnamon.

Prepare the baking pan: Line a 24-cm spring pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter.

Assemble: Take the dough from the fridge and cut it in half. Press one half of the dough evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Spread the grated apples over the dough. Grate the second half of the dough on top of the apples. If the dough is soft, break it into small pieces and scatter it over the apples instead.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) with top and bottom heat. Bake the pie for about 60–70 minutes until golden and crisp. Let the pie cool a little, then dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy warm with tea!