PSA: Your homemade apple pies don’t have to be circular! Skip the pie plate and bake a pie in a rectangular casserole dish instead. You may never go back to a traditional round pie pan. I’ll tell you why…
There’s More Fruit Filling
Let’s do some simple math to justify the case for a rectangular pie: With its larger size, baking a pie in a 13×9-inch casserole dish will result in more filling. So the filling-to-crust ratio will be better than in a 9-inch circular pie. If you’ve regularly seen folks leaving excess crust on their finished plates, it’s time to switch to a casserole dish.
Start with this fabulous recipe for apple-cranberry pie or a deep-dish apple pie developed for the casserole dish. You can also strike out on your own by keeping in mind that you’ll need to up your standard filling ingredients depending on the width and depth of the larger dish.
You Can Plate Up More Pieces
Maximize the number of bites per pie! How so? A bigger, rectangular pie will naturally yield more pieces, and thereby feed more folks.
Square slices are also much more efficient to cut, serve and eat than triangular slices from circular pies. Plus, the whole dessert gains a bit of a rustic look that sets it apart from standard pies.
Looking for the perfect dish to carry your pies (and, well, casseroles)? Here are the casserole dishes we’d love to cook with.
It’s Easier to Transport
Nearly-unbreakable glass, ceramic and aluminum casserole dishes are designed to be sturdy—and easy to transfer from your oven to the table. They travel well! Many, if not most, casserole dishes come with a lid for sealing in all that sweet goodness.
No lid? Cover your pie in foil and slide your dish into that casserole carrier you got at your wedding shower but have rarely used. (That might be just me, though.)
Next time you’re making pie for a hungry crowd, prepare it in a casserole dish. We’re confident that this will become your new go-to pie plan. “Crust” us!
Our Best Slab Pie Recipes
Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab Pie
Slab pie is a pastry baked in a jelly-roll pan and cut into slabs like a bar cookie—or a pie bar, if you will. My grandfather was a professional baker and served pieces of slab pie to his customers back in the day. Here is my spin, featuring rhubarb and gorgeous red raspberries. —Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Go to Recipe
Cherry Plum Slab Pie with Walnut StreuselI love to make desserts with fruit all summer! If you use store-bought crust, I recommend stacking your two pie crusts on top of each other and then rolling them to the correct size. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Looking for the perfect dish for baking a slab pie? Check out our editor's review of this
porcelain baking slab.
Apple Slab PieApple slab pie is a terrific contribution to a covered-dish supper, picnic or potluck. It’s baked in a large 15x10 baking pan so it’s easy to make and tote, too. But be prepared—people always ask for a copy of the recipe! —Dolores Skrout, Summerhill, Pennsylvania
Cranberry Apple Sheet PieMy husband loves pie, so I made one with apples, raspberries and cranberries. It’s so good, I bend the rules and let the grandkids have it for breakfast. —Brenda Smith, Curran, Michigan
Pecan Pie Bars for a CrowdI love to cook large quantities and do most of the cooking for our church functions. People seem to enjoy these scrumptious bars even more than pecan pie. —Clara Honeyager, North Prairie, Wisconsin
Lattice-Topped Pear Slab PieA lattice top serves as a charming frame for this special holiday dessert filled with fresh pears and candied fruit. Add a dollop of whipped cream if you like. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
All-American PieWith apples, cherries and blueberries, this patriotic slab pie even
tastes American. If the day doesn't call for stars and stripes, feel free to use any shaped cookie cutters you like for this awe-inspiring potluck dessert. —
James Schend, Culinary Deputy Editor,
Taste of Home
Peaches 'n' Cream BarsFor a new spin on peach pie, try these easy-to-love bars. The mellow fruit flavor really comes through. —Hubert Scott, Cockeysville, Maryland
Apple Cranberry Cutout PieMy husband loves pie, so I made one with apples, raspberries and cranberries. It’s so good, I bend the rules and let the grandkids have it for breakfast. —Brenda Smith, Curran, Michigan
Apple Red-Hot Slab PieThis dessert is my family’s favorite because it brings back so many fond memories. Red Hots give the filling a pretty color that makes this pie an instant hit at parties. —Linda Morten, Somerville, Texas
Pumpkin Pie SquaresThe first time my husband and two daughters tried this dessert, they thought it was delicious. It has all of the spicy pumpkin goodness of the traditional pie without the fuss of a pastry crust. —Denise Goedeken, Platte Center, Nebraska
Apple Cranberry Slab PieMy husband loves pie, so I made one with apples, raspberries and cranberries. It’s so good, I bend the rules and let the grandkids have it for breakfast. —Brenda Smith, Curran, Michigan
Pecan Pie BarsThese pecan pie bars are rich and delicious - just like pecan pie! They're perfect for taking to potlucks and other gatherings...I always come home with an empty pan. These Kentucky Derby pecan pie bars are the perfect snack while watching the races. —Carolyn Custer, Clifton Park, New York
Raspberry Pie SquaresMaking pie for a crowd may seem impossible, but not when you turn to this crowd-pleasing recipe! The sweet-tart raspberry filling pairs well with a flaky homemade pastry. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Cookie Crust Deep-Dish Apple PieOne of my favorite make-and-take desserts, this deep-dish pie is based on an old Hungarian recipe that's popular in this part of Ohio. The easy cookie crust is the best part. —Diane Shipley, Mentor, Ohio
Pumpkin Pie BarsThese bars taste like a cross between pumpkin pie and pecan pie—yum! If you can't find butter cake mix, yellow cake mix works. —Sue Draheim, Waterford, Wisconsin
Deep-Dish Apple PieThis deep-dish apple pie is a winner! The crust is so flaky and the filling is sure to please everyone. —Salem Cross Inn, West Brookfield, Massachusetts
Updated: Mar. 20, 2019
