Thanksgiving Apple Pudding

This Thanksgiving Apple Pudding is a smooth, silky baked apple custard — gently sweetened mashed green apples enriched with eggs and heavy cream, baked inside a flaky pie crust until the filling is set and sliceable.

It comes together in about 1 hour of hands-off bake time (plus apple cooking), which makes it ideal for make-ahead holiday menus; slice and serve cold or at room temperature for an easy centerpiece dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

If you want a fuss-free way to prep apples ahead of time, try roasting or slow-cooking them first — it concentrates flavor and makes the apples effortless to mash (see Easy Roasting Apples for a fast method).

Silky, applesauce-like filling: cooking and mashing the apples gives a smooth custard texture that sets in the oven.
Make-ahead friendly: fully bake, cool, and refrigerate — slices hold up well for holiday serving.
Simple technique: no blind-baking required; the long bake time at 375°F lets the custard set while the crust crisps.
Crust clarification: use 2 9-inch uncooked pie crusts (or two 9-inch round puff pastry crusts) — the recipe makes two puddings so you’ll need a crust for each.

The result is a less-spiced, bright apple alternative to pumpkin — creamy, lightly sweet, and easy to slice for a crowd.

Ingredients You’ll Need

6 very large green apples, peeled, cored and sliced: Very large green apples provide a tart, firm base that cooks down to a flavorful, smooth applesauce-textured filling.
1 lemon peel, cut into slices: Lemon peel is simmered with the apples to add bright citrus notes; the peels are removed before mashing.
2/3 cup brown sugar: Brown sugar sweetens the filling and adds a touch of caramel depth to the cooked apples.
6 large eggs, well beaten: Eggs bind and enrich the apple mixture so the custard sets firm enough to slice.
1 pint heavy whipping cream: Heavy whipping cream adds richness and a silky mouthfeel to the custard.
1 teaspoon lemon juice: Lemon juice brightens the apple flavor and helps balance the sweetness in the custard.
29 9-inch uncooked pie crusts, or 9-inch round puff pastry crusts: Use two 9-inch uncooked pie crusts (or 9-inch round puff pastry crusts) — each crust lines one pie dish to hold half the pudding filling.
candied lemon peels, for garnish (optional): Candied lemon peels are an optional garnish that echo the citrus used while cooking the apples and add a pretty finish.

How to Make Thanksgiving Apple Pudding

Place the peeled, cored, and sliced apples in a medium saucepan with 6 tbsp of water and the lemon peel slices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25–30 minutes until the apples are very soft.
Remove and discard the lemon peel slices. While the apples are still hot, mash them thoroughly until smooth and the texture resembles applesauce.
Pour the mashed apples into a mixing bowl and allow them to cool slightly while you preheat the oven to 375°F.
Stir the brown sugar, well-beaten eggs, heavy whipping cream, and lemon juice into the cooled apples until evenly combined; this is your pudding filling.
Line two 9-inch pie dishes or pans with the uncooked crusts (one crust per dish). Roll the outer edge of each crust over to form a neat ridge and scallop the edge if desired.
Divide the filling and pour half into each prepared crust so you have two puddings.
Whisk 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp of water and brush a thin layer of the egg wash onto the visible edge of each crust to encourage even, golden browning.
Bake the puddings at 375°F for 80–90 minutes. The correct doneness check is that the center no longer wiggles and the filling is lightly browning around the outer edge of the crust. If the crust edges brown too quickly, tent them with foil and continue baking until the center sets.
When fully cooked, remove the puddings from the oven and allow them to cool. Once cool, decorate the top with candied lemon peels if using, then chill or bring to room temperature before slicing.

Thanksgiving Apple Pudding close-up view

Prevent a Mushy Center

The key to a sliceable pudding is fully setting the egg-enriched apple custard in the oven rather than stopping when it still looks soft.

Bake at 375°F and test doneness by shaking the pan gently—center should not wiggle.
If necessary, extend baking time in 10–15 minute increments until set; the long bake also concentrates flavor.
Avoid adding extra liquid beyond the recipe (the apples, cream, and eggs provide the correct balance).

Prep Apples Ahead

Cook and mash the apples up to 24 hours in advance to spread holiday prep across two days and deepen their flavor.

Simmer or roast the apples until very soft, then mash to a smooth applesauce.
Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before mixing with the eggs and cream.
If you roast apples, they will be slightly more caramelized and less watery than stovetop-cooked apples.

Protect the Crust

Because the custard takes a long time to set, the crust can brown sooner than the filling is done. Plan to shield the edge if needed.

Use a foil ring or pie shield to cover the crust edges once they reach a golden color.
Brush the exposed crust with egg wash for even browning before baking, then cover edges later only if they darken too quickly.
If the crust is still pale at the end of baking, you can finish it under the broiler briefly — watch it closely to prevent burning.

Tips for Success

Avoid underbaking: If the pudding is underbaked it will be mushy — prefer the longer end of the 80–90 minute range and rely on the no-wiggle center test rather than time alone.

Protect the crust: If crust edges are browning too quickly, cover them with foil after 30–45 minutes so the filling can finish setting without burning the pastry.

Apple prep shortcut: You can roast or slow-cook the apples ahead to intensify flavor and save stovetop time; store cooled apples in the fridge up to 24 hours before assembling.

Serving temperature: Serve slices cold or at room temperature; chilling firms the custard, but room temperature makes the texture silkier.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes—green apples (like Granny Smith) give a tart, firm base that cooks down smoothly, but you can blend in sweeter apples if you prefer a milder flavor. Adjust sugar slightly only if the apples are very sweet.

You can fully bake the puddings, cool them completely, then refrigerate for 1–2 days. Slices can be served cold or brought to room temperature before serving.

You can freeze individual slices wrapped well for up to 1 month, but texture may change slightly on thawing; thaw in the refrigerator and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Finish & Serve

Bake until the custard no longer wiggles and the edges are lightly browned, then cool and chill if you want clean, firm slices — this makes a lovely, low-fuss Thanksgiving dessert.

For a light contrast, top slices with a dollop of whipped cream or a few candied lemon peels before serving.

This Thanksgiving Apple Pudding is a silky baked apple custard with a smooth applesauce-like filling made from cooked green apples, enriched with eggs and heavy cream and baked in a flaky pie crust. Bake until set and sliced like a pumpkin pie; it is ideal for Thanksgiving and can be served cold or at room temperature.

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Prep Time:15

Cook Time:1

Total Time:1

Course: Desserts

Keyword: apple, pie, pudding, Thanksgiving

Equipment

medium saucepan
mixing bowl
2 ceramic or glass 9-inch pie dishes
whisk
pastry brush

Ingredients

6 very large green apples peeled, cored and sliced
1 lemon peel cut into slices
2/3 cup brown sugar
6 large eggs well beaten
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
29 9-inch uncooked pie crusts or 9-inch round puff pastry crusts
candied lemon peels for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Place the sliced apples into a medium saucepan with 6 tbsp of water and the lemon peel slices. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until the apples are very soft.
Remove and discard the lemon peel slices and mash the hot apples until smooth and the texture of applesauce.
Pour the mashed apples into a mixing bowl and allow to cool. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir the brown sugar, beaten eggs, heavy whipping cream, and lemon juice into the cooled mashed apples and set the filling aside.
Line 2 pie dishes or pans with the 2 uncooked crusts. Roll the outer edge of each crust over to create a neat ridge at the edge of the pie dish and scallop the edge if desired.
Pour half of the apple pudding filling into each prepared crust.
Whisk together 1 egg yolk with 1 tsp of water and brush a thin layer of the egg wash onto the visible edge of each pie crust to promote golden browning.
Bake the puddings at 375 degrees F for 80-90 minutes, or until the center no longer wiggles and the filling is browning around the outer edge of the crust. If the crust is browning faster than the filling is setting, cover the outer crust edge with foil and continue baking. Err on the side of cooking longer rather than shorter to avoid a mushy texture.
When the puddings are fully cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Decorate the top with candied lemon peels if desired.

Notes

NOTES

You will also need: 2 ceramic or glass 9-inch pie dishes

Serve the pudding as you would a pumpkin pie, sliced, cold or at room temperature. Keep leftovers refrigerated for 3-4 days.