Apple Raisin Poured Pie

October is apple month in both Ukraine and America’s Midwest. This Apple Raisin Poured Pie combines the season’s bounty with a traditional Ukrainian quick batter to create a dessert that captures the flavors of fall.

A poured pie (also known as a poured-crust pie, poured-over cake, or zalyvnyi pyrih (заливний пиріг)) uses a pourable or spoonable batter instead of kneaded dough. The batter is poured around layers of sweet or savory filling, producing a tender pie that is both rustic and comforting.

The poured pie traces its roots to a time when bread and pies were central to everyday Ukrainian life. Classic East Slavic pyrohy date back to Kyivan Rus’ in the 11th and 12th centuries. Made from wheat- or rye-flour yeast dough that was kneaded, proofed, filled, and baked, these early pies, whether sweet or savory, were substantial and bread-like.

The transition from dense bread to light, airy cakes occurred gradually over centuries. First, people used whipped eggs to create lighter batters. Later, in the nineteenth century, chemical leavening combined with sour cream or kefir made tender cakes more accessible to home bakers. By mixing these ingredients with flour and pouring the batter directly over fillings such as cabbage, meat, fish, or fruit, cooks created a simpler one-pan dish. The poured pie became a practical shortcut to the older Slavic pie tradition while keeping its role as a beloved homemade sweet or savory pastry.

During the Soviet era, industrially produced mayonnaise became a widely promoted, readily available ingredient that found its way into countless holiday dishes, including mayonnaise-based poured pies.

Apple Raisin Poured Pie filling ingredients

Batter ingredients

Poured pies remain a staple in Ukrainian home kitchens because they are easy to make with simple, readily available ingredients. Families and friends share hundreds of sweet and savory variations for quick meals and festive occasions. For another traditional example, see my article on Poured-Crust Cabbage Pie and How Ukrainians Celebrate Midsummer. Since 2022, many Ukrainian cooks have renewed their interest in pre-Soviet recipes and techniques, favoring traditional preparations like this one over Soviet-era mayonnaise-based versions.

Choosing apples with complementary qualities is the key to this pie’s success. Golden Delicious adds rich, almost custard-like sweetness; Honeycrisp brings juiciness and crunch; Pink Lady adds bright sweet-tart notes and floral aromas; and Granny Smith provides balancing acidity. Together they produce a unique sweet-tart flavor.

To bring out the apple flavor even more, I briefly sautéed the slices in unsalted butter with a tablespoon of brown sugar until the edges began to caramelize. Combined with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom, the result is an aromatic, juicy, warmly spiced filling perfectly balanced between sweet and tart.

This Apple Raisin Poured Pie evokes the flavors of autumn: warm, comforting, buttery sautéed apples with the right balance of sweetness, spice, and tartness. It’s delicious just as it is. But for a special occasion, a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream turns it into an elegant seasonal dessert.

Apple Raisin Poured Pie

Serves 8-10

For the filling:
4-5 baking apples, about 2 ½ pounds (1.1k), medium-sized, peeled, cored and sliced in ½ inch pieces
Juice of ½ lemon (about 2 tablespoons) to prevent darkening
Zest of ½ lemon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided in half
1 tablespoon ClearJel Cook-Type,NOT Instant ClearJel* OR tapioca starch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons cognac or rum (optional)

For the batter:
2 ½ cups (313 g) sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
5 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar, more if apples are very tart
¾ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
2-4 tablespoons reserved apple juice OR milk if juice is insufficient, use as needed

Preparing the filling: Peel, core, and cut apples into ½-inch slices, place in a large bowl and drizzle with lemon juice to prevent darkening.

Peeled and cored apples

Apples sliced uniformly

Place the raisins in a small bowl. Add cognac or rum, if using. Otherwise, cover with boiling water. Set aside while preparing the apples.

Melt butter until it starts to sizzle in a large skillet over medium heat. Then add apples and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and sauté for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples begin to caramelize on the edges and are softened but still hold their shape. (To caramelize, the apple mixture should not be crowded in the skillet. If you need to sauté in two batches, then use half of the butter and half of the brown sugar for each batch.) Remove from heat, transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

Caramelized apples

Transfer apple mixture to a colander set over a bowl and drain, reserving the juices if any. (Excess liquid can make the batter too thin, while the reserved juices can be used later to adjust the batter consistency if needed.)

In a small bowl, combine the ClearJel Cook-Type or tapioca starch with remaining tablespoon of brown sugar and toss the drained apples with the starch mixture, zest and spices.

Drain and pat the raisins dry with paper towels before adding them to the filling.

Ready apple filling

Heat oven to 375ºF(190ºС).

Preparing the batter: Grease a 9-inch (23–24 cm) diameter springform pan, at least 2½-3 inches (6-7.5 cm) deep. with butter or line it with greased parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until well blended and slightly lightened. Mix in sour cream and vanilla.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and fold just until no visible pockets of flour remain. Do not overmix.

Let the batter rest for 2-3 minutes so the flour can fully hydrate, then check its consistency before assembling the pie.

Consistency test: The batter should fall from a spoon in a slow, broad ribbon and spread gradually rather than run freely. It must be fluid enough to spread easily over the apple filling but thick enough to remain between the layers. (If the batter is too stiff, stir in the reserved apple juices or milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the proper consistency is reached. Do not add more liquid once the batter flows slowly over the apples without immediately sinking through them.)

Assembling the pie: Transfer the batter to a large measuring cup to make it easier to pour equal amounts into the prepared baking pan. Divide the filling into three equal portions, one for each layer.

The apple filling is heavy, so support it with evenly distributed layers of batter to keep it from sinking to the bottom.

Layering sequence: First layer, spoon or pour ¼ of the batter on the bottom of prepared pan, tilting or spreading so it covers the bottom to the edges.

Second layer, distribute ⅓ of the filling evenly over the batter surface. Do not press on the apples; let them settle into the batter.

For each subsequent batter layer, spoon the batter evenly over the entire surface, starting around the perimeter and then filling the center. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula only where necessary. The batter doesn’t need to form a perfectly opaque sheet. It should settle and spread further as it bakes.

Third layer, spoon another ¼ of the batter over the filling, tapping the pan on the counter several times to fill in the spaces between the apple pieces and along the sides.

Fourth layer, distribute ⅓ of the filling evenly.

Fifth layer, cover the filling with another ¼ of the batter, tapping again to help it settle.

Sixth layer, add final filling layer.

Seventh and final layer, distribute remaining batter evenly so that the top is substantially covered. (Even though assembled in layers, the finished pie will not have distinct layers like a cake.)

Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch overflow and bake for 70-80 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Baked Apple Raisin Poured Pie

Remove from oven and cool pie in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes. Then release the springform pan and cool the pie until warm. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

A delicious, seasonal dessert

Once completely cooled, refrigerate leftovers. You may briefly reheat individual slices in the microwave.

*Clear Jel, a modified corn starch used by commercial bakeries for fruit pies, is available online. I use Hoosier Hill Farm Clear Jel Cook-Type Powder, available online, which requires heat to trigger jelling and works best for pie filling made with uncooked or partially cooked fruit. It gels faster and is more effective than tapioca starch. Note that another version of this thickener, Clear Jel Instant, which does not require heat and gels on contact with liquid, will not work here. https://homeniches.com/how-to-use-clear-jel-cook-type/

Photo credits: All photos: Slava Johnson

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