Marshmallow Apple Pie

This is a midcentury apple pie that solves the top crust problem with a couple dozen halved marshmallows. The first hot bake softens the apples and crisps the bottom crust; then halved marshmallows scatter over the top and the pie returns to a slow oven, where they melt, puff, and brown into golden, gooey caps that seal in the apples below.

Six to seven tart apples (Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or any firm baking variety) get sugared with just a half cup of sugar, a pinch of salt, a half teaspoon of nutmeg, and dotted with butter. No flour or cornstarch in the filling, no cinnamon, no fuss. The apples cook into their own juices and stay distinctly themselves under the marshmallow cap.

The two-stage bake is the technique to commit to. High heat first browns the crust and softens the apples; the lower second bake browns the marshmallows without burning them or overcooking the apples. Marshmallows go from white to golden in just a few minutes.

Serve warm. The marshmallow caps stay slightly stretchy and gooey while the apples are still steaming.

Pro Tips

• Use halved marshmallows (cut large marshmallows in half horizontally), not whole ones. Whole marshmallows roll off the pie and don’t form an even cap.
• Watch the second bake carefully. Marshmallows can go from golden to scorched in 30 seconds if your oven runs hot.
• Use only tart apples, not sweet baking varieties. The marshmallow topping is sweet enough; sugary apples make the pie cloying.
• Let the pie rest 10 minutes before slicing. The marshmallow cap firms slightly and the apple juices thicken.

Variations

• Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the sugar mixture for a more traditional spice profile alongside the nutmeg.
• Swap regular marshmallows for cinnamon-flavored or strawberry-flavored marshmallows for a fun twist.
• Sprinkle chopped pecans or graham cracker crumbs over the marshmallows before the second bake for added texture.