{"id":1364,"date":"2025-12-19T21:30:12","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T21:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=1364"},"modified":"2025-12-19T21:30:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T21:30:12","slug":"the-secret-to-the-best-apple-pie-is-a-brown-bag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=1364","title":{"rendered":"The Secret to the Best Apple Pie Is\u2026 A Brown Bag?"},"content":{"rendered":"


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A paper bag isn\u2019t on my list of top cooking tools, but when I heard about using one for a better apple pie, I was intrigued. Could stuffing my pie in a paper bag really be the way to make the best version of a beloved dessert?\n<\/p>\n

To find out, I made our Apple Pie in a Brown Paper Bag recipe both with<\/em> the bag and without,<\/em> and here\u2019s what I discovered.\n<\/p>\n

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Using Paper Bags in Cooking <\/span> <\/h2>\n

The use of paper for cooking food isn\u2019t a new concept. A popular French technique where food is cooked \u201cen papillote\u201d or \u201cin paper,\u201d has been around for centuries. Classic en papillote preparations include fish and other delicate proteins and vegetables that are securely wrapped in parchment packets before baking. When ingredients are baked in the pouch, steam is allowed to build which gently cooks the food. It\u2019s a hands-off approach that\u2019s perfect for cooking somewhat intimidating dishes.\n<\/p>\n

Flash forward a few hundred years to the 1800s when the brown paper bag was newly invented. It was originally envelope-style, instead of the flat-bottomed bags we use most often today. That made it handy for books and papers\u2014and apparently for cooking food. Or so the authors of \u201cEvery Woman’s Encyclopedia\u201d thought, dedicating a section of the book to the \u201cThe ABC of Paper Bag Cookery<\/a>.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

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Why Cooking in Paper Works <\/span> <\/h2>\n

The paper bag section of the book highlights why using this technique is helpful. It\u2019s clean (everything is cooked in a bag that gets tossed), it\u2019s a time-saver (it requires little hands-on time), and it locks in nutrients (thanks to the sealed bag). But these aren\u2019t necessarily important when it comes to cooking pie, so what are the benefits there?\n<\/p>\n

The bag serves two purposes. First, it protects the crust and topping from burning and second, it evenly bakes the pie using steam to yield soft, fork-tender apples.\n<\/p>\n

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Does a Paper Bag Work to Make Better Pie? <\/span> <\/h2>\n

I made two pies using our recipe for Apple Pie in a Brown Paper Bag. I placed one pie in a parchment packet to simulate a paper bag, and I placed the second, uncovered, on a baking sheet. I baked both pies for one hour. The only difference was that I baked the paper bag pie at 400 degrees F (204 degrees C) the entire time, whereas I baked the other pie for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F before covering (to prevent the crust and topping from burning) and then reduced the temperature to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) to continue baking for 40 more minutes.<\/p>\n

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Side-By-Side Results <\/span> <\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n

Sara Haas<\/p>\n

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I liked both pies. Maybe that\u2019s a function of adoring the dessert, in general, but I thought they both turned out delicious. There were noticeable differences though, which are worth noting.\n<\/p>\n

The paper-bagged pie was a breeze to cook, especially once I got the parchment arranged and secured around it, which was a bit of a task. It was also handy to be able to throw it in the oven and not have to think about it again until I opened the oven door.\n<\/p>\n

The traditional pie required a bit of babysitting, since I had to cover the top and lower the oven temperature.\n<\/p>\n

The paper bag crust and topping were evenly browned, whereas the other pie wasn\u2019t as consistently colored and was mottled with dark and light spots. As for the filling, the paper-bag apples were tender and seemed to almost melt when eaten. The apples in the other pie were a little firmer, and the ingredients didn\u2019t seem to meld like those in the paper bag.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Tips for Making Paper Bag Pie <\/span> <\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n

Sara Haas<\/p>\n

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    \n
  • Use a paper bag that doesn\u2019t have any coating or ink. A large flat-bottomed version will work best. If you\u2019re hesitant to use a paper bag, large sheets of parchment paper can also do the trick.<\/li>\n
  • Secure and seal everything properly. The bag or parchment should not touch the top or sides of the pie, so allow for ample room before sealing. Since this method relies on steaming, also be sure to seal your bag or parchment well, without any gaps or holes. If folding doesn\u2019t get the job done, use a stapler or metal (uncoated) paper clips to close any gaps.<\/li>\n
  • Choose a recipe with a crumble crust. A double-crust pie will work using the brown paper bag method, but to simplify things and keep things beautiful, opt for a crumble.<\/li>\n
  • Remember that the bag is hot and full of steam, so let it sit for a bit before opening. Open just a bit (away from your face) to allow steam to escape before opening fully.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    <\/p>\n

    The Bottom Line <\/span> <\/h2>\n

    I\u2019d make this pie again using the paper bag technique. I liked not having to worry about my pie as it was cooking. I also enjoyed the results and the flavor. It\u2019s definitely a recipe worth trying!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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    A paper bag isn\u2019t on my list of top cooking tools, but when I heard about using one for a better apple pie, I was intrigued. Could stuffing my pie in a paper bag really be the way to make the best version of a beloved dessert? To find out, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1365,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1364"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1364\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1365"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}