Here’s a classic bakery-style recipe inspired by the apple slices you’d find in Chicago neighborhood bakeries 🍎
Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices
Buttery crust, cinnamon-spiced apples, and a simple vanilla glaze—these apple slices are soft, sweet, and perfect with coffee, just like the ones behind the glass at an old-school bakery.
🧺 Ingredients
For the Crust
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2½ cups all-purpose flour
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½ cup sugar
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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¼ teaspoon salt
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¾ cup cold butter, cubed
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1 large egg
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2 tablespoons milk
For the Apple Filling
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6 cups peeled, thin-sliced apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
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½ cup sugar
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1 teaspoon cinnamon
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¼ teaspoon nutmeg
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1 tablespoon lemon juice
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1 tablespoon cornstarch
For the Glaze
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1 cup powdered sugar
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2–3 tablespoons milk
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½ teaspoon vanilla extract
🍎 Instructions
1. Make the Crust
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper.
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In a bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
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Cut in cold butter until crumbly.
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Mix in egg and milk until a soft dough forms.
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Press dough evenly into the prepared pan.
2. Prepare the Apple Filling
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Toss sliced apples with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch.
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Spread evenly over the crust.
3. Bake
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Bake for 40–45 minutes, until apples are tender and the crust is lightly golden.
4. Glaze & Slice
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Cool completely.
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Whisk glaze ingredients until smooth and drizzle over the top.
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Cut into rectangular bakery-style slices.
🍰 Bakery Tips
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Let cool fully before slicing for clean edges
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Use tart apples for the most authentic flavor
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Store covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate longer
Why Chicago-Style?
These slices are thicker, softer, and less fancy than pie—meant to be filling, affordable, and comforting, just like neighborhood bakery treats.
If you’d like, I can:
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Add a crumb topping version
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Make it closer to Polish-style apple slices
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Write a short nostalgic bakery story