Pie Slices from Perkins feature flaky, golden-brown crusts filled with rich, flavorful fillings such as spiced apple, creamy chocolate, and tangy blueberry, offering a delightful blend of sweet and buttery textures in every bite.
Equipments
- Oven
- Pie pan
- Rolling pin
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry blender or food processor
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Chef’s knife
- Peeler
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Cooling rack
- Pastry brush
- Spatula
- Serving spatula
Ingredients
- Pie Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 6-8 tablespoons ice water
- Spiced Apple Filling:
- 6 cups peeled, sliced apples
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Creamy Chocolate Filling:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tangy Blueberry Filling:
- 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
When preparing the pie crust, ensure the unsalted butter is kept cold to achieve a flaky texture, and use ice water sparingly, adding just enough to bring the dough together without making it tough. For the spiced apple filling, opt for tart apples like Granny Smith to balance the sweetness and enhance the cinnamon and nutmeg spices. The creamy chocolate filling requires careful tempering of the egg yolks and constant whisking to avoid curdling and achieve a smooth, luscious consistency. In the tangy blueberry filling, cornstarch acts as a natural thickener, so be precise with the measurement to prevent a runny or overly gelled filling. Your homemade pie slices can closely replicate Perkins' classic flavors by following these ingredient tips and maintaining the balance between sweet and buttery notes in every bite.
Instructions
- Preheat oven.
- Prepare pie crust: Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
- Cut in cold butter using a pastry blender or food processor.
- Gradually add ice water until dough forms.
- Divide dough, shape into disks, and chill.
- Roll out dough on a floured surface with a rolling pin.
- Fit crust into pie pan and trim excess.
- Prepare spiced apple filling: Mix apples, sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.
- Pour apple filling into pie crust.
- For double crust pies, roll out and top with a second crust; vent as needed.
- Prepare creamy chocolate filling: Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan.
- Gradually add milk and whisk until smooth.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.
- Whisk egg yolks in a bowl; slowly stir in hot chocolate mixture.
- Return mixture to pan, cook until thick.
- Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
- Pour into baked pie crust.
- Chill chocolate pie to set.
- Prepare tangy blueberry filling: Combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and salt.
- Cook, stirring, until thickened and glossy.
- Pour blueberry filling into pre-baked crust.
- Cool as directed.
- Brush crust with egg wash if desired.
- Bake pies as needed until golden and filling bubbles.
- Cool on a rack before slicing.
- Serve slices with spatula.
Substitution
Pie Slices from Perkins copycat menu can be adapted easily with available ingredients to suit your kitchen needs. If you lack fresh blueberries for the tangy blueberry filling, frozen berries are a practical alternative that won't compromise flavor or texture. When making the flaky crust, substitute unsalted butter with cold vegetable shortening or a mix of both for a slightly different but still tender result. You can replace granulated sugar with coconut sugar or an equal amount of honey in the spiced apple filling for a different sweetness profile, adjusting liquid volumes slightly. Using a food processor for blending the crust ingredients speeds up the process while ensuring a well-mixed dough ready for rolling and baking.
Tips
Ensure butter used for the pie crust is cold to achieve a flaky texture; warm butter will produce a tougher crust. When rolling out dough, use a lightly floured surface and roll from the center outward to maintain even thickness and prevent sticking. For fruit fillings like spiced apple or tangy blueberry, make sure to cook the filling until thickened to avoid watery pies. Your pie should cool completely on a rack before slicing to allow the filling to set properly, ensuring clean slices and optimal flavor.
Nutritions
Pie slices from Perkins provide a balanced combination of carbohydrates from the all-purpose flour crust and natural sugars from the fruit fillings like spiced apple and tangy blueberry, delivering a satisfying energy boost. The unsalted butter in the crust offers a source of fats that contribute to a creamy texture and enhanced flavor, while the creamy chocolate filling adds protein and calcium from whole milk and egg yolks. Fiber content varies with the fruit fillings, supporting digestive health, and the use of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg adds antioxidants. Your choice among the flavors influences the nutritional profile, allowing for a tailored indulgence based on your dietary preferences.
Storage
Store your Perkins pie slices in an airtight container to maintain their flaky crust and rich fillings while preventing moisture loss. Refrigerate spiced apple and creamy chocolate slices to keep fillings fresh and prevent spoilage, consuming within 3 to 4 days for best taste. Blueberry pie slices can also be refrigerated, and you may freeze any slices you won't eat within a few days by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil to preserve flavor and texture.
Variation or Alternatives
You can experiment by substituting half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour in the pie crust for a nuttier flavor and added fiber. For the spiced apple filling, try adding a splash of bourbon or maple syrup to enhance the depth of sweetness. Instead of using semisweet chocolate chips in the creamy chocolate filling, opt for dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content to intensify richness. When preparing the blueberry filling, stirring in a teaspoon of fresh grated ginger adds a pleasantly spicy twist to complement the tartness.
Allergies
Pie slices from Perkins contain common allergens such as wheat (all-purpose flour) and dairy (unsalted butter, whole milk, and egg yolks) found in the crust and fillings. Chocolate chips may also contain traces of soy or nuts due to manufacturing processes. You should exercise caution if you have allergies to gluten, dairy, eggs, or potential cross-contaminants in chocolate products.
Why this recipe?
Perkins Restaurant's Pie Slices menu offers a variety of delicious, freshly baked slices made from high-quality ingredients that satisfy diverse taste preferences. Each slice delivers a perfect balance of flaky crust, rich fillings, and generous toppings, making them a popular choice among dessert lovers. Trying to create a copycat recipe allows you to enjoy these flavors at home with the added benefit of customizing sweetness and ingredients to suit your personal taste. Your homemade Pie Slices can replicate the cozy, nostalgic experience Perkins is known for, while providing a cost-effective and fun baking project.