Upside Down Pecan Apple Pie Recipe + (VIDEO)

This, my friends, is an apple pie like no other! Upside-Down Pecan Apple Pie is a self-glazing, award-winning pie that is sure to please any crowd. If you like pecan pie and apple pie, you’re going to want this apple pie recipe!

Whether you champion apple dishes or pecan goodies we’ve got you covered! The cooler weather ahead has me craving Easy Apple Crisp, Apple Pie Bars, and Apple Pie Crepes. And for pecan lovers like me, Butter Pecan Cookies, Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars, and Pecan Pie Gooey Butter Cake.

This is my all-time favorite way to make apple pie!! 25+ years ago, I stumbled across the award-winning, upside-down pie recipe in a Pillsbury Pie Cookbook. Apple pecan upside-down pie has won several pie contests over the decades since its national debut as Pillsbury’s 1951 Bake-Off winner.

Why We Love This Upside-Down Apple Pie With Pecans

I was hooked the first time I made this upside-down pie recipe; it was love at first bite.

• Pecan apple pie is self-glazing, utterly unique, and delicious.
• Using refrigerated pie crusts is a real time saver!
• No fancy pie crust skills are needed.
• Upside down apple pecan pie recipe uses simple ingredients, easy to make, and is gorgeous to look at! 
• Award-winning apple upside-down pie will win the hearts of any crowd.

Ingredients For Upside Down Pecan Apple Pie

Pecan pie lovers and apple pie fans alike are enchanted with this unique upside-down twist on apple pie.

• Chopped Pecans – added crunch for the upside-down sweet sticky glazed topping.
• Brown Sugar –  be sure to firmly pack when measuring for the caramelized glaze.
• Butter – melted
• Package Refrigerated Pie Crusts – I Prefer Pillsbury All Ready Pie Crust, or you can make your own pie crust. Just note you need 2 pie crusts.
• Flour – All-purpose is fine
• Apples – peeled and sliced. I prefer tart Granny Smith and Braeburn apples.
• Sugar – white granulated sugar
• Cinnamon – mixed with sugar is commonly used to flavor apples, as in this upside-down pecan apple pie.
• Nutmeg – is a popular spice available both whole and ground. It is known for its warm, nutty flavor, making it the perfect addition to this pecan apple pie recipe.

How To Make An Upside Down Apple Pecan Pie

This pie is a must for Thanksgiving dessert!! Grab a 9-inch pie plate, baking sheet, mixing bowl, and a wire cooling rack, and you are good to go!

(full printable recipe at the end of this post)

1. Combine pecans, butter, and brown sugar in the pie pan.
2. Press and mold the pie crust over the pecan mixture and dust with flour.
3. Lightly mix apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon the apples into the crust-lined plate.
4. Top with the second pie crust, flute, then cut a few slits on the top. 
5. Set the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
6. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. (And get ready for the fun part!)
7. Hold a serving plate over the apple pecan pie and carefully invert the hot pie, and carefully remove pie plate. Some nuts may remain in the pan, replace on the pie with a knife. (you will want to use oven mitts for this).
8. Cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Recipe Notes & Tips

• Try using a combination of apples that suit your taste for more complex and layered flavors in baked apple desserts.
• Choose apples for your upside-down apple pie that hold their shape and won’t turn to mush.
• Besides using a cookie sheet to catch boilovers from the upside-down apple pecan pie, go ahead and line it with foil or parchment for a quick and easy clean-up. (keep that oven clean, people!)
• For a visually stunning upside-down apple pie, arrange pecan halves in a design and use chopped pecans to fill the areas that aren’t covered.

How To Store This Upside Down Apple Pie

Since this pie can be kept covered on the counter for a couple of days, it’s a great make-ahead Thanksgiving dessert. Put it in the fridge if you are more disciplined than me and want to stretch this treat out as long as possible, but honestly, we never have any leftover.

Serving Suggestions

• Upside-down apple pie is a must for a Thanksgiving dessert table, right alongside the pumpkin pie.
• What’s apple pie without a scoop of vanilla ice cream?!!
• Besides the unique presentation, it’s pretty much a self-contained one and done. It’s so good it doesn’t require much besides a good cup of coffee and a fork!!

Variations/Popular Substitutions & Additions

One of my favorite things about fall is new apple crops and pulling out baked apple recipes that have been tucked away since last year. Just remember, the best apples for apple pies are the ones you enjoy eating in an apple dessert.

• Although I recommend Granny Smith or Braeburn Apples for their bright tart flavor, tangy-sweet Pink Lady or cidery Winesap are delicious options. 
• If you prefer, you can make your own pie crust; just double the recipe.
• Opt for tapioca, arrowroot, or cornstarch if you’re not keen on using extra flour as a thickener in an apple pie.
• Craisins or golden raisins might shake somebody’s tree, but it won’t upset the apple cart! (Or should I say turn it upside-down?!)

Apple Pecan Upside Down Pie FAQs:

This Upside-down Pecan Apple Pie will be the coveted dessert at your Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert table!

Originally posted in April 2022. UPDATED May 2024. We spiffed up this post with more information. No changes were made to the recipe.