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This delicious apple pie uses sour cream and Norwegian gjetost to add a creamy, caramel flavor to a classic favorite.
We love the creamy, caramel flavor of Norwegian gjetost cheese and found it makes a wonderful addition to apple pie. Gjetost is made from a combination of both cow and goat’s milk and has a creamy, fudge-like consistency and nutty, caramel flavor. Our filling also calls for a little sour cream, which adds a creamy balance to the gjetost. This is a very easy pie to make; our crust is a no-roll variety and our quick streusel topping is made with crunchy flake cereal.
Sour Cream Apple Pie with Norwegian Gjetost
This delicious apple pie uses sour cream and Norwegian gjetost to add a creamy, caramel flavor to a classic favorite.
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoons cold milk
For the filling:
- 6 cups sliced apples
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 ounces Norwegian gjetost cheese, grated (see notes)
For the streusel topping:
- 1/2 cup crushed cornflakes, or other unsweetened flake cereal
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Combine the flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the oil and milk until creamy and well blended. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork to form a moist dough. Place in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate and flatten with the palm of your hand.
- Using your fingers, gently push the crust to the edge and up the sides of the pie plate, taking care to make it as even as possible. Prick the bottom and sides with the tines of a fork, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before filling and baking.
- Special Note: This crust is an adaptation of a recipe called Pat-A-Pan Piecrust from “The Amish Cook’s Baking Book” by Lovina Eicher with Kevin Williams. It’s a wonderful collection of wholesome recipes for home baking. Check out our review below for more information.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Blend the sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt and flour together in a large bowl. Add the apples and toss to coat well. Sprinkle the bottom of the pie crust with about 1/3 of the grated gjetost. Add about 1/2 of the apple mixture and spread evenly. Top another 1/3 of the cheese, leaving the remaining 1/3 for the last 2 minutes of baking. Top with the remaining apples. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, shielding the edges of the crust with foil as soon as they turn golden brown.
- While the pie is in the oven, combine the crushed cornflakes, flour, sugar, cinnamon, cardamom and melted butter in a small bowl. Remove the pie after the first 25 minutes and spread the topping over the top as evenly as possible. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until the topping is bubbling and golden brown and the apples are tender. Immediately sprinkle on the remaining cheese and place the pie back in the oven for a minute or two until it melts. Remove and cool on a rack to room temperature.
Notes
Recipe Notes & Substitutions:
If you don’t keep ground cardamom on hand you can replace it with pumpkin pie spice or just extra cinnamon. If you can’t find the gjetost, omit it and replace half of the sugar in the filling (1/4 cup) with light brown sugar and add an extra 1/2 tablespoon of flour.About Gjetost:
Gjetost (pronounced “yay-toast”) develops its distinctive color and flavor because the milk sugars are caramelized during the cheese-making process. The cheese is slightly sweet and nutty and has a smooth, rich texture. We used Ski Queen gjetost, which we buy at our local Whole Foods, but we’ve had other brands in the past that we found at Scandinavian markets. Gjetost generally comes in an 8-ounce block. It’s delicious when brought to room temperature, sliced and served with Norwegian flatbread. Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Have you tried Weetabix for the topping? I have everything on hand except for the cornflakes. Of course, I can always add them to the grocery list. But, we usually have Weetabix around. It sounds delicious. I can’t wait to try it.
Hi Tammy,
I haven’t ever tried using Weetabix for a streusel-style topping, but I don’t see any reason why you couldn’t use it in place of the cornflakes. It’s a nice, whole-grain substitution. Hope you enjoy the pie.
My husband made it today! It makes a wonderful pie. I don’t taste the gjetost , but it and the sour cream gives a wonderful texture. Like a “sauce” that holds it together.
He did use the Weetabix cereal and it worked really well. We both really like the crust too.
Definitely a winner.
Thank you,
Tammy
I was thinking of making this into mini pies in mason jars. Would the instructions be the same?
Could you use another type of cheese? Maybe cheddar? Thanks!
Hi Linda,
Gjetost is a smooth melting cheese with a sweet, caramel-like flavor. If you replace it with cheddar, you’ll have a sweet-savory contrast of flavors that’s different from the original recipe but just as delicious. In my experience, white cheddar melts more smoothly than yellow so I would opt for that. Let us know how you like it.