Almás Pite — A Classic Hungarian Apple Pie Filled with Cinnamon-Scented Apples

Few desserts capture the warmth of Hungarian home baking quite like Hungarian Apple Cake, or Almás Pite. Made with tender, buttery pastry and a generous layer of sweet-tart apples scented with cinnamon, this traditional dessert is simple, rustic, and wonderfully comforting.

Unlike a tall American-style apple cake, Almás Pite is typically made with two thin layers of pastry surrounding a generous apple filling. The top is often lightly golden and crisp, while the apples underneath become soft, fragrant, and deliciously jammy.

It is the kind of dessert that feels right at a family table—with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of milk.

---

🍎 What Is Hungarian Apple Cake?

Almás Pite translates roughly to Hungarian apple pie.

It is one of Hungary’s beloved traditional baked desserts and is commonly associated with homemade family baking. Recipes vary from household to household, but the basic idea remains beautifully simple:

tender pastry + cinnamon apples + golden top crust.

The filling is often prepared by grating or thinly slicing apples and cooking them briefly with sugar and cinnamon. This helps remove excess moisture so the pastry remains tender rather than soggy.

---

🛒 Ingredients

For the Pastry

• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Apple Filling

• 6–7 medium apples
• ½ cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs or semolina
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

For the Top

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon milk

Optional

• Powdered sugar for serving