Pirog (Russian Apple Pie)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pies tarts Medium

Pirog is a big, soft, yeast-dough pie, here filled with cooked cinnamon apples and baked in a rectangular pan. The dough stays tender and lightly sweet. Makes 12 squares in about 3 hr 30 min.

Prep 165 min

Cook 45 min

Total 3 hr 30 min

Yield 12 squares

Ingredients

Adjust yield

squares

4 cups (500 g)all-purpose flour
1 cup (240 ml)whole milk, warm, 100 F (38 C)
¼ oz (7 g)instant yeast
¼ cup (50 g)granulated sugar, for the dough
2 (100 g)eggs
3 tbsp (40 g)unsalted butter, melted, for the dough
¾ tsp (5 g)fine salt
1 ½ lb (700 g)apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
6 tbsp (80 g)granulated sugar, for the filling
2 tbsp (30 g)unsalted butter, for the filling
1 ¼ tsp (3 g)ground cinnamon
1 tbsp (15 ml)lemon juice
1 ½ tbsp (12 g)cornstarch
1 (50 g)egg, beaten, for the wash
1 tbsp (15 g)granulated sugar, for the to finish
2 tbsp (30 ml)water

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Instructions

Stir the yeast and a pinch of the sugar into the warm milk and let it foam for 5 minutes. Whisk in the sugar, eggs, melted butter and salt.
Stir in the flour, then knead 8 minutes until soft and a little sticky. Cover and rise 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.
Filling: melt the butter in a skillet, add the apples, sugar and cinnamon, and cook over medium-high heat about 10 minutes until the juice mostly cooks off. Stir in the lemon juice and cornstarch, cook 1 minute more and cool fully.
Heat the oven to 360 F (180 C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan. Divide the dough into one-third and two-thirds portions.
Roll the larger piece to fit the pan with a 1-inch overhang, lay it in and spread the cooled filling on top.
Roll the remaining dough to a rectangle, cut into strips and weave a lattice or lay it over as a solid lid; trim and pinch the edges. Rest 20 minutes.
Brush with egg and bake 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden. Dissolve the sugar in the water and brush on the hot pie for shine. Cool 20 minutes before cutting.

Tips

Cook the apples dry so the bottom does not get soggy.
Cool the filling before assembling.
Keep the dough soft; add flour sparingly.
Good with black tea.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make pirog (russian apple pie)?

Plan on 165 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes 12 squares.

How should I store pirog (russian apple pie)?

Keeps covered at room temperature 1 day, then refrigerate up to 4 days; reheat to serve.

Can I make pirog (russian apple pie) ahead?

It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.

Pirog is a large baked pie from Russia and Eastern Europe, made from yeast dough and filled with sweet fillings like apples or savory ones. Serve it with black tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

308 Calories / serving

7.2g Fat

54.4g Carbs

6.9g Protein

19.2g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~3696 cal · 86g fat · 653g carbs · 83g protein · 230g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.