Pennsylvania Dutch Green Tomato Pie With Cinnamon and Sugar

Imperial October 25, 2026October 25, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Pennsylvania Dutch Green Tomato Pie with Cinnamon and Sugar turns firm, unripe tomatoes into a gently tart, warmly spiced filling tucked inside a flaky, buttery double crust.

Yield: 1 deep-dish 9-inch pie; 8 servings
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes, including 1 hour pastry chilling, 30 minutes filling cooling, and 3 hours pie cooling; waiting periods can overlap to shorten the schedule

Quick Ingredients

Crust: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 g), 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 cup cold unsalted butter (226 g), and 7 tablespoons ice water (105 ml)
For rolling: 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g)
Tomatoes: 2 pounds firm, unripe green tomatoes (907 g), weighed after coring and trimming, quartered and sliced 1/8 inch thick
Filling: 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g), 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (32 g), 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (30 ml), and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)
Finish: 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon whole milk, plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Do This

1. Make the pastry with the flour, sugar, salt, cold butter, and ice water. Divide into two disks and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Mix the filling sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Toss with the sliced tomatoes and lemon juice in a heavy saucepan.
3. Cook covered over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, then uncover and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the butter and cool in a shallow dish for 30 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Roll out the bottom crust, fit it into a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate, and add the cooled filling.
5. Add the top crust, trim and crimp the edges, and cut steam vents. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.
6. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 35 minutes more. Cool for 3 hours before slicing.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

A lovely use for late-season tomatoes: Firm green tomatoes become tender and pleasantly tangy instead of going to waste.
Comforting, old-fashioned flavor: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar give the filling an apple-pie-like character, with a brighter finish.
A flaky homemade crust: Cold butter creates crisp, delicate layers around the softly glazed filling.
Neater slices: Simmering the filling first helps manage the tomatoes’ moisture before the pie goes into the oven.

Grocery List

Produce: About 2 1/4 pounds firm, unripe green tomatoes to yield 2 pounds after trimming; 1 lemon
Dairy: 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 tablespoon whole milk
Eggs: 1 large egg
Pantry: All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, fine salt

Full Ingredients

For the Flaky Double Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 g), spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
1 tablespoon granulated sugar (12 g)
1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g)
1 cup unsalted butter (226 g), very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
7 tablespoons ice water (105 ml), measured without ice cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (16 g), reserved for dusting the work surface and rolling pin

For the Green Tomato Filling

2 pounds firm, unripe green tomatoes (907 g), weighed after coring and trimming
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (32 g)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon fine salt (1.5 g)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (30 ml)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)

For the Golden Finish

1 large egg
1 tablespoon whole milk (15 ml)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (4 g)

Pennsylvania Dutch Green Tomato Pie With Cinnamon and Sugar – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make and chill the pastry

Whisk the 2 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour with a pastry blender or your fingertips. Stop when the mixture looks shaggy, with plenty of pea-sized butter pieces remaining; those pieces help create flaky layers.

Drizzle in the 7 tablespoons ice water, tossing with a fork until the dough forms moist clumps. Press a handful together: it should hold without feeling sticky. Turn the dough onto the counter and gently press it together without kneading. Divide into two portions, making one slightly larger for the bottom crust. Flatten each into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2: Prepare the green tomatoes

Wash the tomatoes, remove their stems and hard cores, and trim away any damaged spots. Weigh out 2 pounds of prepared tomatoes. Quarter them from top to bottom, then cut crosswise into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Leave the skin and seeds in place.

Use genuinely unripe tomatoes that are firm and green throughout, not soft, ripe varieties that happen to remain green. Thin, even slices will soften more consistently and make the finished pie easier to cut.

Step 3: Simmer and cool the filling

In a wide, heavy 4-quart saucepan, whisk together the 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add the sliced tomatoes and lemon juice, then toss thoroughly so the flour mixture coats the slices without leaving dry pockets.

Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the tomatoes begin releasing their juices. Uncover and cook at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom carefully. The slices should bend easily but retain their shape, and the juices should become glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon rather than run off like water. Avoid a hard boil, which can break down the tomatoes and scorch the thickened juices.

Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 tablespoon butter. Spread the filling in a shallow heatproof dish and cool for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should be at room temperature or only barely warm before it touches the pastry. If it is still noticeably warm, let it cool longer.

Step 4: Roll out the bottom crust

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425°F (220°C). Have a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate, approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep, and a rimmed baking sheet ready.

Lightly dust the work surface and rolling pin with some of the reserved rolling flour. Roll the larger pastry disk into a 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. If the chilled dough cracks immediately, let it stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before continuing.

Ease the dough into the pie plate without stretching it, leaving the overhang in place. Spoon in the cooled filling, including its thickened juices, and spread it evenly. Do not add any thin, watery liquid that may have separated during cooling.

Step 5: Add the top crust and finish the pie

Roll the second pastry disk into an 11-inch circle using the remaining dusting flour as needed. Lay it over the filling. Trim both crusts to leave a 1/2-inch overhang beyond the pie plate, fold the edges together underneath themselves, and crimp firmly to seal.

Cut five 1-inch slits in the top crust so steam can escape. Beat the egg with the milk, then brush a thin, even layer over the top crust; you may not need all of the egg wash. Avoid pooling it in the vents or along the rim. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.

Step 6: Bake until deeply golden and bubbling

Set the pie on the rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes. Without removing the pie, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 35 minutes more.

The crust should be a rich golden brown, and thick filling should bubble through the center vents. If the rim browns too quickly, cover just the edge with a pie shield or strips of foil after the first 20 minutes. If the center is not bubbling at the end of the scheduled baking time, continue baking in 5-minute increments until it does.

Step 7: Cool, slice, and serve

Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool for 3 hours before cutting. This resting time lets the flour-thickened juices settle so the filling stays inside each slice instead of spilling onto the plate.

Serve at room temperature, or gently rewarm individual slices. The finished filling should be tender and lightly syrupy, with muted green tomato slices, warm cinnamon flavor, and a pleasantly bright lemon finish. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream is lovely alongside, if desired.

Pro Tips

Choose sound, firm tomatoes: Avoid tomatoes with soft spots or signs of decay. Do not include any leaves or stems.
Watch the filling, not just the clock: Tomatoes vary in moisture. If the filling still looks soupy after simmering, cook it uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes longer, stirring constantly, before cooling.
Keep the pastry cool: If the butter softens and the dough becomes sticky during assembly, refrigerate the dough or assembled pie for 15 minutes before proceeding.
Do not rush the cooling: Warm filling softens raw pastry, and cutting the finished pie too soon makes the slices loose.
Use the waiting time well: For a shorter overall schedule, prepare, simmer, and cool the filling while the pastry disks chill. The listed total allows those tasks to happen separately.

Variations

Green tomato and apple: Replace 8 ounces (227 g) of the prepared tomatoes with 8 ounces peeled, cored tart apple, sliced 1/8 inch thick. Keep the remaining filling ingredients and method the same.
Brown sugar spice: Replace 1/2 cup (100 g) of the filling’s granulated sugar with 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 g) for a deeper, slightly molasses-like flavor.
Shortcut pastry: Substitute one package of refrigerated pastry containing two 9-inch pie crusts for the homemade dough. Choose crusts large enough for your deep-dish plate; omit the homemade crust ingredients and its 1-hour chilling period.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store: Once fully cooled, cover the pie and keep it at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. For the best crust texture, cover loosely during the first day rather than wrapping the surface tightly.

Make ahead: Refrigerate the wrapped pastry disks for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Cook the filling up to 2 days ahead, cool it in a shallow container, and refrigerate covered. Assemble with cool filling and cold pastry.

Freeze and reheat: Wrap the completely cooled baked pie tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Rewarm the thawed pie, loosely covered with foil, at 325°F (165°C) for 25 minutes; reheat individual slices at the same temperature for 12 minutes, or until warmed through.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for 1 of 8 slices, including homemade crust and topping but excluding ice cream or whipped cream.