Absolutely! Here’s an article-style recipe for Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices, blending storytelling with clear instructions and a nostalgic tone:

🍎 Chicago-Style Bakery Apple Slices: A Classic Midwest Treat You’ll Crave

If you grew up in the Midwest—especially around Chicago—there’s a good chance you’ve tasted the magic of Chicago-style bakery apple slices. Sold in old-school corner bakeries and beloved by generations, these slices are sweet, flaky, and packed with tender apples, all wrapped up in a pastry that’s more pie than bar, and more indulgent than your average apple dessert.

Forget apple pie—this is the nostalgic, bakery-style apple dessert you’ve been dreaming about.

Now, you can recreate that buttery, cinnamon-scented slice of Chicago tradition right in your own kitchen.

🍏 What Makes Chicago-Style Apple Slices Special?

• Pastry dough — not pie crust, not puff pastry. It’s sturdy but tender, perfect for picking up and eating by hand.
• Real apples — usually tart Granny Smiths, sliced thin and layered generously.
• Glaze or icing — a simple drizzle of sugar glaze adds that bakery-finish shine and sweetness.
• Baked in slabs — typically in a large sheet pan and sliced into squares or rectangles, making it ideal for sharing.

🍎 Ingredients

For the Pastry:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup cold water
• 1 teaspoon vinegar (white or apple cider)

For the Apple Filling:

• 6–8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch (for thickening)

For the Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1–2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Make the Dough

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg, water, and vinegar. Add to the flour mixture and mix just until dough forms.
4. Divide the dough in two. Wrap each half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the Filling

1. While the dough chills, toss apple slices with lemon juice, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour or cornstarch.
2. Let sit for about 15 minutes to draw out juices and allow flavors to meld.

Step 3: Assemble

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Roll out one half of the dough on a floured surface to fit a 9×13-inch baking pan.
3. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides.
4. Spread the apple filling evenly over the crust.

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