An Appletun-Inspired Apple Pie: A Fall Baking Project for Pokemon Fans

Some Pokemon are inspired by animals, some by myths, and a few by the kitchen. Appletun belongs firmly in that last group. The Apple Nectar Pokemon looks like a cross between a gentle dragon and a freshly baked dessert, with a glossy shell, a creamy underside, and sweet nectar that, according to the official Pokedex, attracts small bug Pokemon. Fans have long noted the resemblance to British apple pies and tarts, a natural fit for a Pokemon from the Britain-inspired Galar region.

With fall in full swing and Thanksgiving a month away, there is no better time to turn that inspiration into something you can actually eat. This guide walks through a classic apple pie with a few Appletun touches: a golden lattice top, a glossy finish, and decorating ideas that nod to the apple dragon without needing any special tools or licensed molds.

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The Appletun connection

On the official Pokedex entry for Appletun, the Pokemon is described as a Grass and Dragon type with sweet nectar on its back that it can spew at pests such as Lechonk. Applin evolves into Appletun when exposed to a Sweet Apple, while a Tart Apple leads to its sharper sibling, Flapple. That sweet-versus-tart split is a fun guide for baking too: the best apple pies mix both.

If you want a deeper look at where Appletun's design comes from, our feature on Appletun's design origins, from wyrm legends to apple pie covers the folklore and food references in detail. For the evolution side, our Applin to Appletun evolution guide explains how the Sweet Apple works across the games.

Choosing your apples: sweet meets tart

A great pie balances sweetness with acidity, and the texture of the apple matters as much as the flavor. Soft apples turn to mush; firm apples hold their shape.

• Granny Smith, the classic baking apple, bright and sharp
• Braeburn, tart with a spicy edge

• Honeycrisp, juicy and sweet, holds up well when baked
• Golden Delicious, mellow and tender
• Jonagold, a sweet-tart blend on its own

Ingredients

This recipe makes one 9-inch double-crust pie.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

• About 3 pounds of apples (6 to 7 medium), peeled, cored, and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (use less if your apples are very sweet)
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces

• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or cream (egg wash)
• 1 to 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for sparkle
• Optional: 2 tablespoons apricot jam, warmed, for a glossy glaze

If you want a well-tested baseline to compare against, the King Arthur Baking apple pie recipe is a reliable reference, and the steps below follow the same general approach.

Step 1: Make the crust

1. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. 2. Add the cold butter and work it in with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Those pieces create flaky layers. 3. Sprinkle in ice water a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough just holds together when squeezed. 4. Divide the dough in two, shape each half into a flat disk, wrap, and chill for at least an hour. Overnight is even better.

Step 2: Prepare the filling

1. Toss the sliced apples with lemon juice in a large bowl. 2. In a small bowl, mix the sugars, flour or cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. 3. Sprinkle the dry mix over the apples and toss until evenly coated. 4. Let the filling sit for 15 to 20 minutes while you roll out the crust. It will release some juice, which helps the thickener do its job.

Step 3: Assemble with an Appletun-style lattice

1. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and set a rack in the lower third. Place a baking sheet on the rack below to catch drips. 2. Roll one dough disk into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish, leaving the edges overhanging. 3. Pile in the filling, mounding it slightly in the center, and dot with the butter pieces. 4. Roll the second disk into a circle and cut it into strips about 3/4 inch wide. 5. Weave the strips into a lattice over the filling. Appletun's design has a smooth, dome-like look, so a tight lattice with wider strips gives a fuller, rounder top. 6. Trim and crimp the edges.

• A leaf or two. Cut small leaf shapes from dough scraps and place them near the edge to echo the stem and leaf on Applin's apple.
• A crescent of cutouts. A simple row of small circles along one side can suggest the pattern of a dragon's back without being too literal.
• Keep it subtle. The goal is a pie that looks beautiful on its own and makes fellow fans smile once they notice the details.

Step 4: Bake to a golden finish

1. Brush the lattice and edges with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. 2. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake another 35 to 45 minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling is bubbling thickly through the lattice. 3. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with a pie shield or strips of foil. 4. For extra shine, brush the warm top with melted apricot jam right after baking. It gives the pie that glossy, nectar-like finish that suits Appletun perfectly. 5. Let the pie cool for at least two to three hours before slicing so the filling sets.

Serving ideas for fall and Thanksgiving

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using only soft apples. The filling collapses. Mix in a firm apple.
• Warm dough. Leads to a tough, shrinking crust. Chill between steps.
• Slicing too soon. The filling needs time to set as it cools.
• Skipping the bottom rack. Baking low in the oven helps the bottom crust brown instead of turning soggy.
• Overdoing the decorations. A few well-placed touches look better than a crowded top.

Make it a fan tradition

Part of the fun of Appletun is how warm and cozy it feels. It is the Pokemon equivalent of a kitchen that smells like cinnamon. Baking this pie once a year, whether for a fall movie night, a Thanksgiving table, or a game session with friends, is an easy way to celebrate a design that so many fans love.

And if the apple dragon has won you over, you can always set a small plush or figure next to the pie for the photo before everyone digs in. Just maybe keep it a safe distance from the whipped cream.