Apple pie was first recorded in England in which century?

Apple pie was first recorded in England in the 14th century.

The century refers to an early English recipe preserved in The Forme of Cury, a medieval collection associated with the kitchen of King Richard II. The recipe describes apples combined with spices, figs, raisins, and pears in a pastry casing. It is an early ancestor of apple pie, although its ingredients and preparation differ from the dessert commonly baked today.

Medieval pastry cases were often called “cofyns.” They served practical purposes as sturdy containers for cooking and holding fillings, and they were not always intended to be eaten in the same way as a modern tender pie crust. Sugar was also costly, so fruit pies could rely more heavily on dried fruit and spices for flavor.

The 14th-century date does not mean England invented every form of fruit-filled pastry. Pies and tarts developed across Europe, and written culinary records preserve only what happened to be documented. The date identifies the early English record associated with apple pie.

Apple pie later traveled to North America with European settlers. Over time, American recipes and cultural language made the dessert a national symbol, even though the earliest cited English record is several hundred years older than the United States.