How to Make the Most Fabulous Fall Apple Pie

As of today, it FINALLY feels like Fall is in the air here in Dallas! It has been SO hot lately, so seeing a few clouds in the sky and leaves finally falling from the trees; it just makes me want to stay inside, wrap up in a blanket, and eat some warm apple pie : )

I grew up eating homemade apple pie nearly every Sunday. In the Fall, the apples all came from my dad’s orchard and I can still smell the sweet aroma of fresh cinnamon apples baking in the kitchen!

Lucky for you, I’ve decide to share our family recipe!!

Check out my big Youtube debut with a how-to video below, and continue reading for the complete recipe and photos!

Believe it or not…as amazing as this looks, it tastes even better!

I have to admit…I am a bit of a piecrust snob! This recipe of my sisters is my absolute favorite because it is always so flaky and yummy!

Mindy’s Pie Crust

4 C flour

1 T sugar

1 3/4 C vegetable shortening

1T white vinegar

1 egg

½ C ice water

Place flour, sugar, and shortening in a medium-sized bowl. With a pastry cutter cut until small bits form about the size of peas. Whisk together white vinegar, egg and ice water until just mixed. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and using your pastry cutter, combine until mostly blended. Now it’s time to get dirty! Remove your rings if you don’t want to find piecrust in them for the next week! Gather up the crust in your hands and knead until just mixed.  Divide dough in ½ and cover the portion you are not using so it does not dry out while you roll the bottom layer.

I roll my crust out on a pastry cloth but you can also use waxed paper if you don’t have one! Sprinkle a little flour on your cloth and roll into a thin circle large enough to fill the pie plate and hang over the edges slightly. Trim crust evenly around pie plate.  Pick up the cloth and flip it over into the pie plate. Peal off the cloth and, in the event you accidentally overshot your target, just scoot it over and position it evenly in the pie plate!

Now for the filling!

I’m one of those taste-until-you-like-it bakers because I tend to like things extra gooey sweet and flavorful… giggle : ) But this is the general idea!

Apple Pie Filling (for a deep dish pie) 

4 ½ LBS Granny Smith apples (approx. 10 apples)

¼ C flour

2 t fresh lemon juice

1 – 2 T Saigon cinnamon

1 t Apple Pie Spice made by King Arthur Flour

¼ t salt

1 – 1 ½ C Whey Low  (all-natural sugar substitute) or regular sugar

I personally think if you have to peel, cut and core the apples; it is WAY too much work. Thus, I LOVE my Peel Away! You could probably order it online and get it in about the same time as it would take to do your apples by hand….giggle! Plus, it turns the apples into a Slinky and my kids love that!

After using the Peel Away, cut apples into bite-sized pieces into a large bowl. Sprinkle with flour and stir with a very large spoon until incorporated. Add remaining ingredients and stir until everything is evenly mixed. Now taste! If it is not sweet enough, then add more sweetening! If you think it needs more spice, give it a little more, then pour the filling into the pie plate!

NOTE:   

Saigon cinnamon is totally worth buying! I have done the “close-your-eyes-and-smell-the-difference cinnamon test” on so many people and without fail everyone chooses the Saigon cinnamon over regular cinnamon because it has a much more robust scent and flavor!! Try it if you are skeptical! I’ll make you a believer!

Apple Pie Spice by King Arthur Flour is available online here. It is a perfect combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice ( Fun fact: allspice is not several spices all mixed together, it is actually dried unripe fruit of the Pimenta diode tree!)

Whey Low, in my opinion, should be added to the 7 Wonders of the World — as number 8! I have used it for years. It is a patented blend of all-natural sugars and carbs that produces a 75% fewer-calories-than-regular-sugar, low-glycemic, and low-carb sugar replacement. You can order it on-line here!

Leaf Decorations

With the remaining piecrust dough, reserve about a baseball-sized ball and roll the rest as before into a circle. For the lattice top cut strips (I used a pizza cutter) about 3/4 inch wide. You can then cut those in half if you want to make a braid. Position strips and braids as desired on top of apples being sure to pull alternating strips back so as to get a lattice effect. Trim edges and press slightly to seal bottom and top layers together. The edges don’t need to look pretty as they will be covered with leaves.

Roll out all remaining crust, grab your piecrust cutters (find the same ones here) and have fun with your placement! The more decorative the better!

With a pastry brush, lightly glaze the top crust with milk and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn down the oven to 325 degrees and bake an additional 40-45 minutes.

Enjoy!